BY THE REV. J E. TENISON-WOODS, F.G.S., &C. 691 



from five to seven pounds. The exports from Taal are to Manila 

 only, and include large quantities of beeswax, honey, onions, garlic, 

 wheat, large herds of cattle, and a great quantity of cotton stuffs. 

 The latter fabrics being made by hand-spinning and hand-looms, 

 are much stronger and more durable than our calicos. The thread 

 is dyed befoi-e weaving, and thus the patterns are all plaids. 



The Lake of Taal, Bombon or Bombong, in which is the volcanic 

 island, is situated between N. lat. 13" 52' 4" and 14° 7' 42", and 

 E. long. 120° 47' 17" and 120° 59' 22". Its figure is somewhat 

 rudely heart-shaped, with a prolongation to the southward into a 

 narrow bay. Almost in the centre is the volcanic island which is 

 lozenge-shaped, the angles of the major axis being directed north- 

 east and south-west. The circumference of the lake is about 75 

 miles, its greater diameter from north to south nearly 20 miles, 

 and its least width from east to west neai-ly 13. The dimensions 

 of the island will be given presently. It is sufficient now to say 

 that it occupies a very large proportion of the lake area. The Cor- 

 dillera which divides the province of Batangas and the province 

 of Cavite, and the elevation of all the surrounding country give 

 to the lake and its neighbourhood the appearance of a cauldron 

 when seen from any eminence, a comparison first made by one 

 of the early historians of the Philippines, Fray Martinez Zuniga, 

 whose intelligent geological opinions will be noticed presently. On 

 the northern shores are the ruins of Tanauan, and on the south- 

 west, as alreadv stated, those of Taal on the banks of the river 

 Pansipit, and to the north-west the ruins of the district of San 

 Nicolas, and on the eastern banks the bed of the river Sala, 

 near to which was formerly situated the town of that name. All 

 these places were completely destroyed by tlie disastrous eruption 

 of December 1754. 



From the margins of the lake there is a gentle rise in certain 

 portions with slight undulations forming fertile declivities of 

 agricultural land, as for instance at Banadero, Aya, Talisay, Bayu- 

 yungan, and in general on all the noi'thern and western sides. In 

 other portions the margins I'ise abruptly forming gorges and 

 ravines mostly on the eastern side limited by Mount Macolod and 



