Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-06-20


brought in huge earthen lar, which we
ascertained the next day to be filthy and TO
have been used about the sulphur works.
Desiring to make On early start we went 10
bed at once, but not to sleep. After half
hour spent IN considering the, wild
scene, by which we were surrounded my
companion was taken very i'll. lie had not
been well for several days, and the fatiguing
ride and the filthy water were too much for
him. Fortunately We had brought flask
of brandy and bottle of cholera mix
turc,' and after a dose of each, my friend
obtained relief and both of us rest. The
night was quite cold and the boards on
which our blankets were spread were very
hard, so we didn't wait to be called. We
were up by half-past four, and as soon as
our men could broil some beef and toast
their tortillas on the Goals, we were mounted
and off. We had each taken half small
loaf of bread, glass OF clarct and water
The ground was covered with frost and the
air was piercingly cold, though there was no
wind blowing. Our route lay for half mile
or more through apine woods, emerging from
which, we descended ravine, at tie bottom
OF which we crossed TRAVELLING milky stream
of snow water then we climbed out of the
ravine, and began the ascent by a circutous
route over the black sand and scorip which
formed the entire conc. We soon left all
vegetation behind. At Z o'clock we found
ourselves several hundred feet below 1.-THE
cross" from which it was intended we should
go on on foot. Our horses were 50 faded
they could go no further; they had strug-
gled.along plucklly for two hours, but owing
| to the rapid ascent the yielding nature of
the footing, and perhaps also in part to the
rarified atmosphere, they could not accom-
| plish the task which had been set for them.
So we had to begin orrc o-"-''
Ior La Cruz" and several thousand feet
below the snow line which the guide books
say can be reached on horse back. Perhaps
this could have been done had our horses
been better, or had extra horses been sent
ahead OF US to ia Cruz 80 we could have
had the advantage OF remount from that
place, but the chances are against it.
La Cruz is a wooden cross erected on
huge mass or promontorv of volcanic rock,
jutting out from the scorite high up on the
mountain side. 1t is said TO mark the spot
Oh which an unfortunate Indian lost his life
but how We did not learn, certainly moi
from falling, for there is no way in which
any one could tall far enough here to hurt
himself seriously. Indeed there are but few
places on the mountain where 1t would b.
dangerous TO climb. The whole of the
peak, which constitutes Popocatapctl, In
contradstinction from the mountain mass
on which it is based, is a cone of ashes Oh
volcanic scorig, remarkably regular il
shape, with smooth, unfurrowed sides anc
remarkably free from cliffs, pfecpiccs and
masses OF rock. Our rolltc from the cross
was towards the southeast, around the
mountain side, not only because on that
side the ascent seemed to lie more gentle,
but because being exposed to the direct
| rays of the sun, the snow line had reccded
and we could go considerably nearer the
| summit before getting out of the ashes
The ascent was so steep, however, that we
were compelled to zgzag, first to the right,
then to the left. At every step our feet
sank over shoe top in the dry and yielding
ashes. The climbing was therefore very
tircsOmc Each of us had the companyOf
guide but no assistance could be given by
him. 1t was simply dead pull, and no
help for it, but TO rest frequently either
standing up, leaning on our iron shod alpen.
stcek', or lying down. The higher we
mounted the harder the climbing became, or
appeared . become. The incline must have
been about 33 ; in leaning 10 our work we
could not see the slope above ua, but when
we wished to look ahead at the snow line, or
to the summit or where the summit was
strengthen up and throw back the head as
far as possible without topping over. My
comp Mon had longer legs, and notwth
standing the illness of the nigh: before or
possibly because of it, was better fit for
climbing and soon left me behind. After
two hours, the cXertion, combined with the
raritied atmosphere, and the bad water of the
hut, began to tell seriously upon me. |
became nauscated and the attacks of nausea
increased in frequency and intensity as |
mounted upwards, so that my rests had also
to be increased in length of frequency. The
consequence was that my progress was very
slow, and my zigzags very short Finally
at about eleven | was overteken by a snow
furry which came up from below and cut
off my view of my companion and of tie
mountain top. AS soon as it had passed |
pushed on to the edge of the snow and then
gradually worked my way well up into it by
a ridge pointing toward the summit. Mean.
while my companion had again disappeared
from sight, and not knowing whether he had
reached the summit or been compelled to
stop short of it for rest, | resolved to wait
for him, where | was. The snow was
neither thick nor difficult to climb, although
it had been melted by the sun during day
time into ridges and peaks, all inclining up
bill, and opposite my resting place, which
was behind a ridge of ashes warmed by the
sun. These ice peaks were about six feet
high and looked like ghostly procession on
its way to the top of the mountain. After
forty or fifty minutes aga@ caught sight of
my companion, this time Enthusiastically
coming down the Stow fields with rapid
strides. He rcjoined Inc about l o'clock,
and assured me of his success. His trials
mad been very great and he had also been on |
he point of giving it up before reaching the |
summit Fortunately he was not nauseated |
his greatest difficulty was the weakness re- |
iultng from illness the night before. While |
'estng the last time he caught Whit of |
sulphur smoke from the crater, and feeling |
hat he could not have much further to go |
&c pushed on with renewed vigor to the top. |
lie describes the crater as grand and |
its sides composed of stratified |
nd brilliantly colored rock puffs of smoke |
we're seen coming from assures near the
'ottom, and masses of sulphur also gave
olor to the view.
1t is worthy of mention that the crater
elongs to General Ocloa, who has gathered
considerable quantities of sulphur from it in
mes past, and it is understood that he has
nered to sell it to an American Company
'ho would resort TO efficient means for
'orling and selling the sulphur. Our
ost, Don Juan dc NOricga, seemed to think ,
iat it would pay to construct tunnel from ,
lc bottom OF the crater to a suitable point /
n the outer slope of the cone, and thus
I'VE climbing and hosting, which are |
cccssarily costly, but 1t may well he doubted I
there is "any money in it,.
1t was now too late for further effort on ,
y part to reach the summit and get back a
Amccamcca that night-so notwithstaud- |
& the igIominy of failure on my part, after II
brief consideration of all the circumstances j
c decided - Contcut ourselves with Il q
Glory of one as a fair Offset for the defeat L
the other, and return at once to u
IT horses Going down hill was easy work b
taking n straight course 10 ''the cross" 4
c descended with long rapid strides, sink "
9 ankle deep in the ashes at each stride Il
less than an hour we were mounted b
ID by half-past two were back at the h
il. We got many noble views from the Il