THE ISLANDS UNDER ARANDIA’S RULE.
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.
[Illustration:
TAAL VOLCANO.
]
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.
[Illustration:
IGORROTES.
]
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.
[Illustration:
A STREET IN JOLÓ.
]
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?
[Illustration]