The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-07-17
From the National InfsHiFtnesr
The Crater of Popocatepetl.

The Crater of Popocatepetl.
Our party, originally consisting of eight
with servants, ect., arrived ut Amecameca
upon the evening of the Nth Of January.
Four of our numb.r had been Obliged to re-
turn, and another, with servants, left MS at
Amecameca. At this point, through the
kindness of our hospitable friends, we pro-
cured our guides and made the necessary ar
engagements for the ascent of the mountain.
When our object became known, we were ut
once Joined by a number of volunteers, all
anxious to accompany us to the summit.
While some spoke of the season OF the year,
and Of the intense cold we might anticipate,
Others told us Of path to the crater made
by the Indians going up and returning with
the sulphur, and assured US that at some
seasons the ascent was By no means as dlih-
cult as imagined. But we found that but
few orour friends had been beyond the snow.
line, and that the mountain had not been
assembled by even an Indian for months
the working of the sulphur ccasing with the
commencement OF the rainy season. As we
sat at night watching the moon slowly ris-
Ing behind the mountains, and lighting
with a chastity glare their frozen submits,
stretching away in sublime beauty to the
clouds, we felt that the task we had under
taken was no light one; but there was a
fascination about the undertaking that we
all felt. There, in her cold shroud, lay the
Iztachihuatl, or white woman; while there,
in silent watch, wrapped IN his icy mantle,
stood the monarch of mountains of North
America. IN elite civilization had invest.
cd him with mystery that rivallcd in its
poetic wildness the mythology of,he ancient
Greeks. 4 god has dwclt there, and for
ages had controlled the sentiments Of mill
lions. The lion heart Of Cortes had ident-
fed il with his wonderous career, and the
genius of Humboldt has consecrated it to
science.
The morning dawned beautifully, and, as
our arrangements were not yet completed,
we rambled over the Sacramento at the back
OF the town, and visited the b -autiIul gro;to
upon its SUBMITS. A lovely view awaited
US, and we have rarely seen more cnchan.-
ing spot Ar Amccsmeca our observations
showed an ascent from the city of Mexico OF
some FIVE hundred feet, and the increasing
cold assured MS of that fact. At noon We
took leave of our kind host. and turned our
horses head towards the mountains. We
soon reached TOmacoca, small rancho,
where good mill is in operation, turned by
a beautiful stream from lztachihuatl. We
were joined by a party, aiming whom was
Don Pablo Perez, gentleman who had
hcen eng gel in extracting the sulphur from
the Volcano and who had pursued the oc.
cupi,ion Cor three years. HIS ascents had
been frequent, and we felt treasured by his
resolution to accompany us. Our road now
was up, over steep ascCnts, through the
cedars and pines; wild flowers ofeyery hue
grew through the tangled shrubbery. The
labored breathing Of our horses plainly told
of the change of atmosphere, us our path
gradually lei MS through the clustering
pine trees Of TilmacIs. We were now
ascending the mountain, and the rich loamy
soil and ashy earth through which our way
led. gave evidence Of the fact.
By sundown we arrived, much htigued
from our days journey, at Talmacas, a set
Element created for the convenience of those
engaged in the extraction OF the sulphur.
The night was exceedingly cold and comfort
/ less. The thermometer stood ut twenty
eight Fahrenheit, while our barometrical
observations showed IN ascent from Ameca-
mecca of over five. thousand feet. Instead of
the rest so necessary to us, we passed anoth
er disturbed night; but day ut last dawncd
beautiful and clear, and our guides aroused
us to the ascent.
Our party numbered twenty, including
guides and poems. West out from Talma-
cas- on horseback as far rs Ia Csuz, some
thousand feet allow. Here, with two of my
companions, | set out on foot; the remain.
der rode on some distance. At the same
time we all joined, and after our final ar
rangcments Of our packs, etc., We grasped
our spears, and protecting our eyes from
the reelection, set ont upon the snow, our
guides ahead, the Indians with our packs
following. Our first start out was steep
amid frozen snow. The guides and Indians
struck boldly out without spear or staff !;
the rest Of us, clinSing to our snow spears,
slowly followed Upwe went som, eight
hundred feet, when, getting in advance of
the party. we halted II take breath. Res.
/ pirat,On had become hbored and difficult,
AMI as SIT exhausted on the snow, deadly
| feelings, akin to sea-sicknesS, came over me.
Rallyinc however, looked around for my
companions, and of all those who had join.
ed us NJ Amecamcca, not one rcmained.-
Two ofmy friends, with the guides were
above me, ,houtin: 10 MS 10 follow. On we
went 81 WHY AMI telipu.ly. The difficulty
of trlvcllin. 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 com.
plui,n above. On we toilet some hundred
wards further, and again we stopped TO rest
Our number was now reduced to four, and
our two ccidcs. The same sickness | had
experienced was now felt by Others; the OPP
preston was extreme. An angry cloud
swept around the brow Of the mountain,
and snow storm seemed inevitable. The
cold was intense. My companions COMP lain