Page:The Rambler in Mexico.djvu/207

Rh while every other part of the outline was perfectly clear and well defined.

I have mentioned elsewhere, that Diego Ordaz, one of the officers of Cortez, made an attempt to reach the crater, on their first advance to the capital. He was, however, forced to leave his hardy project unachieved, the mountain being in a state of actual combustion. He must have been a bold adventurer, for in those days, a volcano in eruption was not considered a thing to play with, by crowds of well-dressed gentlemen and ladies, as in the present age.

I have elsewhere given the height of Popocatepetl, as determined by Humboldt and Bonpland, at 17,884 feet. It may interest the reader to know that four days after our visit the ascent to the volcano was effected by the gentlemen above named.

On the morning of the 27th of April, Baron Gros, M. de Gerolt, and Mr Egerton, set out from Zacualpam Amilpas, and reached Ozumba on the afternoon of that day. Here they procured guides from the village of Alautia, and commenced the ascent the following morning, reaching the Vaqueria, a chalet which is the highest point inhabited, at one At three, after passing through a zone of noble oaks, firs, and larch, they attained the limit of vegetation. Here, at about one third of the ascent, commence tracts of deep purple sand, strewed with blocks of porphyry. They spent the night just within the shelter of the dwarf forest, Fahrenheit's thermometer standing at fifty degrees.

On the 29th, at three, they resumed the climb in the moonlight, with three guides and Mr. E's servant, proceeding in a zigzag up the sand. At nine they reached the Pico del Frayle, a pile of red rocks, of about a hundred feet in perpendicular elevation. Here the Indian guides abandoned the enterprise. Thus far the way had been fatiguing, but not dangerous. After one hour's rest they proceeded, finding the ascent much more difficult, till they reached the snow line. At this time all suffered severely from the rarity of the air. M. de G. finally reached the highest point at half past two, and his companions soon followed. They describe the crater to form an abyss of a circular form, and three miles in circumference, with perhaps a depth of a thousand feet. There is a break towards the east. The side walls are perpendicular. Vapours rise from several orifices, but rarely reach the edge of the crater. Here the adventurers staid one hour, and then, at five, descending, reached their halting place in the wood. The following day, the 30th of April, they returned to the foot of the mountain. They state distinctly that Iztaccihuatl exhibits no signs of a crater.

At San Mateo, we were courteously received and entertained by the simple Indian inhabitants, under the authority of their alcalde, an old man, speaking no language but that of his race. We were lodged in a