File:The true story book (1893) (14749550491).jpg

Identifier: truestorybook00lang3 (find matches)
Title: The true story book
Year: 1893 (1890s)
Authors: Lang, Andrew, 1844-1912
Subjects: History Adventure and adventurers
Publisher: London New York : Longmans, Green

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tured, and a cavalier named Francio Montano undertook the periloustask of obtaining sulphur for the purpose from the terrible volcano ofPopocatepetl. He set out with four comrades, and after some daysjourneying, they reached the dense forest which covered the baseof the mountain, and forcing their way upward, came by degrees toa more open region. As they neared the top the track ended, andthey had to climb as best they could over the black glazed surfaceof the lava, which, having issued from the crater in a boiling flood,had risen into a thousand odd forms wherever it met with anyobstacle, and continually impeded their progress. After this they THE CONQUEST OF MONTEZUMAS EMPIRE 311 arrived at the region of perpetual snow, which increased theirdifficulties, the treacherous ice giving way at every step, so that
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many times they narrowly escaped falling into the frozen chasmsthat yawned all round them. At last, however, they reached the ,312 THE CONQUEST OF MONTEZUMAS EMPIRE mouth of the crater, and, crawling cautiously to the very edge,peered down into its gloomy depths. At the bottom of the abyss,which seemed to them to go down into the very heart of the earth,a lurid flame burned sullenly, sending up a sulphureous steam,which cooling as it rose, fell again in showers upon the sides of thecavity. Into this one of the brave explorers had to descend, andwhen they had cast lots the choice fell upon Montano himself. Hispreparations were soon made, and his companions lowered him ina basket into the horrible chasm to a depth of four hundred feet,and there as he hung, he scraped the sulphur from the sides of thecrater, descending again and again until he had procured enoughfor the wants of the army, with which they retimied triumphantlyto Tlascala. Meanwhile the construction of the ships went forwa

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