Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1848-08-04
CiRROLLTOy CARROLL COUNTY. OHIOFRDlT, AUGUST 1918.

minutes. But by very hard work, by ten min.
ules past two, we were standing on the highest
point Of land in North America, upwards Of
II 600 feet above the level OF the sea. Aiicr
catching breath, we gave three cheers, aud plan
ted n small flag on the very summit Of Popoca.
lapeI. The crater, upon the very mouth Of
which we we've standing, was about five hun
dred feet in depth. and about four hundred yards
in diameter. The mouth was an elhpse, being
formed by an obique plain 10 the east with the
highest pau towards the west, the side towards
Puebla being We thought some Two hundred feet
lower than the opposite side. The sides were
nearly vertical, aud horizontal section at ul-
most any height from the bottom would be a cir
Gle. The walls might be compared 10 three YER
lical cylinders, one within the other, the hrsl
rising one hundred or one hundred aud hlty
feet, where there was an irregular horizontal
bench Of a lew yards in breadth, which was in
iersecIed by the second cylinder, which Tose u
bout two hundred feet more; here was another
horizontal bench, when the third cylinder rose
to the top of the conc. Smoke was pouring out
from several places on the sides Of the crater,
from the bottom, and from the bed Of a large
mass of sulphur two large volumes rose. We
perceived no heat, and as small patches Of snow
were lying on the bottom, il was evident that lit
tie or none existed.
The view from our position was grand and
sublime beyond description. We had the ad'
vantage Of clear day, for there was scarcely q
cloud above the horizon. Orizaba and the Ne
vada Of Toluca, both covered with perpetual
snow, were distinctly visible, rising like TWO large
rocks from the oceun. The vast field below U,
looked like the sea, with slight unduatlOns.-
Even Iztacchuatl, from which the city OF Mex
leo looks almost or quite as elevated as Pupoca'
lapeil, now appeared far below US. Pueba with
| its entire valley was visible. A slight mist eX
tended across the valley Of Mexico, which il
some measure concealed the city, although the
1 lakes, Penon, and other objects could be distn
gujshed. We had hardly graljfed our curiosiI!
above half an hour, when each one Of the parry
became more or less sick, both from our eIeva
ted position aud from the fumes Of sui ulphurwhlcl
we were breathing. We found ourthruats swo
len, and some headache, and u sickness at The
stomach. ThiscompelIed uslo begin ourdescent
although reluctantly, for, as one Of the soldiers
remarked, we had never been so near heaven
before. We collected few specimens of lava
uuu lurueu our ldC6S lOWdGuS lnG Nulleys COOL
our sickly sensation leltus, and when we reached
camp, which was soon aliertwo o'clock, we were
perfectly well, with the exception Of headaches
The Indians would not believe US when We
told them we had reached the top. They ex.
amined our heads, and said il was impossible, fol
no one could go there without having horn:
/ growing from the head. Others asked us wha
the mountain said to US. Our guides only wen
as far as the region Of perpetual snow, no mon
ey or persuasions on our part could induce then
TO 60 further. One of our men got separates
from US in descending, and we have notheard Q
him since. We suppose he must have descen
ded into the valley of PuebIa and probabI,
reached that city.
Out of twenty-five who attempted the ascent
but six officers, viz: Lieut.. Stone, ordnance
Lieut.. Anderson, dragons; Capt Bomford, 8rI
infantry; Capt. Fowler, 9th infantry; Leuls
kirkham and Buckner, 9th infantry, and an En-
glsh gentleman, Mr.. BaggalIy, succeeded. W,
reached Mexico after an absence Of twelve days
and found that all our friends were prepared Il
sympathza with us on our failure, but when th
truth was known we were congratulated on eve
ry side. This is the first excursion to the sum
nit of any of The snow mountains in Mexlc,
since our army has been here, and the firsl b,
any American to Popocatapel, the highest noun
tain in Norlh America. X.