224 



ASCENT OF THE MOUNTAIN. 



the adventure. The Alcalde Don F. Olivares, who, 'though the 

 owner of Popocatepetl, had never reached the summit, gave them 

 all the information he possessed, offered to accompany them, and 

 procured guides and carriers for their instruments. They appointed 

 the next day to go to his Hacienda de St. Catalina, which is at the 

 very foot of the principal mountain and belongs to that estate. 



On the 19th they proceeded to the hacienda, where they were 

 soon joined by Senor Olivares, who was prevented by some busi- 

 ness from accompanying them any farther. He furnished them a 

 guide who conducted them through a thick forest, to the highest 

 limit of the pines, which they found to be 12,544 feet above the 

 ocean. Here they passed the night. At midnight it rained, which 

 was soon afterwards followed by a severe hoar frost. 



On the 20th of April, contemplating to reach the summit this 

 day, they distributed the instruments among the carriers, and 

 mounted on the mules, began the ascent at half after three in 

 the morning by the light of the moon. After travelling a short dis- 

 tance they left all vegetation, and entered a district of loose stones 

 and sand, which although hardened considerably by the rain, greatly 

 fatigued the mules. In this manner they ascended on the south- 

 west side of the mountain, until half past six when they could pro- 

 ceed no further with the mules, as much because they were too 

 fatigued, as on account of the steepness of the volcano's side. 

 They therefore dismounted, and abandoning the mules, gave the 

 barometer in charge to Quintana. They resumed their ascent through 

 a soil composed of loose sand and stones, with many fragments 

 of pumice stone, being desirous of reaching some rocks which ap- 

 peared to be connected with the summit. Here, however, the 

 difficulties commenced; the acclivity was very steep, the footing so 

 loose that every step they made forward they slipped back nearly the 

 same distance; and the thinness of the air fatigued them so much 

 that they could not advance more than fifteen or twenty steps without 

 resting. In this manner they proceeded about half a mile, until they 

 reached the rocks, where they waited for the Indians who followed 

 more slowly. During this time the thermometer stood at 28° of 

 Fahrenheit. The sky was perfectly clear, but a dense stratum of 

 vapor rested on the horizon, which prevented them from perceiving 

 any object, and made it appear as if they were in the midst of an 

 ocean. At 8 o'clock A. M. they first saw the sun. As soon as 

 the Indians arrived, they took a light breakfast, and continued 

 ascending among large loose stones, which have rolled from the 

 summit, anl, arrested by each other in their course, have formed a 



\ 



