230 Ascent to the Summit of the Popocatepetl. 
as the accelerated motion had caused them to rebound in rolling to 
the place where they were, their further progress was marked by 
deep holes made at each rebound. At six o’clock we were under 
the tent, but too tired and too much agitated to be able to sleep. 
When awake I spoke of the crater ; and if I contrived to get to sleep, 
the oppression came on again, and I suddenly awoke. 
The next morning, 30th April, at seven o’clock, the camp was 
broken up; at nine, we were at the Rancho, and at twelve, at 
Ozumba. 
We collected a large quantity of plants and flowers in the forest: 
amongst others, a shrub, which I think has not yet been described, 
nearly similar to our red Jaurel, but the flowers of which are like our 
lily of the valley, white clusters with a reddish hue. 
{In the court-yard of the house we lodged at, at Ozumba, I put 
up a telescope, looking on the summit of the volcano; and for two 
days this court-yard was filled with persons who came to take a view 
of our flag floating in the wind. By this means I gave an undenia- 
ble proof of what we had done,—a thing indispensable in a country 
where the people are not disposed, and for very good reason, always 
to believe what is told them. 
On the 2nd of May we were in Mexico, recovered from our fa- 
tigues, and very well pleased with our excursion. We shall repeat 
it in the beginning of November. 
In short, the Popocatepetl is a voleano, whose fires are not dead, 
though its eruptions must have ceased many centuries before the con- 
quest. * * 
[Here follows an abstract of the foregoing observations. We shall 
extract only what is new.] 
Over-head the sky was of a blue nearly black ; the horizon was at 
a prodigious height, almost confounding itself with the sky. We 
could distinctly see Orizaba to the east, and the volcano of Toluca 
to the west ; Mexico and its lakes appeared at our feet ; the Izlaciu- 
hatl we saw without its presenting any appearance of a crater: final- 
ly, I do not think that I exaggerate when I say we could see for 60 
leagues around us; but all was confused, and as if in a transparent 
fog. 
We were excessively fatigued. I had a violent head-ache and a 
very strong pressure on the temples; my pulse was at 145 per min- 
ute,—only 108 after taking a little rest; but I was very little more 
oppressed than when at the Pico del Fraile. We all four were 
