RECONNAISSANCE OF MINDANAO AND SULU : III. 367 



where a rich, red soil, very much like that of the Hawaiian Islands, 

 splendid agricultural country, and the rocks, wherever exposed, basaltic 

 or andesitic. Mount Malindang is evidently an old volcanic stock and 

 shows signs of extensive erosion. 1 doubt if it has been in eruption 

 since the Pleistocene. There are several other old stocks in this district. 

 A fine strip of coastal plain extends north from Misamis through Jimenez 

 or Oroquieta to Langaran. This coastal plain varies from 1 to 12 kilo- 

 meters in width, and is very fertile agricultural land where coconuts 

 flourish. In fact, this part of the district bordering Iligan Bay appears 

 to be one of the finest agricultural districts in the Archipelago. 



The country is very rugged west of Malindang, there being several 

 prominent peaks, of which Mount Dapiok and Sugar Loaf are the most 

 conspicuous. The north coast in the vicinity of Dapitan is of the same 

 character and gives every evidence of recent elevation. I did not land 

 at Dapitan, but went close enough to the shore to be able to make out 

 limestone cliSs with my glass. I know of no economic deposits in the 

 district. There should be an abundance of coal and limestone which 

 might be developed. It is fairly safe to predict that gold also will be 

 found in many of the streams. The hill country of this district is in- 

 habited by Siibanuns; the coast towns are peopled largely with Visayans 

 from Cebu and ISTegros, and with Chinese, of course, the chief traders. ■ 



THE LANAO DISTRICT. 



Physiography. — I have already referred to the Lanao district in speak- 

 ing of the upland of Mindanao. It is the territory bounded on the west 

 by a line from Pangil to Illana Bay, on the north by Iligan Bay, on 

 the south by Illana Bay, and on the east by the Kalintang Eange and 

 the hiUs of the western part of Bukidnon. The country rises gradually 

 from Pangil Bay to the irregular group of mountains to the west of Lake 

 Lanao. The lake itself is 670.5 meters above sea-level. A range varying 

 from 760 meters to nearly 2,400 meters in height is located to the east 

 of Lake Lanao. The country north and south drops off gradually from 

 the lake to the sea. 



Geology. — As far as I know from my own observations (having crossed 

 this region from east to west and north to south), very few outcrops 

 other than basalt exist. That this basalt is a blanket overlying sedi- 

 mentaries is proved by the finding of sandstone on the east side of 

 Lake Lanao ; and again, at Parang, sedimentaries can be studied emerging 

 at the edge of the basalt. Before discussing this basalt, it is better to 

 consider the region beginning at Camp Overton. The military road 

 starts from the latter and immediately climbs in a zigzag up the steep 

 escarpment which faces the bay. For the first few . hundred feet, it 

 cuts through raised coral reefs and rubble limestone; then it passes 

 out of the limestone, and from here to Lake Lanao is entirelv on the 



