and during a few years following. Bowring states
[158] that a well-known naturalist once offered a good sum of money
for the monopoly of working the sulphur mines in the Taal district.

Mineral oil was discovered some 12 years ago in the mountains of Cebu
Island, a few miles from the west-coast town of Toledo. A drill-boring
was made, and I was shown a sample of the crude _Oil_. An Irishman was
then conducting the experimental works. Subsequently a British engineer
visited the place, and reported favourably on the prospects. In 1896
I was again at the borings. Some small machinery had been erected for
working the drills. A Dutch mining engineer was in charge of the work,
which was being financed by a small British syndicate; but so far
a continuous flow had not been obtained, and it was still doubtful
whether a well had been struck or not. The Dutchman was succeeded
by an American, who, when the Spanish-American War was on the point
of breaking out, had to quit the place, and the enterprise has since
remained in suspense.

There is a tendency, in most new and unexplored countries, to
see visionary wealth in unpenetrated regions--to cast the eye of
imagination into the forest depths and the bowels of the earth, and
become fascinated with the belief that Nature has laid vast treasures
therein; and the veil of mystery constitutes a tradition until it is
rent by scientific investigation.

CHAPTER XX

Domestic Live-stock--Ponies, Buffaloes, Etc.

The Phillipine pony is not an indigenous animal. It is said to have
originated from the small Andalusian horse and the Chinese mare. I have
ridden more than 500 Philippine ponies, and, in general, I have found
them swift, strong, and elegant animals when well cared for. Geldings
are rarely met with. Before the American occupation ponies ranged
in value from P25 to P150 for a sound animal. Unfortunately,
prices of everything have risen since 1898, and, moreover, a fatal
horse-disease, called "surra," unknown in the Islands before that
period, has considerably reduced the stock of ponies. Due to these
causes, ponies cost to-day about three times the former prices.

The importation of Spanish and Australian horses resulted in failure,
because green grass (_zacate_)--the fodder of Philippine ponies--was
not the diet they had been accustomed to. Amateur enthusiasts
constantly urged the Spanish authorities to take measures for the
improvement of the breed, and in 1888 the