On the west coast of Luzon are two important bays, Lingayen (lin gī ān´) and Manila, with several smaller ones, as Subig (sö´big), Balayan (bä lī´än), Batangas, and Tyabas, on the west and south. On the northern side most of the great mountain ranges sweep down to the sea, sending out spurs of land that form little coves or harbors; while on the south coast lies the safely sheltered harbor of Sorsogon (sȯr sō gōn´).
The mountains in the western part of the island are broken up into practically three ranges, none more than thirty or forty miles long, and all known by one name, Sierra de Ilocos (sē e´rä dā ē lō´cos). Short spurs of hills run out from all these, so that there is very little level land in this section. A plain of small extent lies about Vigan (vē gän´), and there is also the valley of the Abra (ä´brä), which is long and narrow. East of the central cordillera and stretching out toward the Sierra Madres (mä´drās) hills, is a beautiful valley over a hundred miles long, and in some parts very wide. Through it runs the Rio Grande de Cagayan (kä gī än´), with several smaller streams emptying into it.
Here is some of the best tobacco land in the country, and tobacco is about the only crop raised. It was made the main crop during the years of government monopoly, so that the cultivation of rice, of cocoa, and of all the native products was driven out. This has been a great misfortune to the country. The land is adapted to a variety of crops. It is rich and fertile, and could be made to raise nearly all the food crops needed by its inhabitants. The people have come, however, to depend entirely upon one crop, and in years when the tobacco crop fails there is great need in the country.
Another great valley, the finest and richest in Luzon, stretches from the bay of Lingayen to Manila Bay. It has some 3,000 square miles of fine farming land. The provinces of Pangasinan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, and Manila lie in this valley. It is a well watered region. The Rio Grande, the Chico, the Agno, and the Dagupan rivers flow through it, besides numerous smaller streams.
In the central part of the plain rises Mount Arayat (ä rī ät´), a volcanic mountain which in a clear day can be seen from Manila. It is claimed that this mountain rose suddenly from the plain in a single night, during some earthquake disturbance in the year 1700. We find this statement made in apparent good faith by some scientific authorities. We know that the mountain is of volcanic origin, and that it was formed only a few hundred years ago; but there is no reliable record of when it made its appearance, or of how long it was in forming.
Southward, in Batangas Province, is Lake Bombon. In the middle of this lake is Taal volcano, whose many eruptions have in times past worked destruction in that neighborhood. The lake, also, is of volcanic origin. There must once have been a great mountain here, which sank during some upheaval, forming the lake and the present volcano of Taal.
The country all about the lake is very fertile, and under good cultivation. The principal crop there is coffee, of which an excellent quality is grown; and formerly it was produced in very great quantities. Rice, Indian corn, cotton, and all kinds of vegetables common to the tropics, grow there in great abundance. These can be made a source of profit in supplying the markets of Manila. There is a great deal of alum about Taal volcano, and it is said that a good quality of iron is found in the mountains of this province.
In Laguna Province is Bay (bī) Lake, or Laguna de Bay. This is a body of fresh water, with an outlet by the Pasig River, which flows down to Manila Bay. Light draft steamers run up the Pasig and through the lake, and on this beautiful waterway is a constant throng of craft, going up and down with produce for the different ports.
There is very fine timber in the island of Luzon, particularly in Tayabas, Camarines Norte, and Ilocos Norte. Some gold has been found in the mountains about these provinces, and specimens of many other minerals have been brought to Manila.
In Camarines Sur lies the valley of the Vigan, in which are several small lakes. There are large rice fields here, and the quality of the rice is very fine. Large quantities of it are sent to Manila.