on an appointed
day, he appeared at the rendezvous, with a rope, a piece of sail-cloth,
and an iron bar. Thus provided, the party, which was a large one,
started up the mountain, but one by one they gave out, until only
Corchado and a single Indian arrived at the mouth of the crater. Here,
unfortunately, Corchado fainted from the loss of blood and fatigue; and
the Indian, not knowing what better to do, covered him with the
sail-cloth, and then started down the mountain for assistance. In a
short time he revived under the sail-cloth, and from his dangerous
position he drew himself into the volcano, that he might not perish
from cold outside. He descended as far as the shelf, and, looking over
into the abyss, he found himself so refreshed by the atmosphere of the
volcano that he brought down the bar, sail-cloth, and rope, determining
to pass the approaching night at the bottom of the volcano. When he had
fixed his bar and rope, the relieving party arrived, and all descended,
one by one, upon the rope to a point where they passed the night in
safety.

Corchado, on his return, gathered up some of the scoria and carried it
to Puebla, when it was found to contain so large a percentage of
sulphur as to warrant its 'denouncement' as a sulphur-mine. Capital was
procured at Puebla sufficient to set up the rude apparatus we have
already described, by means of which a very handsome profit on the
adventure was realized. But, owing to a lawsuit, in which the affair
was at that time (1852) involved, no effort had yet been made to pierce
the mountain, or to explore a passage through some vent or fissure. A
good path had been made up the mountain, and in the month of May it was
considered quite a safe undertaking to visit these sulphur-works.

[14] This must have been the great fissure, and not the crater. I
see no objection to this statement; for in this Cortez had no
motive to falsify, and it is the ordinary appearance of an active
volcano.

CHAPTER X.

Texas.--Battle of Madina.--First Introduction of Americans into
Texas.--Usurpation of Bustamente.--Texas owed no Allegiance to the
Usurper.--The good Faith of the United States in the Acquisition of
Louisiana and Texas.--Santa Anna pronounces against Bustamente.--Santa
Anna in Texas.--A Mexican's Denunciation of the Texan War.--His Idea
of our Revolution,--He complains of our grasping Spirit.--The right
of the United States to occupy unsettled Territ