56 REMARKS AND OPINIONS. 



tlon our intention after we had reached about two- 

 thirds of the depth. We were not provided in 

 Taal witli the cords we required, and by the as- 

 sistance of which we might probably have de- 

 scended the perpendicular wall of several fathoms 

 high, which first presented itself to us, without 

 being able to reach the bottom, as the precipice 

 became always steeper the farther we descended. 

 We found, in this neighbourhood, the ground 

 covered with crystallized salt. * The time w^as too 

 short to permit us to visit other hills. The other 

 craters are at the foot of the principal crater. 



The most terrible eruption of the Volcano de 

 Taal was in the year 1754. Its devastating pro- 

 gress is circumstantially related in the twelfth chap- 

 ter of the thirteenth part of the history by Fr. Juan 

 de la Conception. The mountain was tranquil after 

 the former eruptions, (the last took place in the 

 year 171 6,) and sulphur was obtained from the ap- 

 parently extinguished crater. It began to smoke 

 anew in the beginning of August j and, on the 7th, 

 flames were seen, and the earth trembled. The 

 consternation increased from the 3d of November 

 to the 12th of December ; ashes, sand, mud, fire, 

 and water were thrown up. Darkness, hurricanes, 

 thunder and lightning, subterraneous roarings, 

 and long-protracted, violent, and repeated earth- 



* According to Dr. Mitscherlich's examination, Plumose 

 alum. 



i 



