SIX MONTHS IN MEXICO. 



205 



the event had taken place but yesterday, ex- 

 cept that in some places a few stunted and 

 scanty specimens of vegetation appeared in 

 some of the fissures of the iron-like lava. We 

 rode on for about a mile and a half with tole- 

 rable ease, when the route gradually became 

 worse : it began to assume a wave-like ap- 

 pearance, and the cracks or fissures were so 

 large that our horses were in momentary 

 danger of falling into them, so that it was 

 impossible to take them farther ; we there- 

 fore left them with the Indians who had the 

 charge of our dinner, and despatched three of 

 our guides to the cavern, to prepare the way 

 to the entrance, now about a mile distant, 

 and to which, they informed us, it was neces- 

 sary to clear the road with axes from the 

 vegetation which had choked it up. We 

 accordingly rested about half an hour, which 

 gave me time to examine the place where we 

 had halted ; and it certainly exhibited one of 



