A RECONNAISSANCE FROM DAVAO. 503 



south bank of Cabatoc Creek, about 9 kilometers north of the town of 

 Tarragona. The seam dips at an angle of about 15° in the direction S. 

 50° E. A conglomerate or coarse sandstone immediately underlies it, 

 while above lies a soft, bro-svn shale, which in turn is overlaid by an 

 impure limestone. 



The coal shows traces of its original, woody structure, is separated l.iy 

 several clay partings, is lignitie in character and composition, and yields 

 the following analysis as determined by the division of chemistry of the 

 Biireau of Science ; 



Per cent. 

 Water 11.47 



Volatile combustible matter 23.87 



Fixed cai-bon 14.08 



Ash 50.58 



Calorific value in calories 1,750 



The sample submitted was obtained from the only observed exposure, 

 and the low grade of the coal as shown by the analysis must therefore be 

 partly charged to the long period of weathering which such a surface 

 outcrop must naturally have undergone. However, at best, because of 

 the thinness of this the only known outcrop, the clay partings which sub- 

 divide it and its long distance from any good port, the deposit must be 

 considered of very doubtful commercial importance. Its chief value lies 

 in radicating that conditions favorable to the formation of coal have 

 existed in this region, and further prospecting may reveal more promising 

 deposits. 



After makiag this short reconnaissance, I returned to Davao, from which 

 point the general plan was once more taken up by the reconnaissance to 

 the Agusan Eiver and down this stream. 



DAVAO TO THE AGUSAN RIVEE. 



Mr. Ickis having joined me, we left Davao on January 31, having 

 received as guide from the tribal-ward headman of Lasan the services 

 of Comansing, his Moro chief of police. We traveled by launch for about 

 six hours in a north-northeasterly direction to the mouth of the Tagum 

 Eiver, and up the latter about 10.5 kilometers to a small aggregation of 

 huts loiown as Bincungan. The coast line as far as we could observe 

 was thickly wooded, and only occasionally patches showed signs of cul- 

 tivation. The inhabitants of Bincungan are for the greater part Manobos. 



In passing through the Straits of Pakiputan, we encountered a fleet of seven 

 pearling vessels actively employed upon an unusually rich bed of pearl shells 

 deposited upon a narrow shelf on the west coast of Samal Island. We learned 

 at a later time that the bank was stripped in about six weeks, and while valuable 

 beds still remained they were at depths whicli the local divers with their ap- 

 paratus considered unsafe. 



