The descent may be made in one hour and a half. If the snow be tolerably soft, the tourist can sit on a petate, or piece of matting, with the guide, and slide down the slope. A rope is attached to the front part of the petate, which is held by the señor, and the guide, who is seated behind, steers with his alpenstock. The operation is similar to coasting.
Should the stranger fail to ascend the mountain the first time, he can spend two nights at the ranch of Tlamacas, and make a second attempt on the following day. The
sooner the lungs become accustomed to the atmosphere at this great elevation the easier it will be to climb the peak. It is hardly necessary to add that the ascent of Popocatepetl is well worth the trouble and expense which it involves.
A visit to the Sacromonte, one of the most famous shrines in Mexico, will be found interesting. This mountain lies on the western side of the town of Amecameca, and
