﻿THE ASCENT OF MOUNT HALCON. 203 



best carriers for such a trip as we took would be the Mangyans, but 

 they can be approached only with difficulty and because of their supersti- 

 tions can not be relied upon to stay with a party. As carriers are very 

 difficult to secure in Mindoro and do not prove satisfactory even when they 

 are found, they should be secured at some point in Luzon and landed 

 with the party making the ascent. Camp outfit and equipment should 

 be made as light as possible and food should be confined to essentials. All 

 food supplies and equipment should be wrapped in waterproof packages; 

 the packs should be adapted to carriers and should not exceed 40 or 50 

 pounds in weight for the ordinary carrier. 



The proper time for ascending Halcon, judging from our imperfect 

 knowledge of the rainfall in the vicinity of the mountain, is in the months 

 of February, March, April, and May, but these months are by no means 

 dry, as is shown by Lieutenant Lee's experience north of Halcon in 

 April. During the remaining months of the year heavy rains prevail, 

 and anyone penetrating beyond the Alag Eiver on our route would do 

 so at the constant risk of being cut off from his base of supplies, as in 

 reality happened to our party. To be cut off for any extended period in 

 the interior of Mindoro would be in most cases a very serious complication 

 and every precaution should be taken to avoid it. 



My acknowledgment and thanks are due to Major J. K. Thompson, 

 United States Army, for the accompanying map and for the copies of 

 Lieutenant Lee's report; and to Major George P. Ahern, Director of 

 Forestry of the Philippine Islands, for copies of Lieutenant Jenning's 

 and Foresters Merritt's and Hutchinson's reports. 



