The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-03-07
TERRIBLE SCENES
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those on the island who persisted is
about 600
Several Of the other barrlos were
visited with q like results all was
desolation and awful silence. The Is
land itself is utterly devastated and
swept from one end to the other by
the terrible explosions and the storm
of rocks, stones, blue mud and ashes
which rained down after the awful
shocks of Monday morning The is
land used to be almost covered with
profuse vegetation and was famous for
the good hunting on its hills and in
its valleys. Today, all has been swept
away and it is covered with layer of
the blue mud and ashes which, hot
and moist was belched forth on Mon
day morning by angry Taal The ex-
plosion itself must have been truly
horrible. Great trees we're moved
down close to the ground as If by a
giant scythe. Not one was left stand
ing, and their charred and splintered
stumps bear mute witness to the
strength and awful power of the titanic
forces which were turned loose that
morning.
Crater Is Changed.
The crater of Taal has entirety
changed as a result of the catas-
trophe. Before, visitors will remem-
Der, there were three vents, which
gave forth their quota of steam, thin
little ,wisbs which barely indicated
that natures forces were constantly
although silently, at work. Today,
looking down into that same craeer.
which, is a mile across, nothing can
be seen but a whirling, foaminy mass
of black and white steam, through
which noxious gases rise, the whole
mounting thousands of feet in the air.
Not a Sign Of Vegetation.
The island is a complete ruin agri-
culturaIly. Where before hundreds of
happy people lived and had their be-
ing, raising bountiful crops and many
hundred head of cattle and horses
grazed, today not a sign of vegeta~
ton, not a single living animal nor
a human being is to be discovered
Instead the blue grey mud covers ev-
h hn oh INF
cred stumps of the trees, and over
all pervades the aw:n, nerve-racking
silence which alone is to he expert
enced at the scenes of tremendous
catastrophes.
A Heartrendlng Scene.
Heartrending as had been the view
on the volcano island, the party had
still to go through an experience
which tried the fortitude of the
strongest man present. After thor
oughly searching the place where be-
fore had stood the largest and most
populous barrio on the island, the
launch was headed for Talisay, where
Major Sweet had been notified by one
Of his constabulary patrols that the
only survivors of the catastrophe had
been taken, and were being cared for
Upon arrival at this town the major
was informed that fourteen persons
had been drowned by the big tidal
wave of Monday morning, and that
the rescued people were being shelf
cred in a house on the main street.
When the members of the party
Of people, and were shown the six
survivors, an old man, baby, two
women, boy and girl, all of whom
had been picked from the water,
where they had been blown from the
shock of the eruption, a circumstance
which alone saved their lives. They
were all more or less burned and
several had sustained severe fractures
of the arms and legs. The old man,
one of the women and the boy and
girl were fearfully charred and black
ened, All were demented when pick
ed up. 1t is exceedingly doubtful if
five of them will live although they
are receiving every care, and atten-
ton possible under the circumstances.
Tale of a Survivor.
One of the women, the one who will
probably survive, gave the details of
the horror. She said that the first
indication that the Inhabitants of the
barrio of Peripiraso had of the com.
ing catastrophe was when the first
shock occurred at 1880 o'clock or