20, 1 Smith: Pidatan Oil Field, Cotabato, Mindanao 25 
of all these facts it is thought that any large expenditure of 
money or time in this locality would not be justified. There is 
undoubtedly oil in.this field, but drilling here is not considered 
an economic undertaking. 
On the other hand, the consensus of the geologists and the 
practical oil men of the party is that further intensive explora- 
tion in near-by regions of central. Mindanao, either by the Gov- 
ernment or by private capital, would be desirable. However, 
from the nature of the country and of the geological conditions, 
this work will require the .services of many men for many 
months, at heavy expense. In order to get the geological facts 
about this region, it is necessary to use bolo-men constantly, and 
even with this aid the solving of the geological problems is very 
difficult and uncertain, owing to the scarcity of outcrops just 
where they are needed to complete the story. Without geologi- 
cal study practical oil men will not consider further expenditure. 
As the division of mines of the Bureau of Science is at present 
pitifully undermanned, there being one field geologist now (July, 
1921) in the Government service, this work cannot be even con- 
sidered by the Bureau of Science. 
GEOGRAPHIC 
Location.—The field investigated (fig. 1) is situated about 
60 kilometers due north of Fort Pikit, Cotabato Province, Min- 
danao, which in turn is situated some 70 kilometers up the Rio 
Grande de Cotabato and therefore is very nearly in the heart of 
the great southern island. To the north of the field lies the vol- . 
canic range containing the active volcano of Mount Ragang, 
which in turn lies just back of Lake Lanao. To the west runs 
the line of hills and mountains known as the Babuy Mountains. 
To the east there are some moderately high hills and mountains 
of limestone, of which Mount Kitubud is the outstanding feature 
(Plate 1, fig. 2). The principal stream running through the 
field is the Malitabug which flows almost due south. This is a 
swift and almost unfordable tributary of the Rio Grande. The 
wild and picturesque gorge and the natural bridge of the Mali- 
tabug are special scenic features of the region. The old Govern- 
ment trail, now almost overgrown, which follows this stream is 
one of the finest in the Philippines, from a scenic point of view, 
and the natural bridge crossing the Malitabug is the most re- 
markable known in the Philippines. 
Topography.—tin general, the region under consideration may 
be called mountainous (Plate 1, fig. 1). The western part of 
