TAAL VOLCANO AND ITS DESTRUCTIVE ERUPTION 
319 
floors raised several yards above ground, 
but had sunk to such a degree that the 
same ladder which once served to ascend 
into them was now used to descend to 
them. The most remarkable thing about 
this is that the natives tranquilly con- 
tinue .occupying them, though they find 
themselves buried alive. 
'Tt rained ashes in considerable quan- 
tity, and that part of them which re- 
mained suspended in the air formed a 
vast cloud, which grew so dense as to 
cause real darkness during the hours of 
broad daylight." 
On May 15, 1754, there began the 
most violent and long-continued eruption 
which has occurred within historic times. 
The same good priest who so tranquilly 
observed the eruption of 1749 and so 
graphically recorded his observations 
witnessed this eruption also, and again 
his description is most interesting. He 
says : 
"a living picture; of sodom" 
"On May 15, 1754, at about 9 or 10 
o'clock in the night, the volcano quite 
unexpectedly commenced to roar and 
emit, sky-high, formidable flames inter- 
mixed with glowing rocks, which, falling 
back upon the island and rolling down 
the slopes of the mountain, created the 
impression of a large river of fire. Dur- 
ing the following days there appeared in 
the lake a large quantity of pumice-stone 
which had been ejected by the volcano. 
Part of these ejecta had also reached 
the hamlet of Bayuyungan and com- 
pletely destroyed it. 
"The volcano continued thus until 
June 2. during the night of which the 
eruption reached such proportions that 
the falling ejecta made the entire island 
appear to be on fire, and it was even 
feared that the catastrophe might in- 
volve the shores of the lake. From the 
said 2d of June until September 25, the 
volcano never ceased to eject fire and 
mud of such bad character that the best 
ink does not cause so black a stain. 
"During the night of September 25 the 
tire emitted was quite extraordinary and 
accompanied by terrifying rumblings. 
The strangest thing was, that within the 
l)lack column of smoke issuing from the 
volcano ever since June 2, there fre- 
quently formed thunder-storms, and it 
happened that the' huge tempest cloud 
would scarcely ever disappear dvu'ing 
two months. 
"At daybreak of September 26 we 
found ourselves forced to abandon our 
dwelling for fear lest the roofs come 
down upon us under the weight of ashes 
and stones which had fallen upon them 
during that hapless night. In fact, some 
weaker buildings collapsed. The depth 
of the layer of ashes and stones exceeded 
two 'cuartas' [45 centimeters, or 18 
inches], and the result was that there 
was neither tree nor other plant which 
it did not ruin or crush, giving to the 
whole region an aspect as if a devastat- 
ing conflagration had swept over it. 
After this the volcano calmed down con- 
siderably, though not sufficiently to olTer 
any prospect of tranquillity. 
"During the night of November i 
Taal resumed its former fury, ejecting 
fire, rocks, sand, and mud in greater 
quantities than ever before. On Novem- 
ber 15 it vomited enormous boulders, 
which, rolling down the slopes of the 
island, fell into the lake and caused huge 
waves. These paroxysms were accom- 
panied by swaying motions of the 
ground, which caused all the houses of 
the town to totter. AVe had already 
abandoned our habitation and were liv- 
ing in a tower, which appeared to offer 
greater security ; but on this occasion we 
resolved that the entire population retire 
to the sanctuary of Caysasay, only the 
'administrador' and myself to remain on 
the spot. 
"At 7 in the evening of November 28 
occurred a new paroxysm, during which 
the volcano vomited forth such masses 
of fire and ejecta that in my opinion all 
the material ejected during so many 
months, if taken together, would not 
equal the quantity which issued at the 
time. The columns of fire and smoke 
ascended higher than ever before, in- 
creasing every moment in volume and 
setting fire to the whole island, there 
being not the smallest portion of the 
latter ' which was not covered by the 
smoke and the glowing rocks and ashes. 
All this was accompanied by terrific 
