98 INLAND EXCURSION. [1846. 



On our last visit he had been compelled to quit at the 

 moment that the naval authorities had interfered about 

 our sounding operations. This was now satisfactorily 

 explained, and, as I imagined, had been a mistake alto- 

 gether, or rather, it had not been officially notified. As 

 our duties did not confine us so closely as on our former 

 visit, the Governor and his friends made up a party for 

 an inland excursion, or pic-nic, which we enjoyed amaz- 

 ingly, obtaining from our elevated position a most com- 

 manding view of all the surrounding coast and islands 

 up to Basilan. The position where we rested was the 

 inland Vigia or Guard-house, established to keep in check 

 the lawless mountaineers, who are equally dreaded with 

 the Moros, of whom, indeed, they are the counterpart, 

 on the soil, and connected by the Bay of Illana. But 

 these mountaineers are less merciful than their brethren 

 of the sea, generally spearing their victim, whom they 

 cannot very conveniently carry away, and whom it would 

 be impolitic to spare, lest he should tell tales. A pleasant 

 rivulet winds through this region, having sufficient depth 

 for bathing, in which many indulged after the fatigues of 

 the chase. It was expected that deer and mountain 

 cocks, the beautiful and graceful Malay bird, would have 

 been added to the spoils, but monkeys and woodpeckers 

 were, I believe, the only game produced ; a pair of the 

 cocks were noticed, but too wary to be killed. 



This excursion proved to us that our judgment relative 

 to the quantity of land under cultivation between the 

 coast-line and the base of the mountains was much under- 

 rated. The width of the available land, extending about 

 twenty miles along the coast, westerly, may be reckoned 



