5. 
Misamis, May 22nd. On May 25th, Lieutenant Wood had been ordered to 
Iligan, and left Catagan the same day. The party havin' thus been reduced 
to one-half o? its original strength. Mayor Mearns decided to reach Grand 
Mai in dang by crossing the great gorge north of Mt. Bliss . Therefore, on May 
26th, the party started from Catagan at 8:15 A. M. , and followed a trail 
o 
mostly 340 , high grass on both sides for about a mile, then through woods 
and underbrush until it strikes the Balinsang trail; this we followed for some 
distance and then followed the bed of a dry river, then crossing another small 
nidge, until we struck the bed of the Malabug River* This again we followed 
for about 300 yds. The river is here about 60 feet wide, but the amount of 
water would not make more than a 6-inch stream* After leaving the river 
we followed the long ridge, which is leading to an almost continuous slope of from 
o o 
15 to 20 for eight miles, to the top of Mt, Lebo* It is here fairly good 
travelling, as the underbrush is not very dense but with mere high timber, which 
is, on this ridge, especially tall, from 160 to 200 feet and from 2 to 5 feet in 
diameter. At 2:15 P . M. we reached Mt. kebtb, and, from here, followed over a 
narrow ridge, about twenty feet wide, for 2 miles west until we reached the foot 
of the peak of Mt. Bliss, reaching its summit at 3:45 P. M, , May 26. Here the 
party v,ent 5„nio camp, and as the vegetation was very beautiful, and mountain 
birds abundant. Major Mearns decided to stay there for several days. On May 
28th, Private West with Sergeant Pashandalan, of the Constabulary, and 4 cargadores, 
startedon a reconnoisance of the gorge, and if possible to find a trail to the 
summit of Grand Malindang* He went down to the Bliss River, north of Mt. Bliss, 
and, after following it for several miles, ascended the ridge to the north, suppos- 
ing that it was a foothill of Grand Malindang. He followed this ridge until 
he got to a peak from where he could get come bearings and found that Grand Malin- 
dang was almost due north of him. Therefore, he continued along the ridge, 
climbing higher and higher until, he reached the very peak on May 29th, but fh und 
