CHAP. VI. COTOPAXL 123 



ain. At daybreak on the morning following our arrival (Feb. 8), 

 the imposing mass of Cotopaxi became visible. The atmosphere 

 of smoke and haze which is always hanging about it subdued 

 its details without concealing its general contour^ and produced 

 an effect of stupendous size and enormous height. A large 

 quantity of steam issuing from the crater was first of all borne 

 towards us, then, as shewn in the engraving, was drifted to the 

 south-west, and finally was carried northwards. 



The farm of Eosario is nearly due west of Cotopaxi, distant 

 about eighteen and a half miles, and its position is sufficiently 

 elevated (10,356 feet) to enable one to judge the proportions of 

 the mountain. I found that the general angles of the northern 

 and southern slopes of the cone were rather less than 30°, and 

 a week later, when due north of it, I. observed that the eastern 

 and western sides, though somewhat steeper, scarcely exceeded 

 32°.^ These moderate angles confirmed the impression that this 

 ascent could be made with facility, and that such troubles as 

 might arise would be more due to too much wind, or to ivant 

 of wind, and to the labour incident upon carrying a quantity 

 of material to a great elevation, than to the nature of the 

 ground which w^e should traverse. 



Cotopaxi is an ideal volcano. It comports itself, volcanically 

 speaking, in a regular and well-behaved manner. It is not one 

 of the provoking sort — exploding in paroxysms and going to 

 sleep directly afterwards. It is in a state of perpetual activity, 

 and has been so ever since it has had a place in history. 

 There are loftier mountains which have been volcanoes, and 

 there are active volcanoes with larger craters, yielding greater 

 quantities of lava, but the summit of Cotopaxi, so far as is 



and he said he had. Asked as to the size of the largest, he picked up one 

 about three inches in diameter. 



^ They have been stated by others to be 40° and upwards. In the view of 

 Cotopaxi given in Humboldt's Vues dans les Cordilleres, its northern and southern 

 slopes are represented rising at an angle of 50°. This very misleading view has 

 been copied into many other works. 



