MANILLA AND SOOLOO SEA. 



3r»0 



Sooloo Sea. The two largest islands of the archipelago are Sooloo and 

 Tawitawi : the former being the most important, the seat of govern- 

 ment, and principal point of trade, was visited by the Expedition. Its 

 length is 33 miles east and west, and its extreme breadth 13 miles, but 

 will average about 9 miles, its broadest and highest part lying to the 

 west. In our examination, we were much aided by the Spanish charts. 

 I have little doubt but that the parts which our time prevented us from 

 scrutinizing are as trustworthy as those which we examined. The best 

 harbor of the Island of Sooloo is that of Soung ; it lies on the north- 

 west side of the island, and is protected by a group of low coral islands 

 covered with mangroves ; there are several coral shoals on the north : the 

 smallest of these is 3 miles distant ; it is partly exposed on the west. The 

 best anchorage is with Observatory Point bearing east, in 10 fathoms 

 water, Datu Point southwest, and Point Dyangappik northeast. The 

 Road embraces the area from Datu to Dyangappik Point, a distance 

 of 2 miles, and is 1 mile wide : beyond this boundary the soundings 

 increase to a great depth. Soung Road may" be reached either from 

 the west or by the northeast channel. The currents which prevail in 

 the Sooloo Sea are much governed by the monsoons, but tides prevail 

 neax the islands, and have their regular ebb and flood, with a rise and 

 fall of 4 J feet. In approaching the anchorages or departing, they 

 must claim attention, and be taken advantage of. 



The seasons are divided into wet and dry, corresponding to the 

 monsoons, the former from May till September, the latter from Octo- 

 ber to April. Although the winds correspond in part to the monsoons 

 of the China Seas, yet they more frequently prevail from the north 

 and south, enabling vessels to sail both east and west through the 

 Sooloo Sea. In all cases the sea is comparatively smooth, and not 

 subject to typhoons, which so often cause such devastation in the 

 China Seas. For an account of the trade and political character of 

 the inhabitants of this archipelago, I must refer to my Narrative of 

 the Exploring Expedition, Vol. V. 



Tawitawi is the next island in size to Sooloo. It lies about 50 miles 

 to the west, and its trend is a little to the southward of west and north- 

 ward of east : it is 30 miles in length and 10 miles wide. On its south 

 side there are many smaller islands, and there are several lying 

 between it and Sooloo : the largest are Siassi, west of it, and Parangan. 

 There is a broad channel, through which a strong current sets, during 

 the southwest monsoon, to the northeast. 



