222 Ascent to the Summit of the Popocatepetl. 
This year we have met with nothing of the kind; we have had a 
run of the most favorable circumstances. We profited by the expe- 
rience of last year, and the 30th April at thirty-seven minutes after 
two in the afternoon, I planted on the highest peak of the Mexican 
Andes a flag, which had never floated on so high a spot before. 
We had finished all our preparations in the beginning of April; 
we had barometers, a miner’s compass, for want of a theodolite, 
which is too heavy to be carried up to such a height, some ther- 
mometers, one of those little eolipiles by Breuzin for heating water, 
a good telescope and a hygroscope. All these instruments had been 
compared with those here, belonging to General D. Juan de Orle- 
gozo, and to Professor D. Joaquim Velasquez de Leon, in order to 
enable us on our return to compare the results of the experiments 
made at the same hours by those gentlemen at Mexico, and by us 
whilst.on our journey. I had a tent made for shelter ; and we were 
supplied with hatchets, saws, ropes and iron-shod bamboos: these 
latter are indispensable in expeditions of this nature; mine was fif- 
teen feet long, and I intended to leave it behind us on the top of 
the voleano. I took good care not to communicate this project to 
my companions: it was possible we might fail in our expedition, and 
I did not wish to sell the lion’s skin before I had killed the lion. 
On the morning of the 15th we started; we had with us three 
Mexican servants and three dragoons—we each had a second horse 
and a mule of burthen. In two days we reached Zacualpam-Amil- 
pas, where Mr. Egerton, an English painter, who was to be of the 
party, soon joined us. We had planned to remain at this place 
until the time should seem most opportune for making the attempt. 
Whilst waiting for the so much wished-for opportunity, I spent 
my time in carefully examining with the aid of a telescope, the sum- 
mit of the volcano, and I made drawings, as accurately as possible, 
of the rocks, the ravines, and the courses of the lava which are on 
this side. We then searched on the paper for the direction which 
promished the most success, for we well knew the guides would leave 
us the instant we reached the perpetual snow. 
At length, on the 27th, we commenced our march, and reached 
Ozumba at three in the afternoon. We sent for the same guides we 
had made use of last year. They are Indians of the village of At- 
lautia, which is at the very foot of the Popocatepetl: we took three. 
We laid in provisions for four days, and the next morning by seven 
o'clock we had begun, with our mules and horses, to ascend the 
