﻿1 94 MERRILL. 



of soil and vegetation, where extensive portions of the main ridge had 

 slid into the valley. The land slides, some of them of recent origin, 

 present a hare, rocky face, covered only in places with a scant growth of 

 grass, herbaceous plants and small hushes. We secured a magnificent, 

 view of Halcon, which was 1-J- miles distant across a deep valley, by 

 cutting out a few trees on the steep slopes below our camp, but the peak 

 was very rarely visible because of the prevailing fog and rain. Occasio- 

 nally at intervals of cessation in the severe storm which now came on, 

 the wind would drive the fog away. Judging from these glimpses it 

 became very evident to us that from our present position the only route 

 leading to the latter was by way of the ridge on which we were. On 

 November 18 our carriers came in from Subaan, having made the trip 

 from the coast in three and one-half days. Some were retained for 

 work about the camp, some were sent back to the base camp at the junc- 

 tion of the Baco and Alag Eivers to remain there until further orders, 

 while others were returned to Subaan to bring in food to supply the 

 party on the trip back to the coast. The ones whom we retained at 

 Camp Number Six suffered much from the cold and dampness, as also 

 did the Americans in the party. 



Eealizing that our food supply was limited and that, because of the 

 present storm, the Alag would be unfordable and accordingly no further 

 supplies could be brought in, it was deemed unwise to remain in camp 

 hoping for a change in weather, hence, on the morning of November 19, 

 Mr. Hutchinson and I proceeded by way of the ridge to an altitude 

 of 7,000 feet where previously we had cleared a trail. We continued 

 it up the steep slope, attaining the main ridge at an altitude of 7,800 

 feet; the one leading to Halcon Peak running from the east to the 

 west at about right angles to our ridge trail. The montane brush of 

 the upper ridges became reduced to an open heath commencing at the 

 crest line and extending for some distance down the southern slope, the 

 ground cover consisting of tufted grasses, with only occasionally scat- 

 tered stunted bushes and shrubs, a most grateful change from the 

 dense, mossy ridge thickets through which previously we had been obliged 

 to cut trails. However, these heath lands were limited in extent and so 

 we passed rapidly through them and found the succeeding ridge thickets 

 to be very much more dense than those farther down. Progress through 

 them was laterally foot by foot and then only by constant use of bolo. 

 The heavy rain which had set in a few days before, still continued with- 

 out cessation, adding to our discomfort, the temperature being constantly 

 below 15° C. Owing to the low temperature, the high wind and the con- 

 tinual rain, our position was exceedingly uncomfortable and at times 

 of especially heavy downpours the warmth of our bodies did not suffice 

 to keep the temperature of our wet clothes up to a degree of comfort, 

 the occassional, heavy bursts of cold rain cooling the body to such an 



