There is a ledge reaching out to the eastward from Dibayabay Point; an islet close in shore in the bight between Dibayabay and Distoring Points; a second islet off Distoring Point; a third islet between Distoring and Dicapinisan Points, and a fourth islet about 1 mile off shore, eastward from Dicapinisan Point. DINGALAN BAY is about 10 miles wide between Agria and Deseada Points, and about 6 miles deep. The relative positions of the points about Dingalan Bay seem to be fairly correct. The most distinctive mark for picking up the bay from seaward is a very plainly marked white band on the hills running down to the beach 5 or 6 miles to the southward of Deseada Point. Agria Point is bare, as is also the point just behind Los Carabaos Islets, this point at a distance having the appearance of a broad white roadway leading down to the beach. Anchorage may be found in the northern part of the bay, sheltered from northeast winds, in 3 to 9 fathoms. Prueba Rock rises above water on a coral bank about 3 miles from the coast and about half way between Dingalan Bay and Inaguican Point. The position of Prueba Rock as given by the latest chart is latitude 14° 58′ N., longitude 121° 36′ E., but all positions in this vicinity must be considered as very uncertain. Inaguican Point, the northern entrance point to Lamon Bay, is situate about 36 miles southwestward from Dingalan Bay. It is the most eastern point in this vicinity and very prominent when viewed from northward or southward. It is low and heavily wooded with cocoanut trees growin to a height of about 50 feet, giving it the appearance of solid land, when seen from a distance. Infanta (Binangonan de Lampon). The town of Infanta is situate. about 6 miles northwestward from Inaguican Point and about 2 miles from the shore. Vessels desiring to communicate with the town can find good anchorage during the southwest monsoon just southward of the mouth of the Agos River, in 6 or 8 fathoms of water, about mile from shore. During the northeast monsoon vessels are obliged to anchor westward of Inaguican Point off the mouth of Misua Creek, or at Port Lampon. POLILLO ISLAND is a large island, approximately 25 miles long, north and south, and 10 to 15 miles wide, situated eastward from Inaguican Point from which it is separated by a channel, 8 to 13 miles wide by different charts. It is of moderate regular height and well wooded Mount Malolo, the highest point, is situated nearly in the middle of the island. It is a round-topped wooded hill but slightly higher than the surrounding country. The position of Mount Malolo and the shape of Polillo Island is shown very differently on different charts. The north side of the island is faced by a wide reef extending 2 or 3 miles from the DINGALAN BAY-POLILLO. 39 reefs, but the west coast is reported to be clean except before Polillo Harbor, where a great reef, partly dry at low water, projects northwest from Polillo Point, parallel with the coast, leaving a narrow channel some 14 fathoms deep, between it and the shore reefs, leading to the harbor. It is also reported that there is a shoal extending mile from the south west point of Polillo Island, indicated by the discolored water. Shoals. Union Reef, a dangerous shoal with 9 feet of water over it, has been reported in the channel between Luzon and Polillo, about midway between Inaguican Point and the village of San Miguel. The wider and better channel is west of this shoal. A large shoal about mile long northwest and southeast and about 200 yards wide, having one rock awash at low water and elsewhere a sounding of 5 feet, has been reported as lying about 4 miles from the west coast of Polillo in the following position: Mount Malolo bearing S. 89° E. (East mag.), Polillo Church S. 52° E. (S. 53° E. mag.), and Panampalan Point N. 12° W. (N. 13° W. mag.). Another shoal has been reported as lying 3 miles from the west coast of Polillo, having a least known depth of 12 feet. From this shoal Polillo Point bears S. 50° E. (S. 51° E. mag.), and Inaguican Point S. 47° W. (S. 46° W. mag.) Shoal water is reported to exist between the two last-described shoals. Polillo. The town of Polillo is situated at the head of a small bay on the western side of the island. It is a small, unimportant place, surrounded by a dilapidated wall, well overgrown with shrubbery. It contains a large church with a prominent tower, octagonal in shape, and roofed with nipa, which may be seen from a long distance. Shoals in the entrance. The following shoals have been reported in the entrance, the bearings being given from the shoals: A. Shoal with 4 fathoms of water: Panampalan Point, N. 32° 30' W. (N. 33° W. mag.). mag.). Polillo church, S. 22° 30′ E. (S. 23° E. mag.). B. Shoal with 3 fathoms of water: Panampalan Point, N. 32° 30′ W. (N. 33° W. mag.). C. Shoal with 2 fathoms of water: Panampalan Point, N. 32° 30′ W. (N. 33° W. mag.). Polillo church, S. 36° 30′ E. (S. 37° E. mag.). D. Shoal with 5 feet of water, easily visible, located close to eastern shore: Tower of cathedral, S. 23° E. (S. 23° 30′ E. mag.). Polillo Point, S. 79° W. (S. 78° 30′ W. mag.). The depth of water found is probably not the least depth, as there was no opportunity to develop these shoal spots. In most cases 14 fathoms or more were found close to the shoal spots, and they can not be detected by discolored water until the bottom is visible by looking directly down. The discolored water observed from off shore entering Polillo harbor is due to the outflow of small streams. The above-described shoals were located by the U. S. S. Yorktown and Vicksburg. Leaving the harbor, the Vicksburg steamed out N. 36° W. (N. 37° W. mag.), keeping the church tower bearing S. 36° E. (S. 37° E. mag.), and on this range the least water found was 11 fathoms. This would appear to have taken her over the shoal marked C, but that being an inner shoal it was probably passed before getting on the range. The inner harbor appears to be clear, the shoal shown on the chart apparently not existing. The harbor appears to extend farther south than charted and is reported to shoal toward the head. Directions.-Vessels bound into Polillo Harbor should close the western side of the island and bring the church tower to bear S. 36° E. (S. 37° E. mag.) when 5 or 6 miles distant from it; steer for the church tower on this bearing, and when Polillo Point bears S. 45° W. (S. 44° W. mag.) haul southward to clear shoal C and anchor off the town in 11 fathoms. LAMON BAY, comprised between Inaguican Point to the northwest and Pinandungan Point to the southeast, is partly protected from northerly winds by Polillo and Jomalig Islands. The little island Balesin lies in the middle of the bay, and farther in are Cabalete and Alabat Islands. Port Lampon,* in the northwest part of Lamon Bay, is a small but wellsheltered port with a depth of 12 fathoms, sand and mud bottom, at the entrance, decreasing gradually to 10 and 12 feet off the village, mile to the northward. From the bay lagoons evidently run into the low lands forming Inaguican Point. Good anchorage is in 5 to 7 fathoms of water mile inside the eastern entrance point. The town of Infanta (formerly Binangonan de Lampon) is situated several miles north of Port Lampon. About 11 miles south of Port Lampon is a rock about 40 feet high about 1 mile from shore. Cabalete Island is heavily wooded and has a general height of 75 to 100 feet. A rocky reef extends a short distance from the southwest end of Cabalete, and foul ground extends 1 mile to the southeast from the southern end of Cabalete. This island appears to be correctly placed with reference to the coast near Mauban, and the channel to the westward of it seems clear. Saley Point, shown on the chart as being situated 28 miles S. 8° E. (S. 9° E. mag.) from Inaguican Point, is the most eastern point in this *C. and G. S. chart: Harbors on the east coast of Luzon, No. 4265. (In prepara POLILLO-ALABAT ISLAND. 41 vicinity. It is reported to be charted several miles eastward of its proper position. It is high and bold and well wooded. Malazor Point, situated about 1 mile southwestward from Saley Point, is low and terminates in a wooded knoll, higher than the rest of the point. From Malazor Point the coast trends westerly forming a bight on the western side of which is the town of Mauban. MAUBAN * is a small open coastwise port of little commercial importance. The most prominent building is a large galvanized iron church standing to the left of the center of the town, alongside of the ruins of an old stone church. Directions. Anchorage may be found in 6 fathoms of water on the following bearings: Right tangent to Malazor Point, N. 31° E. (N. 30° E. mag.) and the church N. 72° W. (N. 73° W. mag.). At the anchorage and approaching the same, the depth of water is about one-half that shown on the chart. ATIMONAN is an open coastwise port and a regular port of call for coastwise steamers. It lies on the right bank of the Atimonan River on an indentation of the coast, about 14 miles southeastward from Mauban. It contains a large church, the tower of which can be seen, resembling a light-house from a position near the north end of Alabat Island; the rest of the town is nearly concealed by cocoanut trees. The point northward of the town is strongly marked and easily made out at night; the town liesmile beyond this. There is a depth of 7 to 9 feet of water on the bar at the river mouth at high water. Directions.-Vessels bound to Atimonan should bring the church to bear South (S. 1° E. mag.) when about 2 miles distant and steer for it, anchoring off the river mouth in 10 fathoms, muddy bottom. Anchorage may be had closer in in not less than 6 fathoms, as the bottom shoals rapidly after that and is poor holding ground of hard sand. Gumaca and Lopez are two small towns situated at the head of the bay, eastward from Atimonan. Alabat Island is shown on the latest charts as being 17 or 18 miles long in a northwest and southeast direction, and is easily made out. It is heavily wooded, and has a ridge of moderate height running its whole length; there are four rounded peaks, and from a distance of 30 miles these peaks look like islands. The strait separating the southern end of the island from the mainland is mile wide. Near the village of Silangan on the north side of the passage a depth of 23 fathoms was found at low water, rocky bottom, and in mid-channel the least depth found at high water was 64 fathoms. The water shoals rapidly in approaching the passage from either side. This passage is not recommended for a stranger. *C. and G. S. chart: Harbors on the east coast of Luzon, No. 4265. (In preparation.) H. O. chart: Ports in the Philippine Islands, No. 1722. PORT ALABAT,* formerly Camagon or Barcelona, on the southwes: side of Alabat Island and about 8 miles northeast of Atimonan, is quite small, having accommodations for three or four vessels of about 500 tons each. It affords excellent shelter during stormy weather from the northward and eastward, and is reported to be a good typhoon anchorage. It is formed by a small bight in the coast about 1 mile across between the east and west points. Long reefs of sand and stones extend off these points; about midway between these reefs and about mile from shore there is a reef of sand and rocks (probably connected with the reef off the south point) visible at low water. The shore of the port is low with an extensive sand beach. The town Alabat is on the eastern side of the port. There is a small stream on the north side of the port where fresh water can be obtained; boats can easily enter at high water. The rise and fall is about 4 feet. The most conspicuous building in the town, and the first seen when approaching the port, is the convent, a large wooden building painted white with a galvanized iron roof. With the convent bearing N. 81° E. (N. 80° E. mag.) a vessel can easily feel her way with the lead to an anchorage, the depth gradually decreasing from 18 fathoms south of the west point to 3 fathoms about mile from the shore. Baliscan Island, situated more than 1 mile from the northwest part of Alabat Island, is small and steep-to with deep water around it. I: is a flat-topped rock, bare of vegetation, about 150 feet long, 10 to 2 feet high, and much underworn by the sea at the base. It can not be seen at night until close aboard. Vessels generally pass on the south side One report says that the channel to the southward is deep and clear; another report says that this channel is not navigable. Other shipmasters say that most vessels pass to the northward of it giving it a berth of not less than 1 mile. Balesin Island is said to be correctly placed on the charts. It is about 2 miles long, from 3 to 1 mile wide, and is low, flat, and wooded; itgeneral height is about 50 feet. Close to the northeast end are two small islets, and from these a reef extends northward and eastward to about mile. Tarlac Reef is a coral reef with 2 fathoms least water, situated about ? miles southward of Balesin Island. Jomalig, Manlanat, and Lantao Islands.-Much uncertainty appears to exist in regard to the position and size of these islands. On the latest charts Jomalig appears to be an island about 10 miles long east and west and 3 miles wide, situated to the eastward of the south end of Polillo Island, and about 18 miles north of the coast of Luzon. Lantao and Manlanat are represented to be less than 1 mile in extent and are shown *C. and G. S. chart: Harbors on the east coast of Luzon, No. 4265. (In prep |