Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1857-04-16

dlffculty OF travelling increased with every
step. The servants who accompanied US had
all given out; and taking the barometer
from one who had sank exhausted, [ joined
my companions above. On we toiled, some
hundred yards further, and again we stop
ped to rest. Our number was now reduced
sickness [ had experienced was now felt by
others; the oppression was extreme. An
angry cloud swept around the brow Of the
mountain, and a snoW-storm seemed inevl-
table. The cold was intense. My compa-
Mons complained loudly of their feet: and
so great was the suffering Of one of them,
that persuaded him to return. One only
accompanied me for short distance, when
he returned, with one guide, to follow bis
descending companions.
Il was now alone with one guide, and but
half way to the summit and as, clinging to
the ice. [ looked down at my retreating com
panions, and heard the shouts of those at the
foot Of the mountain, [ almost regretted that
[ had not yielded 10 their solicitations to ac-
company Them. Ny solitary guide now re-
bellcd, and [ was obliged to bribe and even
threaten him, to induce him to accompany
me. Up, up, for what seemed an age, we
clambeIed over the fields of frozen snow
The ascent had become more and more diff
ficul5, as. breaking the ice at every step, we
progressed slowly and tediously. Once
more I turned to lock back from my dizzy
height. One mis-step, and inevitable de-
struction awaited Us in the abyss below
The stiffness Of the grave was over every
thin,g; and, recoiling from the sight, look
ed down nc more. 70 go on for more than
eight OF ten PAGES, without stopping to take
rest, was impossible, SO rariicd had the air
become.
cat one time, after an extraordinary ex-
ertioa to reach my guide, [ fell, exhausted,
and Tor some moments was unconscious
The jIood gushcd from my nostrils. Check
ing i with the frozen snow, rallied, and
clanbcred on. lily guide, more Injured to
such trips, had now got far ahead. The
siclzoning sensation I had at first experience
ed returned With redoubled force. As I
again sank exhausted on the snow, heavy
weigpt seemed pressing upon me, and every
sppeaIc11 10 grow dim again, when [
was aroused by loud shouts from my guide,
as, standing high above me, he shouted,
the crater, the crater!" Up. up again, I
climbed, cling;ng to his footprints; one long,
painful struggle more, and [ sank exhausted
upon its Drink
*'N- hat a spectacle. The incessant toll
Of eight hours hunger and cold were alike
forgotten, as, lying down upon the snow, I
drank H. Ike refreshing draught, the sub
Unity Of the scene! The huge crater yawn-
ID in horrible yastncss al ny feet; sulphu-
reous odors issued from every side. An
awful stiffness pcrvaded everything. And
[ locked into its dc ,,tths with feeling / never
before experienced. Before NE stood the
southwestern side, darl; and gloomy; huge
rocks rose from It's depths, craggy and pre-
while far below, the golden hue Of
the burning sulphur added to the piotur-
asGue and sublime scene. I looked around
me. and the world seemed stretched beneath
my feet. The lovely Valley Of Mexico, with
It's lakes and mountains, lay like map be-
meath ne; to the south and west lay the
TERRA Cai;eatc, It's hills red in the setting
sun. 4 misty rim of silver showed the
Gulf OF Mexico f.r to the eastward, and the
frosty top Of Crizaba rose grandly from the
purple landscape. Though conversant with
Nature, had never before beheld her in
such magniiicence. TO remember that sight
must ever be q glory; to forget it can only
occur with the general decay of The faculties
Ut was fast growing late, and, planting
my snow-spear, | hung up my barome-
ter. looked around for my guide; he
had fallen asleep. Arousing him to a
sense of his danger, he implored me to des-
cend OF we would be lost Not foot would
he return in any direction, as, deaf to my
entreaties to assist me to enter the crater,
he protested and threatened to leave me- I
descended a little distance into the crater
for some specimens Of lava and basalt, and
returned to again arouse my guide, who,
exhausted from his efforts and overcome
with the intense cold, had again fallen a.
sleep. L was now highly dangerous to stay
any longer, and, carefully taking my baro-
mets.ical and thermor1etrical measurements,
I prepared to descend. One more look at
the abyss, black and dreadful in the deep
ening shade, one more longing gaze at the
glorious prospect, as it grew more lovely in
tie evening twilight, and left the scene.
For while we descended rapidly, as we
followed our ascending tracks, but at last
they had frozen and, as if suddenly, the
whole mountain had become one sheet of
lee. It was this that my guide had feared
Ihe sun had now set, and darkness was fast
coming Oh, and our danger increasing at
every step. lIy guide lost me, and [ had
to make my way alone. The ice had now
become so hard that it was almost impossi-
bic to break it, and it was with great diff
Guilty that my snow spear sustained my
weight. Striking it in advance of me, [
slid down gently to its foot, and sustain
ing my weight as I best could while
struck into the ice in advance Of me.