Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-01-31
ON A DIZZY HEIGHT.
oIsApnlc DESCRIPTION VISIT 70
THE MEXICAN CRATER.


this gem OF natural beauty IN cohp'osu1
surrounded by framework OF pcrpc.ua s,
mountains. On every side, when seen
from any great elevation, il is. apparent
that the azure line of mountains y I'M
hraken. The greater part OF the necklace
encircl;uc tho fair Vale dc Andhuoc Is OF
light blue color, destitute OF Vegetation
and all else but rock and sand. IN strikinS
relief and bold contrast to tne,r fellows on
70 the southeast tower aloft Popocatapeu
and Ixtaccihuatl, both OF which are COW
4 eryLd with perpetual snow. From its greater
height and perfect cone-shape. Popocata-
petI is the more conspicuous ana, tower
Ing above lis companions, its white slIes
glittering under the brilliant r"y r,;s ~ |"
inc in this thin or. 1t is pre-eminentiy the
brightest gem in this brilliant diadem-the
king among kings, and an everlasting
monument to the great Am.
THE START.
On Thursday morning the following gen.
tlemen left this city with Popocatapeti as
their objective point: Rev. Hugh W.
Brown. Presbyterian minister OF Mexico
City: j. J. Thomson. Esq, OF New YORK;
WI. G. Gcode. of Ohio, and Messrs. VII
liam Kelly, Allan G. HILL. and James y;
UiIl. Jr.. Of Mexico, formerly OF ono ana
Virginia. railroad trip or two h9urs,
past and crossing Lake Texcoco ana aiohs
the route followed by Cortez, when ne
Montexumas under the banner OF the
Gross. brings us TO the city OF Amecameca.
This city is apparently as old as tnc
mountains at whose feet IL nestles, and IS
frequently visited by tourists. as IT con-
tains the sncyd monte (sacred mountain), on
the top of which stands one oil the OLDEST
churches OF New Spain. Here. through
the kindness of native minister OF the
Methodist Episcopal Church. South, we
foupd our escort in readiness. After
hasty dinner we are IN the saddle and en-
ru,fe TO the hut at the foot of the noun
tain. Our cavalcade has now been In,
creased by the addition OF SIX guides ana
pack-hOree.
After ride of fourteen long miles over
OBVIOUSLY winding paths and craggy Gill;
sides the temperature rapidly falling as
we assembled, the hut was reached al
O'Clock Z. NJ.
INTHE HACIENDA.
This hut Though dignifed by the name
of hacienda is an ancient affair msde OF
boards i6x2O feet inside. aud abundantiy
supplied with holes for ventilation varying
in size from that of an apple to solnore'o.
The floor is of native earth and in the CEN
ire a blazing brush-fre was lighted. Coz
fee made and supper served, at O'Clock
every man was rolled in his blankets ana
seeking to WOO the syren Goddess OF Sleep.
which under our strange surroundings was
more coy even than the dark-eyed maids OF
A1sdlt,,Gc.
ASA. M. into the steely moonlight we
sailed. and once more mounted our horses.
The outfit which we all donned consisted OF
hat of light weight and wide brim; green
ar blue goggles and black ven hudTocees--
sandal made and universally worn 10y
the Mexican Indian and pronounced
gwuarrachy-oyer the shoes. with an alum
dance of canvas tightly bound over the
legs, and as many overcoats and blankets
rs you can induce your guide to carry. AS
matter of course to this costume you
must add a pistol. For about one and
half hours tho gritty little nags climbed
steadily in the direction of the morning
star. and before we dismOunted the inces-
SAINT painting of the beasts was so painful
70 the riders that we were glad when their
toll ended-though ours was just to begin.
FEARFUL CLIMBING.
To our accoutrement was then added q
heavy hickory stick, pointed with IRON
and fastened TO the wrist with leather
thong. The horses carried us hundred
or more yards above the line of vegetation,
and the Decentralization, SO to speak, was
made at little group OF stones, on
the highest of which is fastened a
heavy and moss-covered cross. And. oh
my countrymen. if you have breath TO
spare prepare to spend it now Standing
by Ia cruz, not far above the base of
the mountain, we look up and for
about three hundred yards there is only
sand lightly covering the bedrock, and
then comes the snow. Bear IN mind, gen.
tie reader, that we are now at an altitude
of about 800 feet. the grade up, which
we go is not less than forty-ive degrees,
and YOU are not surprised that strong men
can only take twelve or fifteen steps before
stopping for breath Your heart throbs
as IL it would burst out, your breath
is gone; again and again, you lnvol-
unfairly measure your length on the snow
or sand. as it may be. But courage. COM
rades; the heart is faint, but If 1t meier
wins fair lady il must climb "Popo." A
minutes rest fat on your back, the heart
becomes less noisy, once more we breathe,
and another start is made, only to end "a
did the first But the sturdy guide en-
courages you with " POGO a POGO" G. little
begins to paint the snow ahead and the
broad expanse below a soft tinge Of pink
we have almost reached the line of eternal
snow. POGO POGO, and of sunrise we are
well into the snow. or TO put 1t more accu-
rately. into the ice. Before this time two
OF the party, who started in great glee,
have had their fill OF IL and are returning
TO the hacienda.
AN AwR-ISspRING SIGHT.
Soon tho God of Light comes up from
tho East and such q spectacle greets the
eager eve Words are inadequate to de-
scribe 1t; speech fails, and the most irreve-
rent cannot repress the oral or mental ex-
clamation, "How great, how glorious are
Thy works, Oh, Lord, God of the Uni
verse;" of to the east at . distance OF
sixty-iive miles CLEANS IN the splendor Of
AN Oriental queen the city of Puebla,
guarded by the stately, lofty peak of
Orizaba and the historic mound of Cholula.
But we must be up and away. for this
tropical sun, thougha great beautifer OF
nature is bv no means strengthening To
the exhausted climber. At the guido
informs us that we are but 100 rorGs
(vards) from the mouth of the crater.
Ossdid! that could believe you, amigo
mis- !: but il is necessary 10 throw the head
away back TO see the horizon ahead of us
and between US, and IT seems only TO be
the snow. At last, when we again fall TO
the ground the beloved and faithful
guide, in response to pleadings that would
Seemingly move the heart of one of the
Aztec Gods, refuses TO wait single
second, and qrdcids a dos, when we feel as
il by our last friend forsaken and alone
with the snow-god. he seems 10 sink into
an abyss, above which only bis hat is visi-
bic, and now we know he is in the crater.
IN TaE CRATER.
One more supreme effort and at 7:30 We
are at his side with sufficient breath to call
TO our companions "0ld Virginia Never
Tires" Three thousand feet have been
climbed since We crossed the snow-lne.
When safely inside we fall to the ground,
and before our trusty friend Bias can put
the blankets about us we are sound asleep.
Fifteen minutes of sweetest slumber
make us new creatures. and We are pre-
pared TO inspect our extraordinary sur
roundings. Within forty-fye minutes the
entire party are over the wall. the yir-
ginisns coming in for first and second
places.
The crater ia three miles in circumfer.
ence, and ia shape the top resembles q
soup-dish turned on its side, with two conc
shaped peaks GROWING its upper ruin.
We entered at its lowest point, and thank
full we were that this was no higher. This
is framed IN walt Of snow, averaging from
four TO I'VE feet III height. For about one
eighth Of its circumference at the lower
side it shelves of gradually to the pit for
some $50 feet. At the bottom of this in.
cline-fhe lowest nniuf over reached by