﻿192 MERRILL. 



two streams of equal magnitude joined. Here we found that the Mang- 

 yans, in order to be independent of the river in times of flood, had 

 constructed a suspension bridge 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, the 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 j^assed over a huge bowlder in order to give the 

 span 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 

 Eiver. The party crossed the Alag, some by means of the suspension 

 bridge, others by fording ; the trail was found to continue on up the opposite 

 bank, undoubtedly leading to a recent clearing of considerable magnitude 

 which was plainly to be seen from our Camp Number Three and from 

 which it did not appear 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 canon to cross, 

 and as our carriers were exhausted, we established -Camp Number 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 entered a more recent and occupied 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 between 

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

 canon was called the Cuming Eiver in honor of Hugh Cuming, an 

 Englishman who made extensive collections of plants and animals in the 

 Philippines between the years 1836 and 1840. Breakfast was prepared 

 at this point and at about 10 o'clock we were again on the march, proceed- 

 ing up the steep eastern bank of the Cuming Eiver, following a rather 

 indistinct Mangyan trail. Near the top of the ridge we entered a 

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

 seemed to end. From this point a course was taken up the crest of the 

 ridge, which here was rather broad, although it gradually narrowed as 

 we ascended and we soon found ourselves forced to cut our wa} r through 

 exceedingly dense thickets up an 80° slope. After much difficulty we 

 attained the summit of a small spur covered with dense, characteristic, 

 mossy forest. As it was late in the afternoon when the crest line was 

 reached, Camp Number Five was established on the narrow bench in the 

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



