Mountain Journeys 65 



Finally, thanks to a supreme effort, we reached the edge of the 

 crater (5280 meters; temperature — 2° C.) through an opening to which 

 I gave the name of Silicco Breach, in honor of the judicious minister 

 who had sent us. It was half past one in the afternoon, and the part 

 of our ascent which had been made on foot had required no less than 

 four hours and a half. 



Within the crater, as soon as we had passed its edge, there was an 

 inner slope towards the south, composed of sand and rock fragments. 

 We dropped down upon it like inert masses, hardly conscious. My first 

 sensation was that of inexpressible comfort. But this comfort lasted only 

 a short time. The sand which at first I had found warm soon seemed 

 unendurably cold to me. Moreover as the sun was beginning to de- 

 scend, a cold little thin wind rose. I was soon shivering. To cheer 

 myself, I wanted to eat, to drink a few gulps of an excellent sherry 

 wine which our good Indians had brought. But since my throat was 

 tight, I could not swallow the food, and the sight of it was distasteful. 

 Instead of the strengthening effect expected, the wine produced a very 

 different effect; no doubt because of a perversion of taste, I thought 

 I had swallowed a stiff brandy, a regular fiery draught which literally 

 burned my entrails. At the same time, and in spite of my weariness, 

 a strange agitation seized me; it was a feeling of uneasiness, of distress, 

 which would not allow me to rest. And yet, when I wanted to move, 

 my strength betrayed me and almost refused me service. However, I 

 found strength to climb back to the edge of the crater where I eagerly 

 seized some snow to quench a little the burning thirst which tormented 

 me. 



This agitation nevertheless passed away a little and my strength 

 returned for a few hours. But in the evening, and especially during 

 the night which we passed huddled against each other under a shelf of 

 rock, a feverish condition seized me; my head on fire, piercing cold in 

 my limbs, a pulse of 120 to 130, unendurable uneasiness, increased even 

 more by the dull mutterings in the abyss beside us. It was a night I 

 shall never forget. And therefore the dawn was greeted with joy, and 

 after making observations according to our instructions, the signal for 

 return was given; we left the volcano at ten o'clock and three hours 

 afterwards, we were back at the ranch of Tlacamas, which we had left 

 thirty hours before. 



The Scientific Committee GS which accompanied our unfortunate 

 Mexican expedition also made this ascent April 23, 1865; the suffer- 

 ings were quite endurable: 



The line of perpetual snow begins at a height of about 4300 meters 

 above sea level. 



Here everyone dismounts, and climbs over the snow, zigzagging a 

 little. . . . When one has ascended about 100 meters, he begins to feel 

 great difficulty in breathing, his lungs are oppressed, and every step, 

 every movement of his body makes him pant; he has to stop every 

 twenty steps to get his breath, and there are certain constitutions which 

 cannot endure the discomfort, although it is not very serious. 



The reflection of the sun on the snow is blinding; it is wise to pro- 



