The National tribune., 1900-12-27

principally on the northern and eastern
coasts, where its production has been ca
tirely in the hands of the natives. What
may exist in the interior is problematic.
as the greater part of the island is uncX-
plored. In the district of Misamis. in The
northwest, there exist many alluvial dig
gings in the country between the Cagayan
and Iligan Rivers. The principal placers
are near the towns of lnitao and lponaH,
where nuggets have been found weighing
as much one to two ounces. In the
neighborhood Of Pigholugan, near Ca
sayan, small veins of auriferous quartz
exist, from which, even by the crude native
methods, considerable quantities of gold
have been taken.
The gold-bearing district of Surigao may
be considered as an eastern continuation
of that of Cagayan de Misamis, and is Of
more Importance, including the greater
part of the district of the Canimon. Binu-
tong, and the Canmarhat Mountain and
the plains OF Caningay. There are also de-
posits III Magong Duangan and DAMS, in
the township OF Cagunan; placers i'll the
township of Tibabangan, near Maquit, on
the edge of Lake SapOngan; in the Tubay
River, which discharges into the Bay Of
Butuan; also about four days journey
from the mouth Of the Butuan River, near
the villages of Linen, Finon and Sulibas.
In the veins and outcroppings in this dis
trict the gold is found mingled with pyrites
of iron and copper, galena and blende. L
have seen report in which it was stated
that in ledge near Canimon there had
been found ore so rich that as high rs 100
ounces of gold had been obtained from 40
feet of the vein.
The productiveness of this Surigao dis
trict has been known for centuries, but for
many reasons the extraction of gold has
remained i'll the hands of the natives.
Foreman says:
IN Manila, told me, in 1866, that for a
long time he received monthly remittances
of four and half to five and a half
pounds OF alluyial gold from the Surigao
coast, extracted by the natives on their
own account. In the same district Span
lard attempted to organize labor for gold,
washing on systematic principles, but he
met with such opposition from the friars.
who influenced the natives, that he could
only have continued his project at the risk
of his life, SO he gave it up"
Sir John BOwring also mentions the
Mindanao gold production THE Philippine
Island, by Sir John Bowring, London,
1889, p. 2I9l:
Cold dust is the instrument of ex-
change in the interior of MindanOa. and
is carried about in bags for the ordinary
purposes of life
While L was in Manila in April last,
5000 Mr.. q. Il: st. Clair, a mining engi-
neer and expert of considerable experience.
returned from n trip to the southern isl
;nds. He said that from the result of his
investigation he regarded the Island of
Mindanao as one of the richest countries
he has ever visited, considered from min
eral standpoint
Gold has also been found in the Island
of Panay. The most notable locations are
those in the vicinity of AstOrga, i'll the
township of DumaraO, in the beds of the
creeks known as Calaomin and Dinogo. In
this neighborhOOd are found dioritic rock
containing numerous small veins of gold
bearing iron pyrites, rich enough to pay for
working Deposits of gold exist in Bina-
tusan and Lausam, below Mantubang; also
in the country between the junction of the
rivers Manyon and Badbaran with the
river Panay. In the province of Iloilo the
most noticeable gold deposits are those in
the Abaca section of the township of
Baratoc Viejo, in the northeast of the isl
and. which are reported to be very rich.
This description includes the best-known
gold-bearing localities, but indications ex-
list in several other islands, such as Cebu,
Mindoro, Masbate, Negros, Palawan and
other smaller islands, such as to lead
to the belief that the metal will be
found in them whenever they may be eX-
plored and prOspected. The reasons why
the gold deposits in the Philippines have
never been exploited or properly untitled
are so many and so varied that no ade
quate relation of them can be given within
the limits Of u magazine article. Some of
them are, however, summarized in the fol-
lowing extract from Foreman's book: