Weekly national intelligencer., 1848-10-28
voLCAN DE ToLUCA.


The following account Of an expedition TO the
Snow Mountain, in Mexico. prepared by an officer
of The Fourth Artillery who made one of the party,
was originally published in "The Outpost Guard, =
small American paper printed at Touca
Having breakasted and the day being fair not cloud OBJ
scurng the horizon pans Kettles meats and eaabes OF
all kinds slowed away in wagons together with the
knapsacks and blankets of fifty men, who had voun-
eered from the Fourth Artillery accompany Us, and at
about eight o'clock the morning Of the 18th of March
started upon expedition 20 the Snow Mountain Of Vou
In about hours reached the hacienda Of Gnada-
upe, passing the little hill Of Tlacotepec on left. Pro-
curing guides here continued on, and, with wa
gons, entered some three miles into the pine forest that
circles the mountain and there bvouacked for the night
Some three TENTS brought in the wagons pitched
houses Of pine boughs built and in short time the
place had the appearance of small village. Huge fires
sprung up all around by magic and soon every
employed in cooking, making bowers bringing from
small stream near by, or hunting dry wood for Inc fres All
was buste life, and hllarlty.
The SET and the wind commenced blowing,
bringing up huge Of Clouds that the night set in,
rainy and staress seemed to fill every with desponng
and anxiety for the weather the The cold
severe, and we continued sitting around fires, making
merry with chocolate and hot punches until late hour,
when, by one the party stole off to sleep comfortably
the number of blankets each had brought would per-
nit him.
The next morning before sunrise every one had prepared
his breakfast myself then thought that nothng could
have tasted than did cup of chocolate Of my
make and the leg of chicken. Breakfast over
sadded, and the guides leading, we on our
winding pursuing narrow path through the forest,
which seemed to me nterminable.
As we had feared, the morning cloudy and the mist
dense that could scarcely the guides before The
trees became smaller and stunted proceeded and
finally disappeared altogether We then emerged into sort
Of wild ascending prairie, covered with long rank growth Of
grass, which had the appearance from Touca OF banks Of
sand. Continuing this prairie Tor three miles
arrived the foot of steep hill TN reaching the top
of this we found that only separated from the
highest peaks by deep intervening valley Passing through
this and up slight elevation the other sde at length
stood the base OF the towering snowtopped SUBMITS far
above us.
Our party now scattered some leaving their horses here
commenced the of the hill whose base then
Stood while others continued ds the peaks bevond the
lakes. My horse being completely exhausted left him and
commenced the first ascent at hand After climbing short
distance stopped and gazed with wonder upon scene
fore My further ascent to be perfect of
piled up rocks black rent into prsnac blocks and through
whose cevces the would occasionally penetrate into many
dark
The ascent was so difficult and resome from the raried
state of the air, that but few upward steps could be taken
at time, and then the heart would hrob with violence, and
the air IN the lungs exhausted Fhe head would sw
and not until had inhaled copous draught of could
he continue After climbing up for than hour
completely exhausted seated myself upon projecting rock
and gazed around in bitter dsapponimentdense mist and
clouds hid every thing from my view But while sitting here
the gods seemed TO take compassion on and, reward
for my perseverance, with blast swept the mist and clouds
from before me- revealing to my longing eyes, in the far east
the snow-topped SUBMITS Of Popocahpel and ztacihuat
Below lay the fertile valley Of Touca which, though
bounded the east by lofty ridge seemed 10 be shut
in by the hills Over their tops could be the
famed valley of Anahuac, and still further my right
that marners guide, high alo amid the clouds, the
topped peak Of Orzaba This disclosed but
Il
obscurity
Continuing the ascent, last stood the highest pima
Gle of this range, and there only remained above
the opposite side OF the lake, whse deep blue waters Ny
calm below the high unappoachae peeis of the
ridge.
Again the mist for instant broke away and looked with
longing eyes the west if possible the bright
Of the Pacific but this denied me-the air too
Dense the mist too thick And later in the day. when
the had broken and in dispelcd the
gloom could still catch to the west glimpse Of its
remained here gazing around for tme and then de-
temned 10 let myself down towards the lake by the almost
perpendicular side which dscends towards s silent
waters. Having proceeded short distance found the
dertaking much difficult than had imagined could be
At tines my foot occasionally FIJI upon huge rock
would shake totter, leave its bed and, with like
thunder, leap down from crag cag and hound into the
gaping mouth of the below After danger and
much exerion reached the base, and looking up again.
scarcely could realize that had descended from point
SO high.
Our party scattered every part Of the noun
tain. On every snow. topped crsg could be moving
figures who made the misty echo and echo with
their shouts and the reports Of muskets stood The shore
Of little lake and gazed down into its waters and the
thought arose, with feelings of ave. that these towering
m these huge masses, these piles of rocks had all been
cast up from its calm and tranquil depths.
The day continuing cloudy, and having all that the
mist would permit see, having been fifteen thousand feet
above the level Of the ses-above all vegetation the region
Of perpetual snow-he terra caLene lying below us on
either hand clothed in perpetual summer turned
away, know why, with feeling Of sadness, and
traced footsteps little camp. Many Of those
mounted good horses returned to Touca that night
mained and in the morning, satisfied that in the
Nevada de Toluca had Of Natures grande works
). l.. q.
AMERICAN SOLDIERS FOR THE MEXICAN ARMY.