The New York herald., 1874-11-14
POPOCATEPETL.
Ascent of the Smoking Noun
tain" of Mexico.
Three American Ladies at
the Summit.
EXPLORATION OF THE CRATER.


rises out OF the tabeland OF Central Mexico.
about sixty miles east southeast from the canital
of the Republic and forms with IXtaccihuatl ana
their various spurs the division between the yal-
ley OF Mexlco and the valley OF Puebla lhese,
with ZltlaItepetl. or the Peak or Orizaba, ana the
s.Nevada OF Toluca,n are the four great noun
talns OF Mexico, which are rerpetualiy snow
capped. The Nevada OF rolGcs Is extinct ana Zlsr
Ialtepetl is nearly The latter-the smoking
mountain as its name indicates In the Mexican
language-ls said to have elected ashes rom time
20 time during the seventeenth century; oas ior
nearly 200 years il has only given of yapors OF
sulphur rarely suincent in amount TO be visible
from the city OF Mexico.
THE HEIGHT or THIS VOLCANO,
according TO .he various observations which have
been made, Is about $1,000 feet above the level oI
the sea. From the valley OF Puebla 1t appears a
nearly complete cone, cleanlY cut rising out OF
the plain to a height OF 10000 feet; while on the
western side great spurs and ranges OF mountains
group together to form the base upon which the
snow cone rests 1t has been claimed that some
Of the soldiers OF Gortes assembled the volcano in
search OF sulphur but IL Is not by any means
settled fact that any or them gained the top;
certainly they never descended INFO the crater.
W tier on Mexico says that one OF these indtvd-
uals reached no further than the snow line but re-
turning, he was allowed TO wear badge with the
volcano engraved. upon it as mark OF
honor meIited by his arduous undertaSlns
Baron Humboldt may have ascended PC
the beginning OF the present century. lie
measured the height OF the peak above the
level of the city OF Mexico by triansulation. Pre-
vious to 1886 lew foreigners made the ascent,
most OF them being connected with the legations
or copsulates Of this city. Baron Gros and Mr..
Won Gerolt made the attempt in 1885, but failed,
and turned back disappointed to Mexico. The
following year, profting by their past experience,
they were more successful and, after overcoming
great difficulties, reached the top. Mr. Glennie
and Mr.. Berbeck also ascended at different times
in 1887, and measured the height By the barome-
trio column or the temperature OF boiling water.
Tie principal dlaicultles these persons had to con-
tend with were the imposslbiity Of securing
guides, as the natives knew nothing OF the noun
tain, and the necessity, from inability OF otherwise
dividing the journey, or passing at least portion
OF the night near the snow line, exposed to Intense
cold or severe storms, without any protection,
and the cutting winds which prevail during the
day.
EXPLORATION OF THE CRATER.
IN 1856 the crater was entered for the first time
and pronounced sulphur mine BY General
Ochoa and others, and has been worked as such
since. rancho, consisting OF a few rough
buildings, was erected near the limit OF the pines
for the reduction OF the sulphur, and a windass
was placed at the edge Of the crater for ecvating
the crude sulphur and as a means OF descent and
exit. To the rancho tie name ''Tamacas'' has
been given by the Indians from the appearance
of some large rocks on the flank Of the mountain
near by, which are said to resemble ears, as the
name indicates Here travellers may now rest
though with great discomfort, preparatory to
starting up The snow. And since 1885, and par
ttcularly during the last ten years. some parties
of gentlemen have made the effort; but with a few
exceptions no more than one-third OF each party
has been able TO reach the top There Is no
reliable evidence OF any lady ever having
ascended TO the crater previous to september 30
last, though 1t is stated BY some that one and by
others that two native women have made the at
tempt. However, 1t is known and undsputed d
fact that no woman had descended into the crater
previous 10 that date, nor any foreigner what
ever, with the exception OF one French laborer.
MODERN EXPLORERS.
With q knowledge or these facts and the dflcul-
ties attending the effort party was formed in
the city u Mexico, in September, for the purpose
OF ascending the mountain and Of reaching the
bottom OF the crater, II such thing we're possi-
bic. /, therefore, applied 10 my iriend General
Gaspar Sanchez Ochoa. for a letter OF instruction
TO his employees in Amecameca. The General is
well known in Washington and New York as
the Commissioner OF Juarez, sent In 1885
to negotiate q Mexican loan In the United
States, and he has recently by purchase.
become the sole owner OF the volcano,
under the Mexican mining laws The General
very Hospitality proposed to entertain us at his
house in Amecameca ana TO prepare everything
Tor Ilamacas and The mountain, and would not
permit US TO take anything except horses
from Mexico this only for lear or difficulty in
securing tie requisite number IN Amecamecd.
Our party consisted OF DR.. and Mrs T. 6. Richard
son, oil New orleans; Miss Adah G. Sawyer, OF
Milford, n. H.. Mrs. Arthur Terry. OF New York
~. George s. Skillon OF Troy, N. T., Messrs.
IN /. Blackmore and John G, Wilson, OF the city
g. AeXico.
on THE WAY.
Upon consulting the almanac 10 make sure that
we should have the moon from midnight until
morning for the ascent, we left Mexico at daylight
saturday morning, September 90, with two Of the
ladies on horseback, the remainder Vi the party
following By diligence, leaving al SIX O'Clock.
We reached Mirafores' cotton factory at eleven
O'Clock, and were Hospitality entertained there by
our Scotch friends the Robe tsons, until the dill
gence passed, at two r. NJ. We then mounted our
horses and rode on quietly TO Amecameca fifteen
leagues, or absut forty English mncs, distant from
Mexico, well satisfied with our first days work
We passed through Talmanalco. leaving the tn
teresting ruins for return. During the 27th
we remained in Amecameca, visiting the celeb
rated sacred mountain IN the morning. In the
afternoon It rained heavily much to our satisfac-
ton, as II gave promise OF better weather when
most needed. We learned that work had been
stopped Tor twenty days Ia tie crater, owing TO
the weather; but we were To be discouraged
by this nor bs our friends who Insisted that we
mad selected the worst umc OF the year Tor our
assent and that certainly the ladies' would not Oe
a0e 70 reach tue peak. and so started brayely the
following morning Tor Ilamacas.
UPWARD.
our road soon began TO ascend the great spurs
ol the mountain, winch seem 10 take hold upon
the pidln-hke enormous buttresses, holding up
ana forming the foundation which the great
peaA rests. starting up these spurs we passed
throuBn ofess 0f oaks, which Ia the rapid ascent
soon MADE way Tor the pines aud frs. The fow-
ers llnlAs our path went through the same though
more frequent transitions, but moce faithful
IFlends accompanied us to the very edge OF vege-
talop, where rude King Frost bade US part com
IanJ. we saw nothing Of the peak that day alter