124 



SIX MONTHS IN MEXICO. 



of which we were in search, but learnt to my 

 surprise and regret that we had yet to mount 

 a conical mountain called Tescosingo. We 

 employed our horses as far as they could be 

 used, but the unevenness of the ground at 

 last obliged us to dismount, and having 

 fastened them to a nopal tree, we scrambled 

 with great difficulty through bushes and over 

 loose stones, which were in great quantities on 

 all sides, and at last perceived that we were 

 on the ruins of a very large building — the 

 cemented stones remaining in some places 

 covered with stucco, and forming walks and 

 terraces, but much encumbered with earth 

 fallen from above, and overgrown with a 

 wood of nopal, which made it difficult to 

 ascend. In some places the terraces were 

 carried over chasms by solid pieces of ma- 

 sonry ; in others cut through the living rock : 

 but, as we endeavoured to proceed in a straight 

 line, our labour was very great, being some- 



