THE ASCENT OF MOTTNT HALCON. 183 



meters, wliilc our uiuorrcctcMl aneroid readings determine an altitude of 

 9,000 feet, both of these records a])])arently, being t(^o liigli. In A})ril, 

 190G, a triangulation ])arty of tlie Coast and Geodetic Survey, under the 

 direction of Mr. 0. W. Ferguson, estimated the lieight of the mountain 

 as 8,504 feet, tlie mean of three determinations from as many diiferent 

 stations. The same party ascertained the geographical coordinates of the 

 highest peak to be latitude N. 13° 15' 4(i", longitude E. 120° 59' 29". 



Viewed from the coast, Halcon appears to present no particular dif- 

 ficulties so far as the ascent is concerned. It is a long, more or less 

 broken ridge running from east to west, presenting steep slopes, especially 

 on the north, but with three pronounced spurs with more gradual ^lopes 

 leading from it, one to the east, one to the south and one to the west. 

 Tlie crest line of these spurs present rather gradual slopes, although 

 they are steep in places. Several subsidiary spurs lead off from the main 

 range in various directions, notably to the north. Difficulties encountered 

 in making the ascent of Halcon, as is the case with most Philippine 

 mountains, were found to be not so much in the actual climbing as in 

 the approach to the mountain, the fording of streams, the crossing of 

 ridges, the cutting of trails through the dense vegetation and in the 

 transportation of necessary supplies and equipment. 



The highest peak of Halcon shows no signs whatever of ever having 

 been visited by human beings, and. as it would be a ])hysical impossibility 

 for any person to reach the summit without extensive trail cutting, it 

 seems evident that in recent years at least, it has never been visited by 

 man. Several attempts to reach the top of the mountain have been made 

 and in the past three centuries it is possible, but not probable, that some 

 of the early Spanish explorers in their search for the fabulous mineral 

 wealth of Mindoro, might have made the ascent. 1 have been able to 

 find no account whatever of attempts made by the Spaniards, and the 

 utter inaccuracy of Spanish maps as to the location of Halcon Peak 

 and the course of the Alag and Baco rivers would indicate that they 

 had no positive knowledge whatever of this part of Mindoro. In fact, 

 on many maps such a large river as the Alag is not indicated at all, 

 although it joins the Baco at tide water and at less than 3 miles from the 

 coast. 



PREVIOUS ASCENTS OP THE MOUNTAIN. 



In April, 1891, Dpan C. Worcester visited some Mangyan clearings on 

 the slopes of Mount Halcon, probably ascending to about 2,500 or 3,000 

 feet. However, so far as I can learn he nmde no attemjit to reach the 

 summit, but his tri]) in this vicinity is the first one of which I have 

 any knowledge. The reader is referred to his own account of his Mindoro 

 experiences." 



" Loc. cit. 



