722 ON THE VOLCANO OF TAAL, 



and the atmosphere was entirely obscured by the sand and ashes 

 thrown up by the volcano, so that at Manila, which is twenty 

 leagues distant, it was scarcely possible to see even in the middle 

 of the day, and at Cavite, which is rather nearer, the obscurity 

 resembled the darkness of midnight. 



" I ascended with the Senor Alava to the summit of this volcano, 

 but all that we could observe was a lake about half-a-league in 

 diameter, very deep and containing water of a dark green colour," 



It is much to be regretted that the chronicler who gives us so 

 much detail of other interesting facts connected with the Philip- 

 pines, did not think this volcano of sufficient importance to tell us 

 a little more about it. An accurate topographical description of 

 the state of the crater 130 years ago, would have cleared up many 

 points that are doubtful now. A few measurements would have 

 enabled us to make some estimate of the relative growth of the 

 cone which probably would carry us on to some facts connected 

 with the date of the disappearance of the old mountain. It is 

 interesting to note, however, that the green lake has existed for so 

 lone a period, and from this we may conclude that the features of 

 the crater are of considerable antiquity. If the mention of this 

 solitary fact is of comparative value where other details are 

 entirely wanting, we have more reason to regret the silence of Fray 

 Martinez de Zufiiga. 



With regard to the date of the submersion of the ancient 

 crater of Taal, the Spanish geologists are not entirely without 

 expectation that something may yet be discovered which will 

 throw light upon the matter. Of course when a date is spoken of 

 it is meant to refer rather to the unknown quantity of a geological 

 period than to any of our own solar computations of time. Manila 

 has recently been supplied with water from the country, and the 

 woi'ks connected therewith have necessitated extensive excavations 

 in the vicinity of the city. It was hoped that the sections thus 

 exposed in the volcanic tufa beds would have revealed some 

 animal and vegetable fossils. These would certainly throw some 

 lio-ht at least on the geological period of the eruptions. It is 

 stated that the superintending engineer of the works, Don 



