Page:Travels in Mexico and life among the Mexicans.djvu/399

 the heated breath of Tlaloc's vitals belched in the face of the boreal visitor, which rested like a cloak upon his shoulders. When an opening in the clouds occurred, I descended over the brim about one hundred feet, clinging to the projections of porphyritic rock to a rocky platform, whence the laborers in the volcano were lowered to the bottom of the crater. They had not been at work for a month, and the malacate, or hoisting winch, was dismantled; but, by holding by the great beams, I could peer over the brink into the horrible pit below. Directly beneath me ascended a dense sulphur cloud, from which, and from various other vents scattered over the surface, arose the strong fumes that suggested to us the infernal regions. It is from these vents, called respiradores, that the sulphur is obtained, being sublimed upon the sides of the crater. About twenty years ago, the present owner of the volcano commenced to work this dangerous sulphur mine, removing the sulphur at a great profit. At present the only supply is that from the condensed fumes, as it is deposited; but originally there was the accumulation of centuries.

Here is the testimony of Cortés himself as to the finding of it: "As for sulphur, it has been taken out by a Spaniard, who descended seventy or eighty fathoms, by means of a rope attached to his body below his arms; from which source we have so far been enabled to obtain sufficient supplies, although it is attended with danger."

In 1625, an English traveller visited Mexico, and thus describes the volcano: "Popocatapec is one of the chief of these fiery Mountains, which signifieth a hill of smoak, for many times it casteth out smoak and fire. When Cortés passed that way, he sent ten Spaniards to view it, with many Indians to carry their victuals and guide them; but two of them went up to the top, and at length came under a great smoak, very thick; and standing there awhile the darkness vanished away, and then appeared the Vulcan and concavity, out of which the air came rebounding with a very great noise. The smoak and heat were so great that they could not abide it and were constrained to return. But they had not gone far when the Vulcan began to flash out