Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-21

| rived at dark after a ride of four or five
| hours on horseback from Ameoamcca.
| through a beautiful valley at first with
| Indian huts on either side. then grain fields
| by the side Of clear limpid streams rushing
| down from the melting SHOWS Of the two
! great mountains which seemed to gain IN
| grandeur and elevation as We approached
l their bases. Leaving INtaccihuatl 10 the
| left. We entered a road which has evidently
been in use for many years as it has sunken
from the wear of ages until it is 81 deep
for several miles that We, on horseback,
| could not see over the banks OF the almost
| level country on either side.
Roads and Bride Paths.
Entering the pine timber We found a good
| road for long distance. which is used in
| crossing to Puebla. However. near the top
of the saddle between the two mountains.
| we left this road. and crossed small
| stream which in its violent descent roar,I
as II to scare from our purpose We
| had now only bride paths. in some places
| very poorly defined, always very steep and
| slippery, over fallen timber and rocks uu-
| der low-hanging limbs whore We We're
| forced TO lie close to the necks OF our
! horses, and on ascending steep places hold
! to their names not to slip out OF the sad
| dies. Then came the rain 10 add 10 our
! difficulties and for two hours We were
| drenched SO that did not appreciate the
! grand scenery through which We were pass
| ing. There are many deep gOrg.s. but m
| no place is The trail near that q Is very
| dangerous. l think there is not another
! high mountain in the world accessible
| and attended with so little real danger IN
! its ascent As Popucatepetl In most places
| the soil is deep loan, formed Of the de-
| composed ashes cast out hy the volcano.
! and which now produces a gradual slope 10
| the snow line, mostly covered 10y the zaca-
| ton grass ana pine timber.
! ON arrival at Tlamacas we found the
J ~ slFts sFflr tlI n
! refined. and in these We tried to make oar
! se.Nes comfortable until morning. With a
| large fire in the middle of the floor and
! the use of some small cartncn pots We
/ prepared our coffee and supper. We spread
| our clothing out TO dry. and passed mis-
| cradle night wrapped in our blankets. WIKI
| out feet 10 the fire. Al o clock W. aNpkc
| our guides and stepped out to see If In WAS
! light enough to prepare for the ascent Of
/ the mountain.
| Up the Mountain.
Our guides tod MS 10 eat but little. but
to take a lunch with us They then wrap
! ped our feet in wooden clothes TO protect
| them from the cold and snow. Mounting
our horses We rode through the timber ana
| across a barranCa whose sides were soft
ashes in which our horses sank AT every
! step; then above the timber line. through
| the vacation grass. which reaches into the
| snow. Finding the snow extending farther
down the mountain than usual our guides
der to save our strength. but soon our
| horses were painting and able "a 20 only a
| lew steps at a time. So We diSmount-i
and prepared for the journey on foot. Ne
| had yet nearly 3.ota feet 10 ascend over a
smooth surface of snow. so steep that We
| went in zgzag fashion. stopping every
| few steps to lie dOwn-Prs sumab,y TO adj
| mlre the scenery. To the left lay TIN VAL
| ley of Mexico, stil in the shadow except
/ IN few high places, which the early sun
had tinted with gold. Almost directly uu-
Wp ha f,1A-r of
mecca with the Sacromonte and th,. white
convent buildings, and beyond the three
lakes, Chalco, Nochimilco and Texcoco.
shsten. The sun lit up the spires and
| towers of Mexico City. and il seemed as If
| the whole world was under us. The val
| ley OF Puebia was hidden by light. fioecy
| above them toward Arizaba's peak with
| It's beautiful white dome, and the castel-
| lated towers of Malinche.
At the Crater's Rim.
Finally, at 11:30 O'Clock our guide said:
Ali esta el crater and in a few mo-
menis We were on the rim, warned by the
guide not to go too near its edges We
threw ourselves down and at first could
only pant and gasp for breath, the only
sound heard being the loud humping Of our
hearts IN chorus. In short time We were
able 10 rouse ourselves. take a swallow of
cognac, eat a sweet lemon and "A cracker
ana ENJOY the awful grandeur OF the scene
Before Us was d great black opening of
an oval shape, longest from north to south
with ITS walls of Obsidian To a depth of i've
or SIX hundred feet. owing to overhaugtns
walls We could not see the lowest point ON
the farther side was great patch Of vel
low ana from its creNasses rose a cloud Of
steam, or. as We We're told sulphuruus Pas
winch had melted the SHOWS above Thu.
guides Informed US that this Is where The
sulphur rock was taken out and one said
ne mad stayed down there for thirty davs an
a 'llne, and the other had MADE trip each
day from the sulphur house Ia the crater
macas.
Wonderful Echoes
L found it took a great effort 10 walk a
few steps and more to make a few, rictur.s
MY body was as heavy as lead andnv mem
tai powers seemed dormant 1 seemed as
II just half awakened from a sleep After a
tlme our breath came more eds. IN ana our
heartbeats became more natural but Vet
there was the dazed feeling. The snow was
100 SOFT 10 permit our walking round The
rim, as II was liable to slide down with line
weight Of person. Hearing strange. echo
from our voices, / drew my revolver and
nred several shots into the crater which
echoed back and forth with a really Won
derfui effect. followed in a moment bv a
crash on the opposite side as a great mass
OF rock and snow, loosened perhaps bv rho
waves Of sound set in motion or Dossibl,. Ia.
a giancing ball fell into the abyss, IL was
IKE great peal and roll of thunder amid
the awful stiffness which soon settled o,-ar
everything before
We seemed TO look over the top Of Ixtac-
clhuati, and as the clouds by this time had
covered the valley of Puebla almost ~
urely, II looked like great white SEA win
Dillows rising and falling. The valley Of
Mexico was as flock of white sheen On
a hillside. so far below and so small did
the clouds appear. Ajusco was a great
black islands, as the misty haze was around
the Cuernavaca valley, and the little noun
tains or foothills looked like ant hills We
seemed as If suspended in air for so white
ara dazzling was the snow on the mountain
below US that We could hardly see without
the use of colored glasses. and scarcely
noticed that We had anything under our
feet. Time seemed ages, ana after only
twenty minutes guides suggested the
return. l focused my camera on my guide.
seated on the petate, rush mat rea IN
10 start down on, perhaps. the most won
derful coasting in the world. and then took
my seat behind him and had my COM
panon press the automatic shutter
The Descent
In fifteen minutes we were at the snow
line once more, whence we had been six
hours ascending. Our guides said they had