might have seen the marshaled hosts
of Liliput marching to the beat of drum, in the proud array of war.

"If you wish to see all the sights, you must walk around the mountain,
and look down its steepest side, where there is no table-land, into the
'hot country.' The distance is so vast, the descent so steep, that an
inexperienced climber suffers from dizziness. If you climb to the very
summit, 250 feet above the mouth of the crater, you will find more
surface about you. But it is a point where few can desire to remain
long, or to visit it a second time."

THE SULPHUR MINE.

In Cortez's letters to the Emperor we read as follows: "As for sulphur,
I have already made mention to your Majesty of a mountain in this
province from which, smoke issues; out of it sulphur has been taken by
a Spaniard, who descended seventy or eighty fathoms by means of a rope
attached to his body below his arms; from which source we have been
enabled to obtain sufficient supplies, although it is attended with
danger. It is hoped that it will not be necessary for us to resort
[again] to this means of procuring it." ... "As the Indians told us
that it was dangerous to ascend, and fatal to those who made the
attempt, I caused several Spaniards to undertake it, and examine the
character of the summit. At the time they went up, so much smoke
proceeded from it, accompanied by noises, that they were either unable
or afraid to reach its mouth. Afterward I sent up some other Spaniards,
who made two attempts, and finally reached the aperture of the mountain
whence the smoke issued, which was two bow-shots wide, and about three
fourths of a league in circumference, where they discovered some
sulphur which the smoke deposited."[14] (Bernal Diaz says that the
crater was perfectly round, a mile in diameter.--Vol. i. p. 186.)
During one of their visits they heard a tremendous noise, followed by
smoke, when they made haste to descend; but before they reached the
middle of the mountain there fell around them a heavy shower of stones,
from which they were in no little danger.

In or about the year 1850, Corchado, an active and enterprising white
man, had become a favorite with the Indians at the foot of the
mountain, who proposed to him that he should accompany them when they
again undertook one of their expeditions into the volcano, which of
late had been very frequent. This was a proposition that exactly
accorded with his adventurous character. Accordingly,