Page:Our Sister Republic - Mexico.djvu/280

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268
ENTERTAINMENT GIVEN BY U. S. MINISTER NELSON.

when a storm or a borrasca is coming on: then the air becomes completely darkened and the snow is drifting down in profusion, (only to melt as soon as it settles,) the respiraderos are roaring continually, the heat increases to such an extent, as to become insupportable, the centers of the sulfataras, from time to time, spout out flames and burning matters, whilst the wind is howling around the immense rocks at the summit, hanging over the edges, and threatening to uproot them and precipitate them into the abyss.

"Experiments, made in the crater of the Popocatépetl, have confirmed the belief, that by comarcas movibles, condensing the hot fume by refrigeration, pure and crystallized sulphur may be very easily obtained at little cost: on separating the oxygenated part from the hot vapor, sulphuric acid would be the result.

"The extensive and scientific descriptions, which have been at different times published by the engineer, Mr. Gasper Sanchez Ochoa, have since sufficiently posted the geological societies, both of Europe and the United States, as to this point, as formerly, but very scarce and inexact descriptions of those regions could be obtained."

The official and most noticeable demonstrations in honor of Mr. Seward in Mexico, were inaugurated by a dinner at the San Carlos Hotel, given by United States Minister Nelson to the distinguished American, the members of his party, and a few invited guests, including the members of the Cabinet of President Juarez, and Baron Schlozer, the Minister of the North German Confederation. This took place on the 18th of November. The speeches and sentiments were all eminently American, but as the demonstration was not one of national importance, and their insertion would necessarily crowd out other matter of more general and lasting interest, I am compelled to omit them.

On the 21st of November, Señor Don Matias Ro-