192 MERRILL. 



two streams of (-(iiial ina^nitiidc joiiicil. Here \vc foiind thai the ^laiig- 

 vans, in order to l^e iiidepeudent of the rivci- in linies of Hood, liad 

 constructed a suspension 1)ri(lge across the canon. This was about 75 

 feet long, made of seven rattan stems so arranged that the lower three 

 strands formed a foot bridge, tlie upper two serving as hand rails. On 

 both sides of the canon these rattans were firmly attached to large trees 

 and on the west bank they passed over a huge bowlder in order to give the 

 sj)an sufficient altitude above the water in times of flood. 



The west branch was considered to represent the main stream, and the 

 fork flowing from the direction of Halcon Peak was named the Halcon 

 Kiver. The party crossed the Alag, some l)y means of the suspension 

 f)ridge, others by fording ; the trail was found to continue on up the op})osite 

 bank. undoid)tedly leading to a recent clearing of considerable magnitude 

 which was plainly to be seen from our Can.p Nunibci- Three and fi'oni 

 wliich it did not apj)ear feasible to ascend Halcon. Accordingly, we 

 crossed the Halcon Eiver, taking the ridge between it and the Alag, 

 continuing until we reached an altitude of about 3,200 feet, under the 

 impression that we were on the ridge leading to the main range. Late in 

 the afternoon it was discovered that we had still another caiion to cross, 

 and as our carriers were exhausted, we established Cam]) Xuml)er Four 

 in the forest, without water other than the small supply which we had in 

 our canteens and such meager amounts as could be secured from freshly 

 cut rattan stems. 



Striking camp at daybreak on the 13th, we proceeded along the ridge 

 for a short distance when we reached a deserted clearing; passing 

 through this we enter('(l a more recent and occupi('(| one which was several 

 hundred acres in area, where one or two deserted houses were found. 

 About one and one-half hours after this we reached the canon l)etween 

 us and the main ridge, crossing it neai' its head. The stream in this 

 canon was called the ('nniing l>i\ci' in iionoi' of Ilngh Cuming, an 

 Iviglishrnan who made extensive collections ol' plants and animals in the 

 l'hili[»[)ines between the years lH3(i and 1S|(). lii'eakfast was pi-c|iai'c(l 

 at this point and at about 1<I o'clock we were again on the march. |)roceeil- 

 ing uj) the steep eastei'n l)aid\ <d' the ('inning Kiver, following a rather 

 indistinct Mangyan trail. Near the top of the i-idge we entered a 

 deserted clearing containing the rnins of an old house, where the trail 

 seemed to end. From this ])oint a course was taken up the cr(>st of the 

 ridge, which lici'c was rather broad, although it grailually nai'rowed as 

 we ascended and we soon found ourselves foi-ced tn cut our way thi'ough 

 exceedingly dense tliickets up an so slope. After much ditlicidly we 

 attained the summit of a small spur covcreil with dense, chai'actei'ist ic. 

 mossy forest. As it was late in the aflei'uoou when the ci-est line was 

 reached, Cam[) .\undier I''i\c was established on the r,ai'row lieiich in tlu' 

 dense forest, just below the top of tlu' ridge, a small stream being located 



