190 MEUKILL. 



two nearly eiiual hraiu-lies ; one, tiowing from the direction of the Haleon 

 Range was eoiisiiU'red to represent the main stream and th(^ other, heing 

 unknown to any of our j)arty. was named Whitehead liiver in honor of 

 the hite John Whitehead, an ]*]i)glisli naturalist Avho made the tirst serious 

 attem])t to ascend Haleon. 



From the entrance of the Eghert Eiver to that of the Whitehead, the 

 Alag flows through a rathei' \\\(]v valley lying between two low, densely 

 forested ridges, the river in this interval being from 50 to 100 yards 

 wide. Our trail followed the margin of the stream, sometimes on one 

 side, sometimes on the other. However, after passing the entrance of 

 the AVhiteliead Kiver the hanks of the stream became very irregular, its bed 

 being much narrower, so that because of the corresponding increasing dif- 

 ficulties in fording it was found advantageous to travel through the 

 underbrush along a bench about 25 feet above the level of the stream. 

 This necessitated slow progress as we were obliged to cut a trail 

 through the dense vegetation. Continuing on up the Alag for a short 

 distance above the junction of the Whitehead Eiver, Camp A^umber Two 

 was established late in the afternoon. On November (5 and 7 the carriers 

 were sent back to Subaan for further supplies and the remainder of the 

 party reconnoitered up the Alag. The river canon was found to be very 

 narrow, with perpendicular cliffs sometimes several hundred feet in 

 height and covered with dense vegetation, which often rose aln-ujitly 

 from the bed of the stream. In searching for the most feasible route 

 for our carriers the banks were climbed at intervals, but in no case 

 could a view be secured because of the dense thickets. It was decided 

 that the only i)racticable course, for the present at least, was along the 

 l)cd of the stream. The advance Avas rendered very difficult because of the 

 narrowness of the cafioii and the swiftness of the water which made 

 fording impossible in most })laces; moreover, we were aware of the fact 

 that the river w^as suliject to sudden and enormous floods and that in 

 case of heavy rains wc were almosi certain to be cut olf from our base 

 of su])plics. The tremendous force of the water in times of floods was 

 much in evidence as we traveled upstream; great water-worn Imwlders, 

 (i to ].") feet in dianietei-. wei'e e\-ei'ywhei\' encouidered and in places 

 larg\> caverns had been cut in tlie solid elin's by the action of (he water. 

 At a distance of about a mile abo\(' Camp Number Two and at an 

 altitude of !MM) feet. ;inothei- smaller i'i\('i- joins the Alag from the east, 

 this we named the llollon, in meiuoi-y of the late Lii'ut. Ivlwai-d C. 

 l^>olton, foi'Miei- CovciMKU' <if ihe |)is(i-iet of I)a\ao. Miudauao. This was 

 undoubtedly tliestreiim which Lieuten;int Lee's |)art\- followed in eross- 

 ing the divide between the .Mag and l>agbaujan Ifixcrs in .\pril. I'.'dl. 

 A beautiful cascade about 15 feet in height exists just below the junc- 

 tion of this with the Alag, liei-e the whole volume of the rwrv is forced 

 through a nari-ow |)assage between two large bowldei's. falliug iuto a p 

 surrounded l)y higli clill's. 



IKKH 



