106 A I^ATURALIST IN MEXICO. 



made for supper. Just before darkness settled down, I took 

 my gun and searched for birds. But few were found, and 

 those were the robin, bluebird, and several small warblers. 

 The same birds were observed on Orizaba at the same 

 relative height. A narrow platform covered with straw 

 served us for a bed and a saddle for a pillow, and with our 

 feet to the fire we fell asleep, to dream of snow-slides, 

 avalanches, and eruptions. 



We left the rancho at five in the morning, on horse- 

 back, and rode three hours toilsomely over rocks of basalt 

 and black sand. The poor animals suffered painfully, but 

 we could not spare them, for we needed all our strength for 

 the final struggle. At a point called Las Cruces, where a 

 cross tops a ledge of black, jagged volcanic rock, w^e left 

 them and proceeded on foot. The view from this point in 

 the ascent was fine. Across was the form of Ixtaccihuatl, 

 the White Woman, keeping us company in our ascent. 

 The valley of Mexico could be seen in one direction, the 

 valley of Puebla, and even the peak of Orizaba, 150 miles 

 distant, in the other. Against this vast territory, our men 

 and horses on the ledge of volanic rock at Las Cruces 

 seemed like pigmies. We soon felt the effect of the thin- 

 ness of the air, and were obliged to make frequent stops. 

 The cool snow line was soon reached, and here we sat down 

 and ate our lunch. Clouds presently filled up the valley 

 with a symmetrically arranged pavement. 



At the snow-line more difficulties met us. We were 

 always slipping and falling in the snow, and blood-marks 

 were left frequently by our ungloved hands. Every step is 

 now a calculation and an achievement. One calculates 

 that he will allow himself a rest after ten, twenty, thirty or 

 more steps, and how glad he is, when that calcidation has 

 been achieved, and he can rest for a few moments! The 

 snow here is not dangerous; there are no crevasses to fall 



