Four Mexican Volcanoes. 109 



Whether the climb is over snow or over rocks and gravel, 

 depends on the time of year. 



Orizaba, being a real volcano, is of course provided 

 with a crater at the top, which, instead of being round, 

 is shaped like a fat and much curved comma. It is much 

 smaller than the crater of Popocatepetl, and, in order 

 to see the bottom one needs to be let down by a rope, be- 

 cause the sides are sloping at first and then dipped to the 

 perpendicular. 



When the weather is good the view in all directions is 

 the finest to be had in Mexico. To the southeast lie 

 mountain ranges, high in reality, though low by compari- 

 son, as far as the eye can reach. Far away on the east, 

 lies the gulf, sparkling in the sunlight. To the north 

 are pine-covered mountains and on the west and south- 

 west is the level valley of Puebla, about 7500 feet above 

 the sea. In the middle of the valley rises a sharp peak 

 called Malinzin, and on the far side are Ixtaccihuatl and 

 Popocatepetl, beautiful and wonderful from whatever side 

 you see them, because of the snow-covered whiteness of 

 the one, and the height and symmetry of the other. 



