Omaha daily bee., 1912-03-21
SWIM IN WATERS OF TAAL
American Engineer Risks HATH In
Hot Lake of Philippine
XOErnua

not the irSt human being, 10 take a
swim in the hot. sulphurous waters in
the crater Of Taai volcano. Philippine
islands is the belief Of G. Roscoe B.
symonds Of Nutiey. a member OF the
engineering corps In the public works de-
partment OF Uncle Sans Possessions. BY
the eruption OF this crater In January.
1911. Loo people lost their lives. Mr..
Symonds tells OF his experience IN a
letter Just received by his sister, Miss
Eulah NJ. symonds. 80 Grant avenue,
Belleyille. ". ].
:. In company with symonds were Don
Stone. also an engineer. and II. J. Graft.
a traveller. They explored the crater Loo
feet deep and slept on ledge half way
down. The TaAi volcano II on an Island
iE the center OF an inland lake, about
forty miles south Of Manila. In the PROV
ince Of Batangas Since Its disastrous
awakening year ago Il has been quiet.
hut Mr.. Symonds says an earthquake
recently was felt In the islands and n
pail Of smoke hung about the crater
alarming the natives. who dread another
eruption. In the letter to his sister Mr..
Symonds says:
WYNN e@nit W AAHttM 4 0Au no IN
tention OF taking the trip to Taal. and
was forced 20 send 10 the provinces for
clothes for stone and myself We used
the regular hiking outfit-blankst roll.
canteen and very little chow. We each
carried loaf Of bread and Jar Of Jam,
expecting to be gone two days.
we took a train 70 q town called
Tananan. In Batangas. From there We
walked eight miles 20 the lake. Before
starting we stocked Up with native
oranges These are picked directly from
the tree and are good An along the way
coacanut palms line the road. Arriving
At the lake We hired boat from an
American named Ward, who makes a
business OF hiring boats to tourista Il
was a sailing launch. quite mail, but
seaworthy. Three Of US and swo natives
crowded II. but II went beautifully. A
strong wind was blowing and It took "
two hours 10 reach the volcano. The lake
was ohoppy ss blazes and We we're all
pretty well soaked when we landed. IL
may seem funny. but we were al seasick.
None OF US remarked II ct the time, out
later on, comparing notes. found we all
experienced the same sensation. even
Stone. sailor that he Is. feeling more COM
Portable lying on the bottom Of the boat.
at was weird view that presented
itself tho nearer we approached the is
land. II stuck up up out OF the water,
huge, bare mound. furrowed and
wrinkled. without BIT Of vegetation TO
relieve the awful waste OF sun-baked
mud and volcanic ash. Immediately on
landing We struck the sites OF the for
mer 'hanics' occupied by about 400 peo-
pie, barely vsstige OF which IL left.
In the recent eruption LOO we're killed.
Those on the island were first choked
to death BY gases. and then buried un-
der twenty feet Of hot mud and rock.
Seven miles away. on the edge OF the
lake. towns were destroyed and another
thousand lives we're biotted out. OF the
seven or eight survivors on the island
none was tempted BY the lure Of iucre to,
guide US.
Climbing the outside Of the volcano.
with not a BIT Of shelter. we reached
the rim. The crater Is almost perfect.
consisting Of series Of ridges. the whole
an undulatng chain. II Is nothing but
q big hole In q hill. with the lake In the
bottom, about mile or so wide. From
the rim TO the water II Is d clean drop
OF leo feet. 1t is possible to climb to
the rim anywhere on the outside. but
the sides within are 80 steep that at one
end only can descent be made. Fantastic
colors abounded. due to its being heavily
charged with mineral salts. We could
hear faint Kissing OF water boiling,
and from several places steam arose in
clouds. A strong sulphurous odor cams ,
TO US as soon as we reached the island.
Graft decided not to climb down To.
the lake with US in the morning and went
TO the rim to take more pictures. Stone /.
and / walked around to the south end.
and even then descended by mighty
steep route. Once down It seemed hard
to realize that just about a year ago IL /.
was the scene OF a grand natural phe-
nomenon. It was difficult to conceive
that hole, so placid In appearance. send
ing out avaianches Of hot mud. huge
red rocks and belching fire. gas and
smoke. all visible for hundreds Of miles
around.
Where We were the water was warm,
but not unbearahly hot. We went In for
swim. and noticed that cut in my
foot smarted sharply, due. I think. to
the acid in the water. Just as guess.
l should say We were swimming In a
diluted sulphuric acid bath. got some
Of the water on my lips and 1t tasted
strongly Of sulphur or phosphorus-New
York Times.