+ 
236 The Philippine Journal of Science 1922 
of the island near Catbalogan shows the topography to be mature, 
and a more extended survey proves that the island, as a whole, 
is maturely dissected, although the area in the northwest corner 
is more youthful. Relatively speaking, the relief of the island 
is low, for there is no peak higher than 1,000 meters, and 
there are no prominent ones such as are to be seen on Leyte. 
The arrangement of the rivers and their branches in Samar 
is more or less dendritic, as the accompanying map (Plate 5) 
will show. The island is drained by streams that meander to 
a very great degree. Some of these streams appear to be in 
the second cycle of erosion, typically in the region between 
Buau and Matuguinao. Rivers are more abundant and longer 
on the east than on the west coast; and in places those of the 
- Pacific side appear to be drowned (near Taft), while on the 
west coast there are evidences of uplift.2 The swamps at the 
mouths of the rivers are due, therefore, to uplift and a ponding 
of the water, and are not the result of subsidence and overflow 
alone. The headwaters of the streams are rocky and in many 
cases dangerous. Ulot River is probably an antecedent stream 
that rises remarkably near the west coast, and upon nearing 
the ocean appears to be controlled by an uplifted marine terrace 
(see fig. 3). 
NATURE OF THE TOPOGRAPHY- 
Since the topography of Samar is mature, the area of un- 
dissected surface is not great. The valleys that now exist are 
due, for the greater part, to erosion of nearly flat beds of soft 
material. This cutting action has been aided by uplift and local 
folding and faulting. In most cases the valleys are not wide, 
but they are numerous; it is probable that some of them are 
structural. For example, near the barrio of Jipapad on the 
Jipapad-San Vicente trail there are two small valleys which 
appear to be fault valleys. The soils of the valleys are usually 
clayey, though in places they contain some sand. 
Marine terracing is inferred from certain features, as will 
be pointed out, and future work probably will show that these 
features have markedly affected the topography of the country. 
From present information, it may be stated that the high peaks 
of Samar have a general northwest and southeast trend; that is 
to say, they follow the general direction of the island. 
Recent uplift at Basey was reported by Jagor in his “Journeys” and 
was noted at Wright, Calbiga, and other localities by our party. 
