Sports in the Philippines.

Manawatu Herald, 1 December 1898, Page 3

Sports in the Philippines.

♦ HOW THE NATIVES OF THE ISLANDS AMUSE THEMSELVES. Natives of the Philippines are unable to drown, and they do not suspect

that we are different from themselves in this regard. Consequently, it is not certain that you will be rescued if you call to a native for help just as you are going down the second time. How can a man be in danger when he has the water all about him to swim in ? The native does not understand at all, and sits calmly by watching your third disappearance and commenting on your lack of grace. He i may remark on the length of time you can hold your breath and possibly will jab around with a stick a little, to see if you have not gone to sleep. He cannot think " drown," because he has i no word for it. ; It is good sport watching the natives from the tobacco factories bathing after the day's work is over. Four or five thousand of them in together — ; men, women and children— in the ' merriest confusion, playing all sorts of pranks on one another and no end of games, all in their birthday suits, j Along some parts of the beaches near j Manila bathing is dangerous — at least, ' at certain seasons — for sharks abound and come up even where the water is ' no more than four feet deep. Man- j eaters will attack natives who ride ; down into the sea on horseback to \ bathe their animals, and nip off a leg { if they have half a chance. j As a rule, though, the natives meet the maneaters half-way, and will dive in and rip the fish open with a knife. It is rare sport, bat has made little headway among Europeans. They • are shy of bathing ; for not only have i they no use for sharks, but they dread ; the jelly fish, that stings like a live electric wire and poisons one worse than any ivy. One of them will swell a man's arm to the size of his leg or his leg to the size of his body. Of course, where there are so many Spaniards there must be bull fights. Every one attends except the Protestant missionaries ; and even they go sometimes, for they are graduates of medicine and surgery, and may be needed. The Manila bull is a gentle creature, compared to the magnificent animals raised in Mexico and in Spain and the fights are correspondingly less exciting. Variations are introduced therefore. One of these not long ago was a contest between a tiger, brought over from China, and a ball, which took place in a large cage in the middle of the arena. There was excitement enough that day to satisfy even the enthusiasts. Another diversion, when the bulls are tame, is pony fighting. Manila is the only place in the world to see this variety of Spanish sports. A coquettish mare is hitched by four hot of rope to a post in the centre of an inclosure and three ponies who would win her smiles are let in. Each U jealous of the others, and as he ) advances to pay court to the hitched queen receives the violent attentions of the other two, with an occasional swift kick in the ribs or neck from the queen herself when she has a really good opportunity. < (To be continued.) | i

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