210 SIX MONTHS IN MEXICO. 



was as thick as a man's arm, covered from 

 the ground to the height of four or five feet 

 by what appeared at a little distance to be a 

 gelatinous substance, of a pale pink colour, 

 but on closer inspection was found to consist 

 of thick clusters of fruit, resembling small 

 raspberries, in such quantities as to produce 

 this effect. Much fatigued, we reached our 

 horses, and found an excellent hot dinner and 

 a few bottles of sherry, to which ample jus- 

 tice was done by the whole party. This wel- 

 come task over, most of the company took 

 their siesta, or afternoon's nap, on the bare 

 lava, and it was near sun-set before we com- 

 menced our return. After leading our horses 

 a short distance over the most rugged part, 

 we were enabled to mount, and soon reached 

 Tilotepec, and at the end of a pleasant even- 

 ing's ride came to Xalapa, tired, but de- 

 lighted with the ocean of stone on which we 

 had spent great part of the day; — I shall 



