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We spent much of our time at Tisapán in collecting plants, and exploring the lava-field, and the cañada, or ravine, that leads up into the mountains that skirt the valley of Mexico.
It had a regidar funnel-shaped crater, like that which Vesuvius had until three or four years ago. The analogy is complete between these little cones and those on the lava-field at the foot of the volcano of Jorullo, the celebrated "hornitos;" the concentric structure of which, as described by Burkart, proves that they were formed in precisely the same manner.
To say nothing of the two great mountains we have just left behind, there is a hill of red volcanic tufa just beyond us; and still further on, though this is anticipating, our road passes over the lava-field at the foot of the little volcano of Santa Barbara.
On our return from the Real, we spent two days at the house of an English friend at Tisapán, at the edge of the great Pedrigal, or lava-field, which lies south of the capital. It was across this lava-field that a part of the American army marched in '47, and defeated a division of the Mexican forces encamped at Contrevas.
PEDRIGAL, a lava-field. PEOS, a debt-slave; see p. 291. PITO, 1, a whistle, pipe; 2, aloe-fibre thread. POTRERO, a water-meadow. PULQUE, a drink made from the juice of the aloe; see p. 38. RANCHERO, a cottager, yeoman. RANCHO, a hut. RAYAR, to pull a horse up short at a line; see p. 163. REATA, a horse-rope; see p. 264. REBOZO, a woman's shawl; see p. 56. RECUA, a train of mules.
On our left are the freshwater-lakes of Xochimilco and Chalco, which had risen several feet, and flooded the valley in their neighbourhood. Between us and the great mountain-chain that forms the rim of the valley, lies a group of extinct volcanos, from one of which descends the great lava-field.
A pleasant road, winding among vineyards, brought us in an hour's time to the neighbourhood of the great lava-field, Torre del Greco. It is a fearful sight to behold these grand mounds of lava towering in the most various forms around us. All traces of vegetation have vanished; far and wide we can descry nothing but hardened masses, which once rushed in molten streams down the mountain.
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