6o THE ADVENTURES OF 



ing the branches of the pine-tree, just as they crush the stems of 

 the sugar-cane.'' 



" You were wrong, then," I answered. " The Indians, in the 

 forests where they manufacture it, content themselves with 

 cutting down the tree within a foot of the ground ; the resin at 

 once begins to ooze out, and gradually fills the leathern bottles 

 placed to receive it. As soon as the resin ceases to flow, they 

 cut the tree up into faggots for the use of the inhabitants of the 

 towns, or the Indians living on plains, whose poor dwellings often 

 possess no other light than the smoky glimmer from a branch 

 of fir.'' 



I was obliged to cut short my explanations, in order to help 

 Sumichrast and I'Encuerado, who, in spite of the lasso, seemed 

 as if they were trying who could slip fastest. The only way we 

 could get on at all was by describing zig-zags, and thus we were 

 two hours in climbing a quarter of a league. At last we arrived on 

 the verge of the forest. The rocky ground seemed quite pleasant 

 to walk upon ; we could now advance in a straight line, and were 

 able, with very little trouble, to reach another summit. 



From the crest, a marvellous panoramic view was in sight, for 

 we overlooked all the surrounding country. On our left rose the 

 gigantic and majestic peak of Orizava or Citlatepetl, — that is, the 

 "mountain of the star," — which rises to 17,372 feet above the 

 sea level. , Lucien thought that this could not really be the same 

 mountain, the summit of which he was in the habit of seeing 

 every morning. 



" It is quite a different shape," he said. 



" It is not the mountain, but the point from which you look at 

 it, that has changed its appearance," replied Sumichrast. 



" But it looks much higher," said Lucien. 



" That is because we are nearer to it. From here, we can 

 discern the beautiful forest which surrounds its base as you 

 ascend ; the pines growing farther and farther apart, and gradually 

 disappearing altogether. Higher still, may be seen the glaciers 

 glittering in the sun ; and, last of all, the perpetual snow sur- 

 rounding the crater, which was visited, for the first time, in 1847, 

 by M. Doignon, a Frenchman." 



