TEE EASTERN ARCHIPELAGO. 



159 



by Ika overflow of tin 1 PainjHiimn, and Ronibou, a large like IS miles 

 by 10, out of which riwt th« Tasl volcano, whose deep crater ii itself 

 flooded by ft lakelet three miles in circumference. The greater part of 

 Mindanao is drained by two large rivers— the Dutuon, flowing from tu.-ar 

 Mount Csloltn northwards to Hut nan Cull", and the Rio Grande, which 

 traverses a series of lakes on its Westerly cuunw to Tlhtna Buy, Between 

 tho two, sad in the very heart of the inland, lies the extensive but littlu 

 known lake Maguimlinao, which, like thr Lagiiiiii do Canrnvii, is a No wiid 

 to discharge ils surplus waters in opposite directions lo both of these 

 river basins. Several otln-r lakes arc Untied over Ike interior of Mindanao, 

 the largest uf which apjHJtirs to be Alalauao, draining to lligon Buy, on tku 

 north coast. 



Climate. — Three seasons are di si in prinked, at leant in the northern 

 st-etiuii i.l' tki- .Archipelago, which alone is exposed to Ike terrific 



lyrik is llml nwvep Willi sm-li destructive furec nv« r Ike f:liina fttta, 



The cold unrl dry season, ushered in by the north-east rnonsouii in 

 November, i* followed by the secxir, or period of heat und drought 

 prevising Bpoou March till June, when the beat on the lowlands is 

 ^< iim tiimjs almost unbearable, The third, or rainy period, accompany- 

 ing the ^outh- west monsoon, pmailfi generally from June till October, 

 when the typhoons are most frequent and violent* Bttt Ihey extend 

 HO further south than about 10 N. latitude, so that Mindanao and 

 the Sulu group lie beyond the range of ihcir devastations. The rain- 

 fall exceeds 100 inches in many places, and as most of the moisture 

 is precipitated during the wet period, the lowlands ore periodically 

 flooded by the treiuemloiiH downpours nf the summer nnd autumn 

 months. In the north the greatest heats appear lo prevail from 

 April lo July, or August, when ike glass rises to WT or even 100" F f , 

 while at other limes falling lo 75 und 72 c * Owing to the abf-eucc of 

 Storms, the climate is more equable in the south, so that the distant" 

 tions between the seasons are much less perceptible in Mindanao 

 than in Luzon, 



Flora. — With the progress of exploration the number of indi- 

 genous forms is constantly increased. Thus the 2720 species and 

 910 genera already recorded in 1879 had risen in 188$ to 4383 species 

 und 1 IMS genera. Host of tko latter an- conn mm to Malacca, Borneo, 

 and other parts of the lud' '-Malayan h-ginn, while snme belong 

 to thfi AuKtrala^ian world, and a few are indigenous. Hut owing 

 to their lone; isolation, the Philippines have developed a greater 

 number nf -:n- ■ ji-^ nii'l v .ni 'i'.-:- ill. in any niher in-iitar jjronp in 

 the Archipelago* 



TIjo splendour of the kighland scenery, which all trflvellcrs describe in 

 enthusiastic language, is largely duo to the magnificent forests of ebony, 



