20 SMITH. 



first day's journey took us along a comparatively level, alluvial-filled 

 A'alley, or a series of valleys, separated by low spurs from the hill country 

 to the east. This is good rice land. The soil is largely the disintegrated 

 debris from the immediately adjacent hill countrj'. Cuts along the road 

 for the most part show a dioritic formation, in some places overlain by 

 shales. At Pamatauan the country begins to undergo a noticeable 

 change, it becoming more level and dryer. A short distance before 

 Castillejos is reached there is a sudden and complete change both in soil 

 and vegetation. From here on the country simulates in a remarkable 

 degree the arid regions of the western part of the United States. Prac- 

 tically the only trees are agoho (Casiiaiina eqidsetifolia Forst.), which 

 ajDpear very much like pines. Between Santa Pe and Aglao there is 

 some lowland which is flooded by means of ditches leading from the river 

 and which makes good rice land. 



The gTeat flat stretch of country between Castillejos and Santa Pe 

 is almost treeless and has a coarse, sandy floor with occasional bowlders. 

 The Aglao Elver flows through this almost uninhabited stretch of country 

 between high and steep banks of sand and gravel. The heat and glare 

 encountered on the march across this part of the route are very tr}'ing, 

 particularlj^ to soldiers under full equipment. 



Monadnocks of various sizes here and there are to be seen on this plain. 

 One of these just beyond Castillejos is composed of andesite, and still a 

 larger one near, but across the river from Aglao, 215 meters above the 

 plain, is made up of practically the same rock as that constituting Mount 

 Pinatubo, namely, feldspar porphyry. 



A few miles east of Aglao we left the broad, nearly flat plain and 

 entered a valley which flares widely at its mouth, but which gradually 

 narrows toward its head. This we followed all the way to the foot of 

 Pinatubo, crossing and recrossing the Aglao several times. At the 

 entrance to this valley we pitched camp on the high bluff overlooking the 

 river. 



Here we were visited by a small band of wandering Negritos, a photograph of 

 whom, togetlier with some of the American marines, is shown on Plate I. As 

 these little people have already been described by ethnologists, no further mention 

 need be made of them except that they are a nomadic, extremely shy tribe. They 

 are short, usually thick set, kinky-haired, quite dark, and resemble as their name 

 implies little negroes. The men use bows and arrows, wear few clothes, generally 

 only a breech clout, and are very active. Tliey live for the most part on wild 

 hogs and deer and probably any sort of wild meat they can find. Their houses 

 are of the rudest kind; in fact they are nothing more than temporary shelters 

 of grass, trees or caves. For a full description of these people I refer the 

 reader to Mr. Reed's ^ work. 



^Reed, W. A.: Negritos of Zambales, Ethnol Svr. Pvh. Manila, (1904), Pt. 1. 2. 



