INFLUENCE OF GEOLOGIC ENVIRONMENT ON NATIVES 539 



ocean-going vessels on the Bicol Eiver. It also taps the Albay hemp 

 region. This town probably never will become of the first importance 

 because none bnt shallow-draught boats can reach it. 



Influence of geologic Environment on Natives 



The Philippine Islands afford some interesting data showing the de- 

 pendence of people on their geologic environment. This also may throw- 

 some light on the question of the duration of the so-called Stone^, Iron, 

 and Bronze "ages" of man. From our reading we naturally would gather 

 the impression that these "ages" followed one another in order, and that 

 each was of considerable duration. The last may be true, but the fact 

 that these periods of economic or mechanical processes of civilization 

 may have overlapped to a considerable degree usually has not been prop- 

 erly emphasized. At San Esteban, Ilocos N"orte, as shown by Christie/^ 

 the Ilocanos make stone vessels, mortars, etcetera, though they do not, 

 as far as is known, use stone implements ; so that it is not a strictly bona 

 fide "stone age" community. The Igorots of Mancayan, until recently, 

 and perhaps at this very time, smelt their own copper and beat out pots 

 of various sizes. In the Bulacan Mountains the Tagalogs are engaged 

 in making plowshares and points by the thousands in their crude fur- 

 naces. In Mindanao the Moro is a brass-worker, it being easier for him 

 to get that than any other metal or alloy. So, by stretching a point, we 

 have all three metals, as well as stone, playing a leading part in the lives 

 of these peoples. The islanders use each and all of them simply because 

 they are at hand, but all are found in the same age. It is reasonable to 

 suppose that the availability of the particular material for use has been 

 the controlling factor in the reason for its employment rather than any 

 varying in the degree of intelligence of the workers ; and it is conceivable 

 that some future archeologist might come, with his isolated and insuffi- 

 cient data, to make some generalization which would be wholly imwar- 

 ranted by the truth. 



Even vulcanism, with all of its dire accompaniments, has its compen- 

 sations, and to it can be traced several unsuspected benefits. Three espe- 

 cially pertinent illustrations may be cited : 



The Government engineers have found that the Manila plain, which is 

 almost entirely made up of loose pyroclastics alternating with shaly and 

 clayey beds, is an exceptionally good source of artesian water. Hundreds 

 of these wells have been bored since the American occupation, and the 

 effect for the better on the health of the natives has been truly wonderful. 

 A second benefit is manifested in the fact that, although the outpouring 



" Philippine Journal of Science, vol. vii, no. 4. 



