Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1848-06-30
Orizaba Correspondence of the n. O. Delta
THE AMERICAN STAR WAVES FROM
THE SUMMIT OF ORIZABA.

OR1ZABA, May Is, lS4S.
Eds Delta-0n the highest pinnacle of the
frozen summit of Orizaba waves the Star
Spangled Banner So you may tell Mr.. Polk,
his Cabinet, and all Congress assembled, that
they may pass what laws they please. make
treaties and the Mexicans issue pronunciamen-
tos, but still will the american flag wave over
their country; for who will go up there to
pull it down? Humboldt tried it and failed :;
it defeated his utmost exertions; and it was
one of the few instances where he ever gave
up an undertaking that be once resolved upon.
But few others have ever attempted it since.
and all came back with terrible accounts of
the dangers of the undertaking; so the work
was left for Yankee sailors and Yankee SOL
diers. For two or three days, the party were
busy making their preparations-the black
smiths in making hooks and spikes 10 stick in
the ice, whilst the sailors were making rope
ladders, snow-shoes, &c
Everything being ready the party started off,
composed of Mai. Manigault and Lieut.. Rey-
nolds. U. S. A.; LIEUT. Maynard, of the Navy;
Lieut. Rogers, do; Capts Lomax and Higgins,
of the Alabama Volunteers; Capt White. Dr.
Banks, and Adjutant Hardaway. 80 soldiers,
and two sailors OF the Naval Battery The
second day they encamped IL, 900 feet above
standing considerably below the freezing
point. Here they had an abundance of wood,
and built fires all around them hut with all
their precautions few slept wink, on account
of the cold At early daylight the following
morning the whole party set out They were
soon in the snow and ice, and now came the
tug-the air becoming more rarifed at every
step, made it necessary to stop and pant for
breath; but they hal not assembled more than
5000 feet higher up, before the whole party.
with few exceptions, were seized with a
painful nausea and vomiting, still they tugged
on, unwilling to give i! up. But the party
was percepthly diminishing-the great rare
faction of the air and GOODNESS painfully affpc-
| TED great many, and compelled them TO re-
turn; and when the summit was reached, all
had given out hui five. viz : Maj Manigaut,
Lieut.. MAYNARD, Lieut.. Reynolds, Captain Lo-
max, and Passe Mdshpman Rogers Here
they shook hands and sat down to rest from
their labors, and enjoy the glorious prospect
before them-Puehla, Jalapa, Cordova, the
sea 80 mics off, and host of villages on the
plain They descended short distance into
the crater, and brought up some beautiful spe-
clmenS of crystals and lava, and large quant-
ties of the most beautiful specimens of sui
phur. After all this was done, the ceremony of
planting the American Flag was gone through.
The Navy hal this honor, an honor they were
fairly entitled TO, having sat down in the snow
over the night and made it of three shirts -
Fortunately the sailors were dressed in blue
and red shirts, which, with Lieut.. Rogers
white one, furnished all the colors. It must
have been amusing enough to have seen them
| sitting down there by the blazing faggots,
sewing and shivering. The flag has but / 8
stars, afterthe old original IS States. A bot
| tie was likewise left, containing a paper with
the names of the successful few. The barom-
eter which was taken up, ceased to indicate
more than 1890 feet, and when it ran out
they were. as learn, at least 1000 feet from
the top. This would make the height 1890
feet, instead of II, 500 feet, as heretofore est-
mated and this makes it the third highest
mountain in the world, and higher than Po-
pocatepetl. When the party returned, they
slid down on the ice and snow. The citizens
of Orizaba do not believe them when they say
that they have been on the summit, and in the
crater, and unfortunately there is no such thing
az spy-glass in the city, or they might see
the flag They would as soon believe that a
man had visited the neither world and return
ed, as the top of this mountain. With good
telescope, the flag ought TO be seen, on clear
day, from Vera Cruz. This account was Civ
en- me by one of the officers who went up.
have seen and talked with the whole party. I
thought that the feat was worthy of separate
letter. J. d. J.