LAKE TEZCUCO. 



135 



As we proceeded, one pile of volcanic hills after the 

 other started into isolated prominence on our left, disen- 

 tangling themselves from their neighbours, and from the 

 more distant ranges, with which they had hitherto ap- 

 peared to be connected. Cones, which from the roofs 

 of the city had appeared to rise from one common ridge, 

 we now discovered to be separated by broad strips of 

 level marsh. I believe I forgot to mention among our 

 excursions, one which we had made some time before, 

 from the Hacienda San Antonio to the great group of 

 volcanic hills beyond Mejicalzingo, which consists, as 

 far as I could determine, of three truncated cones, rising 

 progressively in bulk and height, one over the other, from 

 the surface of the plain. On this occasion we had con- 

 trived to scramble up the steep sides of the lowest, con- 

 sisting of abrupt slopes covered with rotten scoria, and 

 gained the brink of the crater, which in its present state 

 forms a smooth, grass-covered bowl, of about a mile in 

 circumference. 



After passing the Penon Viejo, we approached the 

 foot of the volcanic cone of the Ajotla ; but then quitting 

 the great calzada at Santa Martha, followed a track over 

 the half-dried marshes at the southernmost extremity of 

 Lake Tezcuco to the village of Santa Madalenda, on 

 terra firma. 



As we rode in front of the old church and dark group of 

 Italian cypress of the village, and, turning northward, 

 advanced over a hilly tract of country, spotted by herds 

 of cattle and haciendas, towards Chapingo, the views 

 increased in beauty and interest at every step. Popo- 

 catepetl, and its neighbour, now rose to the southward 

 over the summits of the innumerable cones in the middle 

 ground. Both were covered with snow to a far greater 

 extent than on our arrival three weeks before ; and even 

 the Ajusco appeared sprinkled to a considerable extent. 

 The whole breadth of the lake was now interposed be- 

 tween us and the city, and a most singular optical illusion 

 was displayed from the effect of the mirage • the white 

 edifices and coloured domes of the capital appearing 

 afloat, like a fleet of snowy sails, upon the blue surface 



