The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-11-08
A PHILIPPINE VOLCANO.
The craters and Hot Pools of Taal in
the Luzon District.

the Luzon District.
The central or main crater Of Taal is
nearly round, it's diameter on an air
line north and south is 6,233 feet and
the east-w diameter 1876 feet. The
edge of this crater is somewhat irregu-
lar but is nowhere broken through, its
highest point standing at only ] $50 fset
above sea level and It's lowest at APO
feet
1t is said that Cosnima, in Japan, is
the only other volcano Of similarly low
altitude Within the rim are two hot
pools, known respectively as the yell
low and the green lake, and a little
active cone above fifty feet in height,
from which escape steam and sulphurous
gas in varying quantities
In the smaller lake every few min
utes the water in the centre Is blown up
ike an immense bubble, which rising
above the surface finally burst, reveal
ing a black orihee and causing the boil
Ing and very turbulent water to assume
all imaginable colors The aqueous va
por escaping is sufficient to form a broad
smokelike column which is visible espe-
cially during the night and in the early
morning.
At some distance and before reaching
the edge Of the crater, where a view Of
the bottom can be obtained, the rumb-
ling sound produced by the escaping va
por, under the influence Of the mystic
rious subternnean forces, can be heard
like that OF an immense boiling ket-
tie
The greatest eruption Of Taal took
place in 1854. 1t consisted Of only frag-
mental ejecta, but these were sufficient
to destroy four villages lying about the
lake. "The ash" semper says" has
now indurated and new growth of
bamboo and palms has sprung up around
The projecting ruins" Father Buencu-
chillo wrote also a pathetic description
of this eruption from which the follow
ing is taken;
The eruption began on May 10 and
did not end till Dec l. During this
time the intensity and aspect of the
eruption were continually changing, It
was 200 days Of devastation and ruin
for the inhabitants. 10 whom the time
must have appeared an eternity. Dur
ing this terrible time the four principal
towns OF the laguna of Bombon disap
peared. viz, Sala, Lipa, Tanauan and
Taal. with the numerous villages around
them
II is impossible to describe the beau
tiful coloring effects caused by the diff
ferent mineral deposits ON the walls and
cliffs OF the crater
As the lake is fed from underground
springs and no surface water drains into
II, il Is as clear az crystal and mucn
cooler than sea water and has an abund
auce Of fine, hard fesbed fish, which are
highly esteemed by the Filipinos OF the
region They are game fish and some
reach size that makes their capture
with light tackle a matter of some diff
ficulty.
The clear water of the lake has an
other marvel that is well worth sec
ing. Some comparatively modern erup-
tions Of the volcano covered some
towns. in two of which only the church
roofs are visible. Others are completely
submerged and on days when the sur
face of the lake is unrutIied one can
look down into the streets of these sub
merged towns aud see the fish dart
through doors and windows OF once
populous barrios TIE water is twenty
five feet deep, but SO clear that every
detail is visible Manila Times.