THE CRATER ELEVATION. 



227 



interior and near the edge of the crater, arose small columns of 

 smoke, the principal of which were three on the east side, and at a 

 considerable depth within the crater. The crater itself has the ap- 

 pearance of a large funnel, whose sides are but little inclined, and 

 the bottom of which is not visible. The sides are furrowed by nu- 

 merous gulleys which descend from around the mouth of the crater, 

 having the appearance of the radii of a circle towards the centre. 

 There are three distinct rings, or excavations, which divide the 

 crater into four zones of different dimensions, the largest being that 

 nearest the mouth, and which is of solid rock, the others appear to 

 be composed of sand. The snow occupies only the exterior part of 

 the summit, and that part of the interior of the crater which faces to 

 the north, where its limits cannot be discovered. The mouth of 

 the volcano is nearly circular, about a mile in diameter, and ap- 

 pears much lower on the eastern than on the western side. The 

 lip of the southern side is very thin, and so broken that it seems 

 impossible to walk on it, while the northern part, on the contrary, 

 is broad and more even. 



On account of a thick stratum of mist by which they were sur- 

 rounded, the intrepid travellers could only see the summit of the 

 peak of Orizaba, and the neighboring snow-capped mountains to 

 the north. 



Having completed the observations, and night approaching, they 

 descended by the same way towards the place where they had left 

 the servant, with the intention of passing the night there and return- 

 ing to the summit next morning; but finding the man in a high 

 fever with a violent pulse and headache, they resolved on descend- 

 ing. To relieve him, he was carried over the most difficult places, 

 and finding it impossible to descend by the same path by which 

 they had ascended in the day, they took at once that bend of the 

 mountain which is called "de los Neveros;" and which, although 

 very steep, is composed of loose sand through which they descended 

 very rapidly. It was after night when they arrived at the limit of 

 vegetation, but having taken a different direction, they did not strike 

 the plaee where they expected to meet the Indians. They made a 

 large fire as a signal, but the Indians did not make their appear- 

 ance; and on the following morning, the 21st of April, separating 

 to the right and left, and after shouting, they soon rallied the In- 

 dians. The reunited party descended to the rancho de la Vaqueria, 

 and from this they passed through the village of Atlauca; at eight 

 in the evening reached Ameco, and on the 23d of April returned 

 to Mexico. 



