The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1910-05-21

bright and early. 1t was nee
essary to start from shore In
bancas and to crawl from them into
little steam launch, and to board 1t as
1t bobbed up while the bancas dipped
low In the trough Of the swells re-
quired an acrobatic feat of no small
merit, but once on board the 16.horse
power engine drove us rapidly to our
destination.
Lake Bombon has an area of $50
square miles. Some scientists be-
lieve that 1t originated in the collapse
of volcanic cone; others think that
1t may have been formed by an eXplo
sion, Out of its center rises Volcan
island, which is four and a half miles
in diameter and comprises several
small extinct craters and a main cen
tral and active one, which Is known
a, Taal volcano. Seen from a distance
| the green at its base is imperceptble
ard the sight is an impressive one. On
every side of the lake are high peaks
pearance of the ghastly gray cone out
of the dancing waters Is like death at
an al fresco fete.
After landing on the island it takes
half an hours walk through winding
paths, STOPPING to escape the sharp
mesquite branches, bending low under
the tortuous arms of banyan trees, and
skirting the sides of Wild hogs wal.
lows before emerging on a clearing
from where the ascent begins in earn.
est over rugged volcanic rock and
scoriae. After 20 minutes hard climb
ing the summit Is reached whence a
good view of the crater may be OBJ
tanned. Standing on It's edge, the view
is over an elliptical plain 1867 feet in
its greatest diameter from east to
west, and 6,333 feet in its lesser from
north to south. A solid ridge of rock
runs through the middle of the crater,
terminating at one end in a pool CO.
vered with a yellow film of sulphur.
where seething bubbles break the sur
face.
On one side of this ridge the stag.
nant waters of another pool are broken
by occasional ripples, while at ones
feet stretches a plain of mud and sui
sands; here and there large indenta-
tions In its surface show where bowl
ders have recently been swallowed up.
Farther along two lagunas bubble
angrily, from both of which heavy
spouts Of boiling water and clouds Of
steam rise at regular intervals The
level Of these pools Is approximately
that Of Lake Bombon itself, and here
Is the volcanoes center Of activity. The
huge volumes Of steam are acSOmpa.
MED by muffled roar and the kissing
OF boiling water may be plainly heard.
while pounding and splashiug indicate
that rocks are ascending ard descend
Ing. although they usually cannot be
seen on account Of the dense clouds.
On the southwest side the crater
wall rises steep and forbidding to a
height of 1,067 feet above Lake Bonn
bon. It's summit at this point is rug
ged and up the gray sides jets Of
steam isue constantly, gentle remind
ers Of latent possibilities. To the north
the walls, glowing with marvellous
colors, tower 760 feet aLOve the in
terror lake. The suns rays sparkling
over the pink and orange.tinted rocks
delight the eye, while the greens and
blues blend gently into the shadows
making : most fantastic picture.
Distances here are most deceptive
stone thrown with full force from
the summit, in the direction of the la
guna, instead Of crossing the sea OF
mud and dropping into the foaming
waters will presently be heard dash
ing against the side OF the cliff under
meath, and that, too, when there is
no breeze to tbwart its course.
The priests Of Taal have chronicled
the many eruptions of this volcano
The earliest known published refer
ence 10 it Is by Father Gaspar de Sar
Augustin. written In 1880. The first
historic outbreak is placed n 1872 II
l7l6 and 1871 much damage was done
and in 17i9, during an outbreak whict
lasted three weeks, the land as far a.
Calamba, in Laguna de Bay, was dl
vide with tremendous noise Batanga.
province Is scanned with great latera
chasms, originating in this period
whose singular beauty makes then