84 



SIX MONTHS IN MEXICO. 



of them entirely new to me, but among them 

 oaks and pines, whose size and luxuriance 

 eclipsed any to be found either in the Alps or 

 in Norway ! We still continued to rise, and 

 in one elevated open place caught the last 

 view of the mountains that surround the vale 

 of Mexico : on our left lay the volcano of 

 Tolluca, covered with perpetual snow ; and 

 shortly after, reaching a defile in the mountain, 

 began to descend towards the Pacific ocean. 



The scenery was now inexpressibly grand. 

 The ground, broken into abrupt hills, afforded 

 many openings, through which the tops of the 

 immense forests below were seen to the great- 

 est advantage. In many places, for a consider- 

 able distance, our path was shaded by trees 

 of an amazing height, so close as almost to 

 exclude the light, — on emerging suddenly 

 from which, the most enchanting prospects 

 were spread beneath our feet; the summits 

 of gigantic volcanos, receding like steps be- 



