THE PROVINCE OF ZAMBOANGA includes the whole of the western peninsula of the island. The central portion is covered with dense forests containing much valuable hardwood timber. Abaca and copra are the principal products though sugar, cacao, hemp, and rice are cultivated to some extent. Among the important forest products are guttapercha for insulating cable wires and almaciga for varnish. Basilan Island nearby is covered with forests, and lumber mills are in operation. There are also plantations for the growing of rubber in this island. As a whole the interior of the province is not at present very accessible, and most of the attractions center in the capital City of Zamboanga at the extreme end of the peninsula, which is described on page 65. COTABATO PROVINCE is in the southwestern portion of Mindanao. The term "Cotabato" signifies a "stone fort." Cotabato is the capital and is located near the mouth of the river called Cotabato also. The Cotabato River system, though not as swift as the Rhine River of Germany, serves the same purpose to Cotabato as the Rhine to Germany in the sense that it forms the chief means of communication and transportation for conveying finished products and raw materials from the different towns to the coast. On the valley of this river are some of the most fertile and productive regions of the whole Philippine Archipelago, although due to the scarcity of population and of laborers very little cultivation has been done. On the eastern side of the valley are many extensive but shallow swamps, such as the Liguasan and Libungan. Large lakes as Buluan and Cebu, and many small ones abound. These natural basins yield an immense wealth for the country. On the marshes, mangroves and nipa grow in abundance, while the lakes teem with the rarest and choicest fish. [Attractions] Sulphur is abundant near and around Mount Apo, an extinct volcano, 9,610 feet high, being the highest peak in the archipelago. The difficult ascent and the lack of transportation facilities make exploitation impossible at present. Mineral springs can be found near the town of Cotabato. The land is well adopted to the cultivation of coconut and rice. The mountains are densely wooded. With the exception of the small portion around Sarangani Bay where logging is being carried on most of the forested area is not yet exploited. The most important forest products, which are at present exported in great quantities, are the candlenut, almaciga, and guttapercha. [Fertility]