The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-11-30

on third, through an atmosphere so
rare that the blood oozed from our ears,
our noses, and even from the eyes of
some of our party. At times, the
clouds are away below you, at Others
they envelop you as in an impenetrable
veil, and again not a cloud may be seen,
only an immense blue dome overhead
the most impressive idea of bound
less space | have ever seen. | have
been down the crater of this wonder
full volcano-1, 900 feet deep, and l 800
wide, amidst never-ceasing smoke, fire
and sulphur. One goes springing down
from rock to rock, until the hot sandy
sides are reached. There you find a
windlass with a long rope which lowers
you down to the bed of the crater where
the Indians are busy gathering the sui
phur. AS you bend to look at the beau
tiful sample your guide shows, you sud
denly hear the roar of 10000 batteries
of artillery that makes you as pale as
death. Quick as thought the Indian
pulls you roughly by the arm and
crowds you behind a boulder,
while the huge landslip rushes
past you; and the same may
happen several times during one visit.
Again, with rafting of loudest thun-
ders down comes one of the very same
huge boulders upon which but half an
hour ago you stood, and as you jump
to clear its track, your foot cracks the
thin surface that covers the lake of
burning sulphur beneath, and your In
dian shouts Justify as he pulls you from
perdition. One has to be all the time
lodging here, lodging there-now en-
the fumes of sulphur, and again
scorched by the letting flames that
spring up here and spring up there,
like myriad of fiery demons reaching
forth to drag you to their hell-home.
Once again safe on the peak above,
you may sit on the edge of the crater,
with one leg cold in the perpetual snow
that covers the steep mountain-side,
and the other hot in the sulphurous
fumes and smoke that rise from the
perpetual fires below. The ascent of
this lofty peak occupies, from the snow
line, some six or seven hOurs-say about
5000 feet up an angle little less than
forty-five degrees. The Indian guide
goes ahead, and You follow, alpenstock
in hand, carefully putting your feet in
the little steps he cuts in the snow
Every ten minutes at most you have to
rest for breath.
Once on the summit, the view, its
grandeur, is simply impossible to be de-
scribed, and you can but stand in mute
wonder, gazing upon the wee world be-
low you, and the immensely of space
around, above you.
Then when you have looked and Won
dered your fill now for the descent.
Your Indian guide sits on a little mat,
six feet long, two feet wide, with his
heels well into the snow, and stick be-
tWeenhis knees. The stick and heels
pressed into the snow hold him firmly
in his position. You then sit down be-
hind him, throw your legs around his
body and over his Outstretched thighs,
and clasp him tightly about the chest
with your arms" Another places him
self in the same position behind YOU,
and more yet, until four or five are in
place. Slowly, cautiously, he starts
sliding downward for a hundred yards,
gradually gaining velocity. Then, with
Il SllutlclHSSS Iudl StdIlltSs ne SnOulS
" caSidadO UGnaonOSt" Qook out; we are
goingD and away you fly over the snow
down, down, as if you would never
again stop this side of the other world.
Within fifty yards of the snow line, the
Indian dips pole and heels gradually in.
to the snow, and exactly where the snow
ends and the sand begins there you
stop.
Those 5000 feet you descend in about
four minutes. But the Indian guides SC
thoroughly know their work that there
is not the remotest danger in visiting
Popocatepetl, and if the visitor has the
! good fortune to meet the proprietor Of
the sulphur mine, the gallant Gen
Sanchez Ochoa, Chief of Mexico's En-
ginser Corps, then his visit will be made
pleasant one, one long to be remem
bered by the traveller.