i, was swamped with mud. This phenomenon was
accompanied by a noise so great that the people of Batangas and Bauan,
who that day had seen the galleon from Acapulco passing on her home
voyage, conjectured that she had saluted the Shrine of Our Lady of
Cagsaysay on her way. The noise ceased, but fire still continued to
issue from the crater until September 25. Stones fell all that night;
and the people of Taal had to abandon their homes, for the roofs were
falling in with the weight upon them. The chronicler was at Taal
at this date, and in the midst of the column of smoke a tempest of
thunder and lightning raged and continued without intermission until
December 4.

The night of All Saints' day (Nov. 1) was a memorable one, for the
quantity of falling fire-stones, sand, and ashes increased, gradually
diminishing again towards November 15. Then, on that night, after
vespers, great noises were heard. A long melancholy sound dinned in
one's ears; volumes of black smoke rose; an infinite number of stones
fell, and great waves proceeded from the lake, beating the shores with
appalling fury. This was followed by another great shower of stones,
brought up amidst the black smoke, which lasted until 10 o'clock at
night. For a short while the devastation was suspended prior to the
last supreme effort. All looked half dead and much exhausted after
seven months of suffering in the way described. [9] It was resolved
to remove the image of Our Lady of Cagsaysay and put in its place
the second image of the Holy Virgin.

On November 29, from seven o'clock in the evening, the volcano threw
up more fire than all put together in the preceding seven months. The
burning column seemed to mingle with the clouds; the whole of the
island was one ignited mass. A wind blew. And as the priests and the
mayor (_Alcalde_) were just remarking that the fire might reach the
town, a mass of stones was thrown up with great violence; thunderclaps
and subterranean noises were heard; everybody looked aghast, and nearly
all knelt to pray. Then the waters of the lake began to encroach
upon the houses, and the inhabitants took to flight, the natives
carrying away whatever chattels they could. Cries and lamentations
were heard all around; mothers were looking for their children in
dismay; half-caste women of the Parian were calling for confession,
some of them beseechingly falling on their knees in the middle of
the streets. The panic was intense, and was in no