346 



S O O L O O. 



vessels bound up this coast, I determined to survey it ; and for this 

 purpose the boats were hoisted out and prepared for surveying. 

 Lieutenant Budd was despatched to visit the pueblo called San Jose. 



On reaching the bay, the boats were sent to different points of it, 

 and when they were in station, the ship fired guns to furnish bases 

 by the sound, and angles were simultaneously measured. The boats 

 made soundings on their return to the ship, and thus completed this 

 duty, so that in an hour or two afterwards the bay was correctly 

 represented on paper. It offers no more than a temporary anchorage 

 for vessels, and unless the shore is closely approached, the water is 

 almost too deep for the purpose. 



At San Jose a Spanish governor resides, who presides over the two 

 pueblos of San Pedro and San Jose, and does the duty also of alcalde. 

 Lieutenant Budd did not see him, as he was absent, but his lady did 

 the honours. Lieutenant Budd represented the pueblo as cleanly 

 and orderly. About fifteen soldiers were seen, who compose the 

 governor's guard, and more were said to be stationed at San Pedro. 

 A small fort of eight guns commands the roadstead. The beach was 

 found to be of fine volcanic sand, composed chiefly of oxide of iron, 

 and comminuted shells ; there is here also a narrow shore-reef of 

 coral. The plain bordering the sea is covered with a dense growth 

 of cocoa-nut trees. In the fine season the bay is secure, but we were 

 informed that in westerly and southwesterly gales heavy seas set in, 

 and vessels are not able to lie at anchor. Several small vessels were 

 lying in a small river about one and a half miles to the southward of 

 the point on which the fort is situated. The entrance to this river is 

 very narrow and tortuous. 



Panay is one of the largest islands of the group. We had an 

 opportunity of measuring the height of some of its western peaks 

 or highlands, none of which exceed three thousand feet. The inte- 

 rior and eastern side have many lofty summits, which are said to 

 reach an altitude of seven thousand five hundred feet; but these, as we 

 passed, were enveloped in clouds, or shut out from view by the nearer 

 highlands. The general features of the island are like those of Luzon 

 and Mindoro. The few specimens we obtained of its rocks consisted 

 of the different varieties of talcose formation, with quartz and jasper. 

 The specimens were of no great value, as they were much worn by 

 lying on the beach. 



The higher land was bare of trees, and had it not been for the 



