It was while Pedro de Arandia was governor-general that the famous overflow of Taal volcano took place. At that time the crater of Taal was torn open so that it measured more than a mile and a half across, and from this awful opening poured down a broad stream of melted lava, killing and destroying everything that it touched. It rushed down the side of the mountain and fell hot and hissing into the lake. Great clouds of steam arose from the heated waters, and such a shower of ashes and stones fell as made the people think the world was coming to an end.

For six months terrible storms raged in that part of Luzon. The volcano broke out on the 15th day of May, 1754, and it was then that the boiling lava began to flow. Huge stones shot up from the crater and fell into the lake, or were hurled down upon the land. Darkness reigned, and the people were filled with terror.

This state of things lasted until about the second day of June. Then, suddenly, a mighty column of smoke arose from the mountain, thick, black, and awful. Higher and higher it mounted, until it spread over the sky, and the sun shone through it with a sickly yellow light.

This smoke poured out for nearly all the time until July 10. On that day heavy showers of mud, black as ink, began to fall. Terrible sounds were heard, as of cannon being fired off inside the mountain. The land trembled, and great waves from the lake dashed against the shore. Dead fish, alligators, and snakes were cast up on shore, and the town of Balili (bä lē´lē) was soon a swamp of black, liquid mud.

Then fire began to pour out of the crater. It lasted until September 25, when there was another great shower of stones. The people of Taal were driven from their homes and fled for their lives. Then, writes Fray Francisco Venenchillo (ven en chēl´yō), who, through these dreadful weeks of disasters, kept a daily journal of all that he observed, “a fearful storm of thunder and lightning began, and never stopped until December 4.”

In the meanwhile the volcano was still in eruption, and awful things kept happening. Lake Bombon rose and swept over the town of Taal. On November 14 inky darkness settled over the country. This lasted for two days, during which, even as far away as Manila, candles were needed at noonday. During these two days, fire and lava poured out steadily from the mountain. At last, on December 2, began a two days’ hurricane. It wiped out the town of Taal, and then all was quiet.

In all, the trouble lasted for six months and seventeen days. The towns of Taal, Sananan (sän ä´nän), Sala (sä´lä), and Lipa (lē´pä) were wholly ruined, and great harm was done in towns fifteen miles distant from the volcano. It was a marvelous event, and traces of it are still to be seen in all the country around Lake Bombon.

Never since then has there been such an overflow from Taal volcano. The ruins of the old town of Taal may still be seen just where the Pansipit (pän sē´pit) River enters the lake, but they are being overgrown by grasses and flowers. In a few years they will be quite hidden. The present town of Taal is farther up the river. It is noted for the fine sugar produced there. This sugar is well known, and commands a good price in foreign markets. Excellent cotton stuffs are also made there.

When Governor-General Arandia had formed his new King’s Regiment, he at once found work for it to do. Besides the regiment he collected a body of good native troops and began a campaign against the Igorrotes. The Spanish had never been able to subdue these people. In Arandia’s day they were still as wild and savage as when the Europeans first came to the islands. Arandia set out to conquer them or to kill every one of them that could be found.

The war was carefully planned. About 1,100 soldiers were sent against them, and these soldiers waged a warfare as savage, as cruel, as the wild tribes themselves could have carried on. The Igorrotes were surprised in their villages and given no quarter. Their towns were burned down, and women and children were killed without mercy. Growing crops were destroyed, and the land was laid waste wherever an Igorrote home was found.

But in spite of this cruelty the Spanish could not conquer the people. Instead, the King’s Regiment was driven back again and again, and whenever the Igorrotes took a Spaniard prisoner, they avenged upon him the wrongs of their tribe. The attempt was at last given up. The Igorrotes could not be subdued, nor could they be coaxed into swearing loyalty to Spain.

Arandia then sought to bargain with them. In 1758 a decree was passed that was meant not only for them, but for the other heathen tribes. The decree read that those who would accept baptism need pay no tribute or tax for the rest of their lives. The Igorrotes were not caught by this offer. As a matter of fact, they gave themselves no trouble to pay tribute or tax, anyway, so the offer had no attraction for them.

At this same time Arandia had still another trouble on his hands, but one for which he was not to blame. A few years before, in 1749, the sultan of Sulu was deposed from his throne during a rebellion. Being in name, at least, a vassal of Spain, he came to Manila to ask Spanish aid in regaining his rights.

The acting governor-general at that time was the Bishop of Nuevo Segovia (nö ā´vō sā gō´vē ä). This worthy gave the sultan a warm welcome and showed him high honor. The Moro ruler was urged to accept baptism, and at last did so, with several of his suite. After that he and a large number of followers were kept in great style in Manila. The sultan was known as Ferdinand I., and great attention was paid him as rightful ruler of the Sulu archipelago. But for some reason nothing was done to help him recover his lost throne.

Finally, however, he was told that he was to be taken to Sulu. In fact, with a large Spanish escort, the party did go as far as Zamboanga. There the sultan and his people, with a prince of Sulu who had come to Mindanao to greet him, were thrown into prison. To explain this, it was charged that the sultan had written disloyal letters to friends in Sulu. In one of these letters, it was claimed, he had said that he had not acted of his own free will in accepting baptism. These letters had been intercepted at Zamboanga, and were declared to be treasonable.

The sultan was taken back to Manila as a prisoner, and this act at once drove the Moros to fresh fury. Again there was war all along the southern coast. It was pressed with great cruelty on both sides, and many lives were lost. The trouble lasted for some years, but the Spanish gained neither power nor territory by all this waste of lives and money.

When Arandia came into office he wished to send the sultan back to Sulu and restore to him his rights. In this, however, he was opposed by the clergy. Had he persisted in trying to do this it would have made great strife; so he yielded. Ferdinand I. stayed on in Luzon, but was not kept in confinement. His son, his daughter, and several chiefs of his people were with him in the city; but he was none the less a prisoner, and remained such until the British took Manila in 1762. In 1763 the English commander sent him to Sulu and reseated him on his throne. As for the Moros of the Sulu archipelago, they never again trusted the Spanish.

Summary.—In the year 1754 there was a terrible eruption of Taal volcano. It began on May 15 and lasted for over six months. During this time the mountain poured out fire and lava. Awful showers of mud and stones fell, and there were terrible hurricanes. The towns of Taal, Sananan, Sala, and Lipa were wholly ruined, and great harm was done in places fifteen miles away. During Arandia’s term of office, war was waged against the Igorrotes, to conquer or to kill them all. This war was carried on with great cruelty, but the Igorrotes were not to be subdued, and it was given up. Later they were offered freedom from taxation if they would accept baptism, but they refused it. In 1749 the sultan of Sulu came to Manila seeking aid to put down a rebellion of his people. He was well received, and was persuaded to let himself be baptized. Afterwards it was claimed that he had written treasonable letters home, and he was kept a prisoner in Manila. Arandia tried to have him restored to his rights, but could not. The sultan was sent back in 1763 by the British, who then held Manila. This treatment of the sultan greatly enraged the Moros against the Spanish.

Questions.—When was the great overflow of Taal volcano? Give an account of it. Who decided to conquer the Igorrotes? Describe this war and its results. Why did the sultan of Sulu come to Manila? How was he treated by the Spanish? Who finally reseated him on his throne?