[Pasacao.] From Quitang to Pasacao the road was far worse than
it had heretofore been; and this is the most important road in
the province! Before reaching Pasacao, evident signs are visible,
on the denuded sides of the limestone, of its having been formerly
washed by the sea. Pasacao is picturesquely situated at the end of the
valley which is intersected by the Itulan, and extends from Pamplona,
between wooded mountains of limestone, as far as the sea. The ebb tides
here are extremely irregular. From noon to evening no difference was
observable, and, when the decrease just became visible, the tide rose
again. Immediately to the south, and facing the district, the side of a
mountain, two thousand feet high and above one thousand feet broad, had
two years ago given way to the subterranean action of the waves. The
rock consists of a tough calcareous breccia, full of fragments of
mussels and corals; but, being shoeless, I could not remain on the
sharp rock sufficiently long to make 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.