212 



PEROTE. 



feet above the gulf, near the eastern limit of the table 

 land. An early march of a few hours the following 

 morning brought us to the crest of the Pass, to the 

 north of the Coffre de Perote, and to the commence- 

 ment of the great descent to the coast. 



Our journey thus far from Perote had been rather 

 barren of interest, but upon gaining the elevated alpine 

 village of Las Vigas, it was far otherwise. The sandy 

 route now gave place to a steep Calzada, over which 

 the unwieldy coach came lumbering down, with many 

 a jog and many a jolt, to the great discomfort of the 

 occupant, and the apparent peril of the train of mules. 

 The upper part of the road crosses the flanks of the 

 Coffre de Perote, a mountain so called, from a square, 

 chest-shaped eminence which crowns its long ridge, 

 and contains the crater of a volcano, which, however 

 long dormant, must once have been the vent of tremen- 

 dous eruptions, judging by the signs scattered over the 

 neighbouring country. Las Vigas lies at the height of 

 7820 feet above the gulf, and consequently within the 

 limit of the ticrras frias. The forests in the vicinity 

 are chiefly pine. At this elevation we were enveloped 

 in cold driving mist, worthy of the Alps ; and though 

 its partial clearance before we descended to Jalapa, 

 three thousand five hundred feet lower, gave us many 

 a glimpse of the magnificent, scenery around, yet it 

 must be conceded, that we lost much by not having a 

 brighter and less clouded view. Some distance below 

 Las Vigas, we entered upon apedrigal covered with 

 scanty vegetation ; and we continued for many miles 

 to descend over slopes covered to a great depth by vol- 

 canic deposits ; here thick beds of black cinders and 

 scoria, coating the rock with a thick stratum, and lying 

 just as they had rained from the heavens ; there floods 

 of black lava, hard as adamant, and yet bearing upon 

 their unequal surface abundant signs of the liquid 

 state in which they had poured down from the moun- 

 tains above. As usual, the surface of the lava was 

 never smooth, even in places where it had met with 

 the least obstruction, but displayed an infinity of sharp 

 wrinkles overlapping each other, or*; rather, I should 



