ake a closer examination.

[A beautiful coast.] For the same reason, I was obliged to leave
the ascent of the Yamtik, which I had before vainly attempted from
Libmanan, unaccomplished from this point, although I had the advantage
of the company of an obliging French planter in a boat excursion in a
north-westerly direction along the coast. Here our boat floated along
over gardens of coral, swarming with magnificently colored fishes;
and after two hours we reached a cavern in the limestone, Suminabang,
so low that one could stir in it only by creeping; which contained a
few swallows and bats. On the Calebayan river, on the further side of
Point Tanaun, we came upon a solitary shed, our night-quarters. Here
the limestone range is interrupted by an isolated cliff on the left
bank of the little river, consisting of a crystalline rock chiefly
composed of hornblende; which moreover, on the side exposed to the
water, is surrounded completely by limestone.

[Cattle.] The surrounding mountains must swarm with wild boars. Under
the thatched roof of our hut, which serves as a shelter to occasional
hunters, more than a hundred and fifty lower jaw-bones were set
up as hunting trophies. The place appeared as if created for the
breeding of cattle. Soft with fodder grass, and covered with a few
groups of trees, with slopes intersected by rustling brooks, it rose
up out of the sea, and was encompassed by a steep wall of rock in
the form of a semicircle; and here cattle would find grass, water,
shade, and the protection of an enclosing rampart. While travelling
along the coast, we had remarked a succession of similar localities,
which however, from lack of enterprise and from the dread of pirates,
were not utilized. As soon as our supper was prepared, we carefully
extinguished our fire, that it might not serve as a signal to the
vagabonds of the sea, and kept night watches.

[A delusive cave.] On the following morning we intended to visit
a cave never before entered; but, to our astonishment, we found
no proper cavern, but only an entrance to a cavern a few feet in
depth. Visible from a distance, it must often have been passed by
the hunters, although, as we were assured by our companions--who
were astonished at the delusion---no one had ventured to enter it
from stress of superstitious terror.

[Isolation of fertile regions.] The north coast of Camarines,
as I have frequently mentioned, is, during the north-east monsoon,
almost una