The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1910-05-19

started Tor the Taal volcano,
bright and early. 1t was nee
essary to start from shore in
bancas and to crawl from them into a
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 it originated in the collapse
OF a 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 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 imperceptible
ard the sight is an impressive one. On
every side Of the lake are high peaks
clothed in brilliant green, and the ap
pearance of the CHASTITY gray cone out
OF the dancing waters Is like death al
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
skirtlng 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 &
good view of the crater may be OBJ
tanned. Standing on its edge, the view
is over an elliptical plain 1867 feet il
its greatest diameter from east tc
west, and $3.50 feet in its lesser from
north to south. A solid ridge of rocl
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 broker
by occasional ripples, while at one!
feet stretches plain of mud and sui
phur abounding in treacherous quick
sands; here and there large indenta
tlons in its surface show where bowl
ders have recently been swallowed I'D
Fqrthnr a1nnO I
nngrily, from both of which heavy
Spouts of boiling water and clouds O.
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 accompa
MED by a muftied roar and the hissins
OF boiling water may be plainly heard
while pounding and splashing indicate
that rocks are ascending and descend
Ing, although they usually cannot b,
seen on account of the dense clouds
On the southwest side the crate
wall rises steep and forbidding to
height of 1,067 feet above Lake BON
bon. Its summit at this point is rug
ged and up the gray sides jets O
steam isue constantly, gentle remind
ers of latent possibilities. To the nortl
the walls, glowing with marvelou
.colors, tower 780 feet aLove the In
terror lake. The suns rays sparklin,
over the pink and orange-tinted rock
delight the eye, while the greens AM
blues blend gently into the shadows
making : most fantastic picture.
Distances here are most deceptive
A stone thrown with full force fror
the summit, in the direction of the Ia
guna, instead of crossing the sea @
mud and dropping into the foamin
waters will presently be heard dash
ing against the side Of the cliff under
meath, and that, too, when there
no breeze to thwart it's course.
The priests of Taal have chronicle
the many eruptions of this volcano
The earliest known published refer
ence to it is by Father Gaspar de Sal
Augustin, written in 1880. The frs
historic outbreak is placed in 1872. Ii
1716 and 1871 much damage was done
and in 1749, during an outbreak whic
lasted three weeks, the land as far a
Calamba, in Laguna de Bay, was d
vide with tremendous noise. Batanga
province is scanned with great laters
chasms, originating in this periot
whose singular beauty makes the1