HUEVO BANK-URSULA ISLAND.

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until Egg Islet bears S. 47° W. (S. 45° W. mag.) when the course should be changed to N. 69° W. (N. 67° W. mag.) and held until the town bears N. 9° W. (N. 11° W. mag.), when it may be steered for and anchorage taken up in 3 fathoms, muddy bottom, about 1 mile from shore.

Coast. From Sarap Point the coast trends southwesterly for about 2 miles to Iglesia or Church Point, which has a reef that dries 1 mlies to the southeast; thence it trends. 5 miles westerly to Decepcion Point. Wooded hills lie within Iglesia Point. Between Iglesia and Decepcion Points are two bights with depths of 4 and 6 fathoms of water. Madrepora Point lies 3 miles beyond Decepcion Point in a southwesterly direction and the coast continues in this direction 5 miles farther to Rawnsley Point. This part of the coast, known as Coral Bay, is merely sketched in, and no soundings have been taken near it. It is low, consisting chiefly of mangroves.

It is reported that there are visible several uncharted reefs in this bay. From Rawnsley Point the coast continues southwesterly for 7 miles to Cape Buliluyan, the southern extremity of Palawan, and has been only partially surveyed.

Caution. The space within a line joining Iglesia Point to the southeastern extremity of Bugsuk Island, lying southeast of Cape Buliyuyan, is encumbered with shoals. These will be avoided by passing near or well to the eastward of Ursula Island.

Outlying island and dangers.-Ursula Island is situated in lat. 8° 21' N., long. 117° 32′ E., about 10 miles southward of Iglesia Point. It is mile in extent, low, covered with trees, and surrounded by sand. The south side is steep-to, but a reef, dry at low water, extends near 1 mile in a northeast direction from the north part of the island.

At 2 miles N. 54° W. (N. 56° W. mag.) from the summit of Ursula Island is a 2-fathom coral patch, and there is another one with apparently very little water on it 5 miles N. 10° E. (N. 8° E. mag.) from the island, with depths between varying from 14 to 40 fathoms. About 3 miles eastward of Ursula Island there is a shoal patch of 21 fathoms and at about the same distance southward there is another having 3 fathoms and probably less over it.

Southeastward of Ursula, for 5 miles or more, the bottom is very irregular, there being several patches of about 8 fathoms, coral, with deep water around them, and there is shown a sounding of 6 fathoms with Ursula Island bearing N. 27° E. (N. 25° E. mag.), distant 24 miles.

Other shoals than those mentioned probably exist in the neighborhood of Ursula Island.

C. and G. S. chart No. 4720.

Tides. It is high water, full and change, at Ursula Island at 11". Springs rise 7 feet.

Circe Shoal. The Spanish Government schooner Circe, 1862, obtained a sounding of 4 fathoms on a bank of coral, which is placed on the charts in lat. 8° 26' N., long. 117° 56′ E.

Wakefield Shoal, on which the ship Wakefield struck in 1889, has a least depth of 3 fathoms, over coral and sand. It is almost 1 miles in length in an east-northeast and opposite direction, by 400 yards in breadth, and lies with Iglesia Point N. 72° W. (N. 74° W. mag.) and Mantalingajan Mountain N. 29° W. (N. 31° W. mag.), or in about lat. 8° 21′ N., long. 117° 55′ 30′′ E. The shoalest spot is on its southwest side and close off it there was no bottom at 90 fathoms.

It is not improbable that Wakefield and Circe Shoals are identical. Wright Shoal lies with Ursula Island bearing N. 84° W. (N. 86° W. mag.), distant 9 miles. It is 14 miles in length east and west, mile in breadth, with 14 fathoms on its shoalest part, and 47 to 70 fathoms close around it.

Ginn Shoal. A shoal has been reported about 7 miles S. 21° E. (S. 23° E. mag.) from Wright Shoal. This shoal was first seen from aloft, bearing S. 10° E. (S. 12 E. mag.), distant about 4 miles (Ursula Island being just visible from the deck); soon afterwards Wright Shoal was seen from aloft bearing N. 21° W. (N. 23° W. mag.), distant about 3 miles. Wright Shoal appeared a light-green color without breakers; Ginn Shoal was white in color with the sea breaking near its center (wind and sea moderate) and was therefore considered to have less water on its than Wright Shoal. The two shoals appeared to be of about the same extent.

Argyll Shoal, on which the British bark Argyll was lost in 1892, is reported to lie with Ursula Island bearing N. 71° W. (N. 73° W. mag.). distant 5 miles, or approximately in lat. 8° 19′ N., long. 117° 37′ E.

ISLANDS AND CHANNELS SOUTH OF PALAWAN.

Dadagican Island lies immediately south of Cape Buliluyan. It is small, sandy, and wooded and has a reef extending 1,600 yards northwestward and also a reef projecting from the northern side which contracts the navigable channel between it and Cape Buliluyan to a width of mile. In this channel there are depths of 5 and 6 fathoms.

Pandanan Island, situated southward of Cape Buliluyan, is about 6 miles in length northeast and southwest and 23 miles in breadth. Its southern and western shores are fronted with coral ledges and off its southwestern extremity is a sand bank, dry at low water. The island rises a little toward its north end and its extremity terminates in small

CIRCE SHOAL-MALINSONO ISLAND.

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abrupt heads, more especially at the northeast point, off which there is a small bushy islet. From this islet a reef extends over 5 miles in a northeasterly direction, parallel with the coast of Palawan, having a depth of about 20 fathoms close to its western edge.

Water. Fresh water was found in a small opening on the south side of Pandanan Island, about mile esastward of the point, but the supply was scanty and difficult to obtain owing to the reef fronting it.

Bugsuk Island, 9 miles long north and south, and 4 miles wide, lies close to the east side of Pandanan, but is separated from it by a channel 700 yards wide, in which there are depths of 10 to 18 fathoms. The southern and eastern sides of Bugsuk are fronted by a reef extending in some parts nearly 2 miles from the shore; its edge, being steep-to, is well defined.

Bowen is a round islet off the north point of Bugsuk, having a reef, partly dry at low water, extending 3 miles off it in an easterly direction. Farther northeastward are numerous shoals, on one of which is Arrecife Islet.

Patongong Islet, lying 3 miles northeastward of Bancalan Island, is nearly mile in length and has a reef extending 13 miles westward and northwestward. A small islet, Canimeran, lies 13 miles N. 29° E. (N. 27° E. mag.) from Patongong.

Bancalan Island, lying 31 miles southwesterly from Pandanan Island, is 3 miles in length by 13 miles in breadth. The island is half encircled by a reef usually discernible by the breakers and the light-green water inside, and which at the northwestern extremity extends nearly 13 miles from shore. The reef projects 1 mile from the southwestern extremity of the island and there are many isolated patches of 1 to 3 fathoms in the passage between it and Mantangule.

Mantangule and Canabungan Islands.-Mantangule, lying 2 miles southeastward of Bancalan Island, is 4 miles in length and 11⁄2 miles in breadth.

Canabungan Island, 2 miles southwestward of Mantangule, is 13 miles in length and about mile in breadth.

The islands stand on the same reef of horseshoe shape, which extends over 1 mile westward of both of them; eastward between the islands are depths of 4 to 7 fathoms, encumbered with shallow reefs. The eastern extremity of Canabungan has a reef extending 14 miles.

Malinsono Island is a small, high island situated on the coral spit extending 13 miles off the northeast point of Mantangule Island. There are many shallow patches eastward of it.

C. and G. S. charts Nos. 4309, 4720.

Apo, Gabung, and Byan are small islands situated on the northern edge of the reef, 2 miles wide, which extends nearly 6 miles southwestward of Bugsuk Island.

Anchorage. Eastward of Bancalan, limited on the north and south by Pandanan and Mantangule, and on the east and southeast by Bugsuk, in an expanse of water 8 miles in length in an east and west and 31⁄2 miles in a north and south direction, where in some parts anchorage sheltered from all winds may be found. The channels into it are, however, intricate and almost impracticable for a sailing vessel, being either close along the edges of the reef, or, where it is wide and inviting, between small detached coral patches for which it is impossible to give any specific directions.

The best channel, if they admit of a choice, appears to be northward of Bancalan Island. Between its reef and that extending from Patongong it is 1 miles wide, but a 3-fathom coral patch lying in the center, just within the entrance, contracts it to one-half that width. It should be attempted only when the reefs are distintly visible from aloft.

The following remarks may prove of value, but they must not be absolutely relied upon:

To enter by this channel, sight the edge of Bancalan Reef, which is always well defined, and keep along it at mile distance until the western extremity of the island bears S. 19° W. (S. 17° W. mag.) to clear a small. 3-fathom knoll detached 600 yards from the reef; then close the reef immediately to avoid the central patch, and keep 400 to 600 yards off, steering for Patawan Islet, off Bancalan, in line with the north end of Malinsono. Do not approach Bancalan within 600 yards.

During the southwest monsoon anchorage may be obtained between Bancalan and Patawan in 8 or 9 fathoms, sandy bottom, with the latter island bearing S. 66° E. (S. 68° E. mag.). In the northeast monsoon the best anchorage is southeastward of Patawan in 9 to 10 fathoms, taking care to pass between it and Bancalan, as the ground eastward is foul. There is a passage in from northward, eastward of Canimeran Island, which under some circumstances may be preferable to, and prob ably would be found less intricate than, that just described.

The only accessible channel from southeastward is between Mantangule and Byan Island. This channel, through which a strong current usually sets, is mile wide and has 11 or 12 fathoms in it.

BALABAC ISLAND.-General remarks.-Balabac Island, lying 17 miles southwesterly from Cape Buliluyan, is nearly 17 miles in length north and south and 9 miles in breadth. On the southern half of the island are several ranges of high hills exhibiting great variety of outline. Only a few, however, are of sufficient importance to require description.

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Steepfall Range, about 2 miles from Cape Melville, the south point of the island, is composed of several hills in a semicircular form, and, being nearly of the same elevation, 850 feet, presents a table-topped appearance, whence the sides fall in a precipitous manner; hence the name. Northward of Steepfall other ranges varying in height from 1,200 to 1,300 feet extend to Dalawan Bay. Balabac Peak, situated 2 miles northwestward. of Dalawan Bay, has the greatest elevation on the island, 1,890 feet. Northward other ranges extend as far as Calandorang Bay. On the northern part of the island are several detached hills, the highest being 750 feet in height. Ramos Island, lying northward of Balabac, is about 4 miles in extent and is separated from Balabac by Candaraman Inlet, which is nearly blocked by islets and shoals.

Port Ciego or Blind Harbor* lies in the opening nearly 2 miles wide between Ramos and Balabac Islands. It is, however, blocked with coral except near the points at the entrance, where there is a narrow channel between the reefs, with 9 and 10 fathoms of water. Its eastern entrance is Candaraman Inlet, which is almost blocked by reefs. No other information than that given on the chart is available.

From Port Ciego to Cape Disaster, the northern extremity of Ramos Island, and round eastward the coast is low with two small cliffy hills a little inland. The coast reef dries nearly 1 mile off at low water.

Northwest Shoal lies 2 to 3 miles westward of Ramos Island and has as little as 1 fathoms in places.

EAST COAST OF BALABAC.-The east coast of Balabac is tolerably bold, with deep water close to it in many places.

CALANDORANG BAY,* situated 5 miles southward of Candaraman Inlet, is overmile wide between Sarmiento and Espina Points, with depths of from 5 to 20 fathoms. It is shallow for 1 mile from its head and 800 yards seaward of the town, with isolated patches between the 3 and 5 fathom curves. Off the town are depths of 1 and 2 fathoms, according to the distance. The south point of the entrance is formed by Almirante Gil Hill, 105 feet in height. The north point is mangrove with hills a short distance inside. Coral reefs with shallow water beyond extend about 200 yards off both points and to a greater distance off the points within on the northern shore, which is all mangrove.

Settlement. The Spanish Government in 1858 erected a military station here named Balabac, on the south shore, for the purpose of developing the trade of Palawan and other neighboring islands. It did not succeed, for lack of trade. This settlement is now almost deserted and is largely overgrown with bush. There are a few ruined houses with iron

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* C. and G. S. chart No. 4347, Harbors of Balabac Island.

C. and G. S. charts Nos. 4309, 4720.