1881.] Notes on the Earthquakes of July, 1880, at Manila. 469 



I will now give a translation of a letter to a local paper from a 

 resident near the spot, giving an account of the behaviour of the 

 Volcano of Taal before and during the earthquakes of July. This 

 letter was written in consequence of exaggerated reports of great 

 eruptions of that volcano, and professes to give a true relation of the 

 facts. 



" The crater of the Volcano of Taal ceased to send up smoke as 

 usual on Monday, 12th July. At nightfall on Wednesday the 14th, 

 subterranean noises were heard, and a heavy swell was observed in 

 the lake " (the volcano is on an island in the Lake of Taal), "which 

 ceased after the earthquake of the same night ; louder subterranean 

 noises were heard during the earthquake. 



" On Thursday the 15th, two columns of smoke continued to issue, 

 with intervals, until the 16th, when they almost disappeared, and the 

 volcano subsided to its usual state. 



" On Sunday the 18th, in the neighbouring villages of Tanauan, 

 Sto. Tomas, and Talisay, and nearly as far as Lipa, a fog of smoke, 

 with smell of sulphur, was observed, which disappeared suddenly at 

 noon ; a short time after occurred the violent earthquake of Sunday, 

 at 12 h. 40 m. p.m. In the afternoon of the same day, the 18th, the 

 volcano again threw up the two columns of smoke, at intervals, until 

 Tuesday the 20th, at 10 h. a.m., when it ceased smoking entirely. 

 In the afternoon, at 3 h. and some minutes, the violent earthquake, 

 felt at Manila, which was also most intense at Batangas and towards 

 the Laguna, occurred. From eight to ten on Tuesday night, a 

 brightness was seen over the volcano, as if reflecting the light of fire 

 from the crater on the vapours which arose from it. This brightness 

 ceased suddenly and the atmosphere cleared entirely, and at ten 

 began the strong shocks of earthquakes, the first being the violent 

 shock felt in Manila. These continued in the Province of Batangas " 

 (in which Taal is situated) " during the night and were sensible for 

 several days. 



" On Wednesday the 21st, in the morning, the volcano threw up a 

 great quantity of smoke, to a considerable height, in one column, the 

 whole size of the crater, and continues to do so up to the time of 

 writing this notice. 



" In the evening, the Volcano of Maquiling, which had been con- 

 sidered extinct, gave forth much smoke, which caused terror in the 

 province, because the people feared the crater there would break out 

 again, and they called to mind the terrible eruption of the Volcano 

 of Taal, on 12th December, 1754, when the lava destroyed the 

 villages of Tanauay, Sapa, Lipa, and Taal, which villages were after- 

 wards rebuilt in a position more remote from the volcano." 



Among other strange phenomena recorded, it is stated from other 

 sources that the great mountains of Banajoa, Maquiling, and San 



