Mexico weekly ledger., 1902-11-13
UP poPocATEPETL
4 Beautiful Description by Miss
Annie Hinde Formerly Of Mexico.

leo, writes her parents as follows n
garding a trip up the celebrate
Mountain Popocatepetl.
1t was a party Of seven that aSselnbl
ed at san Lazarus Station, Mexic
lCity, on the morning OF Oct. %, bounI
for the crater OF Popocatepetl. Their
were Mr.. and Mrs. Ouderhouto OF Texas
Miss Dennis Of Chicago; Mr.. Burk
head, Of North Carolina; Mr.. Blake, 0
Boston, Mass; Senior Perez the Mex
lean manager Of the PoPo Sulphur CO
and myself. Lunches sombreros
short skirts, boomers sweaters, blouse
and Indian blankets-we were all Il
trim for a three days, journey.
Passing through the beautiful lax
country OF Texcoco, where we say
thousands Of wild duck and othe
game, about 1890 O'Clock we reaches
Amecameca at the foot of the SacreI
mountain and not far from the foot o
Popo. There we had a genuine Mes
lean dinner OF sopa, toritillas, chill
garlic, and ''goatcooked in six diiIeren.
ways" By lis p. N. we had mountet
our steeds and were of for the CAM
at the halfway place-'TlamaSas.
That certainly was a picturesque rid
Of Is miles through the mountain
forests Only one habitation in al
that way, the Paraie camp.
Mr.. Carolina and myself took ad
vantage Of the company Of our Mex
lean friends and spoke Spanish mes
of the way. 'Pues, - "EutOnces'' anC
"Seguramente,m came to be used a!
the bywords throughout the camp
But in our interest in Spanish we goi
separated from the rest Of the party
and as night came on we three lost oul
trail and fioundered around in that
dark, dense forest for some hours II
was dangerous to ride, so we got Of
our horses and tried to walk, but
generally found ourselves sliding down
some craggy eminence OF slipping in
the soft mud. One OF the horses got
away from US. We knew 1t would be
an utter impoSsibility to find him in
that blacgneSs, 50 we let him 90, be.
moaning most the fact that he had
the coffee pot with all the ground
coffee tied TO his saddle. THE guide
afterwards found him. The Mexican
gentleman had completely lost the
trail but be knew the direction Of The
camp, so he went ahead and built
little fires Of the dry grass along the
way for my companion and myself to
follow.
After a very long time-which
seemed days almoSt-we received the
signal shot from the camp in response
to u firing and soon they all came
out to welcome home the p~rodigals.
There was a great big barn room divid-
ed into two sections by a partition,
about half way up TO the roof. In the
larger part were the horses and the
seven peon guides, with a big bonfire
in the center-no way but the door for
the smoke 10 get out. In the other
department were two big beds Of hay
for the accommodation Of the guests
one for three ladies and the other for
the four gentlemen, with a board be-
tween US for a dining table. At one
side was sort OF a chimney corner
built in the wall with a roaring big
log fire cracking like a prairie fire.
Oh, how we did eat. Fried bacon and
tortillas, hot a soups and beans, all
tased like peaches and cream on that
occasion. This mixed with cracks Of
wit and humOr, snatehes OF negro and
camp songs and peals Of laughter,
continued the whole night through.
Scarcely an eye was closed, though we
were piled down on our hay for several
hours. 1t was fearfully cold and in
spite Of the hot rock at our feet, the
loads Of clothing on our bodies, and
numerous blankets, and serapes thrown
over us, it was almost impossible to
keep warm. The gentlemen generous
ly gave up all their bed clothing to
the ladies. After the fire had died
down and the candle had burned out,
l raised up and looked toward the
chimney, and there, sitting way back
in the corner, lowering over the few
remaining Goals, sat n Of our CON-
rades with his big overcoat pulled up
tight about his ears, his SLOUGH hat
down over his eyes, smoking away for
dear life. thought sure that Santa
Claus had come. Presently we heard
a mulled but familiar voice: "Moun-
tain climbing Amt what it's cracked
up to be-"
We remembered this apparation next
night, hung up our stockings around
the fire place, and received sandals,
Popo rocks and various souvenirs Of
the trip. By 2 a. NJ. we we're all up
and out 10 see the comet. We had TO
stumble over the horses and the sleep
ing poems, who had played cards and
gambled until y O'Clock, then rolled
up In their seTapes and with their feet
all toward the fire had clrcled them
selves around and fallen fast asleep.
By , a. m. we had breakfasted on five
teaspOonfuls Of beef tea, apiece. This
vas all they allowed US TO eat, and we
rued the day when we ate that, for.
really ii is much better to climb with
IN empty stomach. Next we had our
feet and limbs bound with sackingand
sandals-no shoes are allowed-and be-
fore 4 O'Clock we were on our horses,
bound for the snow-line.
1t certainly was the grandest ride Of
my life. The moon was perfect, the
stars shining like fires, the woman in
white" uxtachihuatD sleeping far
above Us on the left, and grand old
P0po towering in front with his miles
and miles Of deepest snow. l cannot
imagine anything more sublime than
the change Of this perfect night into
a perfect day. Gradually the stars
dropped out, the moon glimmered
away, the red glow Of the morning
broke into all the soft easy hues Of
and finally the sun came up in
all his glory. / had e RENTS