Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-12-17
TWO WOMEN ASCEND POPOCATEPETL

IN tho days when the picture of the mountain with
tho unpronounccabe name stared back at us from
our biographies, we learned that 1t was the high
est volcano of the Americas During the conquest
w.en the Spanard OrdaH turned aside TO scale the
Smoking Mountain which then in eruption, the
terrified natives believed truly that the white men
gods Ordaz brought sulphur from its crater
fol the manufacture Of gunpowdcr Tho feat gained
him principally ana knighthood. Although Indian
runners had brought from its sides for Monte
zumas shcrbe,s they avoided tho burning crater.
for they believed that in its enduring fires. tyrants
and wicked spirits purgod of evil.
This overload dominates his mnions well, and the
Old of the mountain still lives in the hearts OF
the Mexcans. From the penitential stairs of Quad
alupc they point to the dim outlines OF the peak
whore 1t rises yelled in pearl above the gray of the
lakes, On the battlements Of the castle OF cha
puepcc they told US that CiuacmotZin, last Indian
emperor, had the vast Aztec treasure carried up
that mountain side and plunged into the seethins
cauldron when the Spaniards pulled their city down
around their only to find the gold for which
they had wrought the devastation gone Nor could
the fire applied his feet all the torture devised
of tho Adventures, wild with the gold lust. wiring
from the doggcd prince the secret OF It's hiding place.
Mid the roses OF San Angel, were shown Popos
companion peak Itaxaccihutl, the Woman in White,
who lies silent with hair nstream and arms ciasped
upon her bosom. It is tho old story. Originally
these two lovers of whom the gods became
Jealous" Even down in Cucrnavaca. we looked
low houses and the palms where Ajusco. the
Elephant Mountain shadows painted land ana
were told that were 1t not for the tropical haze we
might behold Pope 60 miles away.
FIRST VIEW OF MOUNTAIN.
But 1t was not until (the woman who went
through Labrador alone and y went down to tho
little Aztec village of Ozumbn with the avowcd In
tcntlon of climbing him, that the clouds suddenly
parted and got first real View Of the co-
clad peak Chastc cicc 1t three miles Into
tho air and cut the sky In two We looked into each
others quakins eyes and got cold feet oven before
we started We rallied with the thought, however
that were srlngoes from the north, STOPPING
to a little stream cooled with the mountains SHOWS.
We drank to the ascent In "pulque from the Volcano.
Ozumba has changed since the conqueror pass
ed that way; its plough with bulocks and
crooked stick, and the inhabitants still speak the
Aztec tongue.
We put up Mt the hostelry of Cuban woman
where the pigs did not scruple at disturbing our
last course at dinner (Which consisted OF beans),
by running through the On return from
4 native dance where the swish of bare sandaled
feet mingled irregularly with the bad music wruns
from iddles, retired, the flicker of tnllow
candle is not conducive to bedtime pareys.
Our early start next morning dragged on till 10
o'clock, which resulted in our being caught In tho
afternoon deluge OF the tropics It was tho rainy
season of the year the worst time possible for max
Ing the ascent. Provisioning had to be done Mt the
strange open air market where wrnkled crones pre-
sided over heaps OF deloctabe lines and green pep
pers while others flshed out steaming chicken and
mole from burnt clay jars Then our two Mexican
guides exhibited more ingenuity in thinking of things
we ought to have, than initiative in procuring them.
Were 1t not for twentieth century sweaters and
boots we might have been on pilgrimage to Jcru-
SALEM The two mousse colored burros picked their
way daintiiy along the cobble-stone street, while tho
larger pack animal numbered behind them. The two
Mexican guides We're picturesque in white cotton
trousers and rainbow zarapes. while immense
loaf hats threw their Hebr,ic features into shadow.
READY MADE ROADS" III
four native, who does waste work. ns thrifty
converted the beds OF canyon streams into roads.