The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-26
VISITING A VOLCANO.
TRIr TO THE CIR ATER
PIX ,or>r pOPOCATEPETL'

rie" + '' or,ndcur-ABove the
now Line. ,,
rr7n Modern Mexico.
,,,g-e AZ Rancho Tlamacas
'f SUI importaut station on a trip
iae ''', ,f popocatepetl. Here we
's dark suer ride of four or
'I M horseback from Amecameca'
. h.auufh valley at first with
gus tnis on either side, then grain
i'" ,s. -i1. of clear lmpid streams
ls V ,., from the melting SHOWS OF
''7 ..,t mountains which seemed TO
'"' .7..,r and elevation as we APP
,s..,, bases. Leaving Ixtacci-
'+..l,ft. We entered a road which
az .,..ctlr been in use for many years
has sunken from the wear of ages
49,. So deep for several miles that
,...,s.k could not see over the
II r5, almost level country on
te side
.4,.. tr. nine timber we found
.,,d for long distance, which is
.ros-ins to Puebla. However near
n, of the saddle between the two
INNS W. left this road and crossed
,5u stream which in its violent de-
y. rosr.d as if TO scare us from our
guy W. had now only bride paths,
91r,s pl7ces very poorly defined, al
-sry steep and slippery, over fallen
sar and rocks, under low hanging
~ rb,rs We were forced to lie close
tbs nse<s of our horses, and on as
5og steep places hold to their names
~ sim 7ut of the saddles. Then came
lain 10 add TO our difficulties, and for
boirs We were drenched so that we
m, aDrrec.lte the grand scenery
-,n5b when We were passing. There
man, deep sorges, but in no place is
atral SO near that it is very dangerous.
mink there is not another high noun
IN In the world so accessible and at
ndej with so little real danger IN its
SCENT as Popocatepetl. In most places
soil is deep loan formed OF the de-
,mnosed ashes cast out by the volcano,
nj which now produces a gradual slope
the snow line, mostly covered by the
8caton grass and pine timber.
On arrival at Tlamacas we found the
54is where in years past the sulphur
As refined and in these We tried to make
rrselves comfortable until morning. With
large fire in the middle of the floor and
h Use Of some small earthen pots we
-epsred QUO coffee and supper. We
|resd our clothing out to dry and passed
miserable night wrapped in our blan-
cts with our feet to the fire. At o. clock
avoke our guides and stepped out to
enn was light enough to prepare for
be ascent Of the mountain.
Tn the Mountains.
Our guides told us to eat but little, but
take lunch with us. They then wrap
Va our feet in wooden clothes to protect
hem form the cold and snow. Mounting
ur horses we rode through the timber and
ross barranca whose. sides were soft
shes in which our horses sank at every
ep; then above the timber line through
he zacaton grass. which reaches into the
now Finding the snow extending far
her dowl the mountain than usual our
ades advised us to ride as far as possible
order 10 save our strength, but soon our
o-ses We're painting and able to go only a
ag steps at a time. So we dismounted
nd prepared for the journey on foot. We
I'D yet nearly 1000 feet to ascend over a
no0th surface Of snow, so steep that we
ni in zlzag fashion, stopping every few
eps to lie d0Wn-presumably to admire
be scenery. To the left lay the valley of
a1ico, still in the shadow, except in a
g nigh places which the early sun had
aied with gold. Almost directly under
He could see the town of Amecameca
i'd The SacTom0nte and the white con-
tat buildings and beyond the three lakes,
lilco No2hlmicO and Texcoco, glisten.
De sun -t up the spires and towers of
Mexico City and it seemed as if the whole
ora Was under us the valley of Pueb-
was hidden by light, fleecy clouds driv-
from the Gulf coast, and above them To-
ard Arzaba's peak, with it's beautiful
lie dome, and the castenated towers of
glinche.
At the Crater's Rim.
finally at u:3O o'clock, our guide said:
AN esta el cratur," and in a few mo-
mems We We're on the rim, warned by the
Iae not 10 go TOO near it's edges. We
rev ourselves down and at first could
S pant and gasp for breath, the only
so-ud heard being the loud humping of
yi hearts IN chorus, In a short time we
"'Ie doe 20 rouse ourselves, take a swaI-
~" Oh eosnac, eat a sweet lemon and a
amer ana enjoy the awful grandeur of
lie scene
before us was a great black opening of
81 V'aI shape, longest from north to south.
.1' Is "4as Of obsidian to depth of
or Sly hundred feet Owing to over
'''s'As walls we could not see the lowest
IN he farther side was a great
A oil Yellow and from It's crevasses
''oNd OF steam, or, as we We're told
.'" t'os gas, which had melted the
-' ABOVE. The guides informed US that
n '9 Na'fe the sulphur rock was taken
''' one said he had stayed down
o '"i lmry days at time, and the
. -'' made trip each day from the
r mouse TO the crater, taking down
1" "e refined at Tlamacuas.
Wonderful Echoes.
l., 'o'Na % took a great effort to walk G
r- ''is ana more to make a few pie
..l "'| body Was as heavy as leaC
s..,.l Ai. 1ial powers seemed dormant.
g... '1 81 just half awakened from q
NAY alter a time our breath came
man. s ana our heartbcats becam,
e. ''a.' but yet there was the daz
t.,,. he snow was too soft 1,
MI. '. Walking round the Finn, as i
o,,. To slide down with the weigh
or hearing strange echo from
.s..r.- Grew my revolver and fire,
l5.r. ''.5 INTO the crater. which echoeC
,r. o forth with a really wonderful
On g.. '..o"ed in a moment by a crasl
r..l ''lte SIDE as a great mass o