There is a hill eyght leagues from _Chololla_, called _Popocatepec_, whiche is to say, a hill of smoke, for manye tymes it casteth oute smoke and fier. _Cortez_ sente thither tenne _Spanyardes_, with manye _Indians_, to carrie their victuall, and to guide them in the way. The ascending vp was very troublesome, and full of craggie rockes. They approched so nigh the toppe, that they heard such a terrible noyse which procéeded frö thence, that they durst not goe vnto it, for the ground dyd tremble and shake, and great quantitie of Ashes whyche disturbed the way: but yet two of them who séemed to be most hardie, and desirous to sée straunge things, went vp to the toppe, because they would not returne with a sleuelesse aunswere, and that they myghte not be accompted cowardes, leauing their fellowes behinde them, procéeded forwards. The _Indians_ sayd, what meane these men: for as yet neuer mortall man tooke suche a iourney in hande. These two valiät fellowes passed through y^e desert of Ashes, and at length came vnder a greate smoke verye thicke, and standing there a while, the darkenesse vanished partly away, and then appeared the vulcan and concauetie, which was about halfe a league in compasse, out of the whiche the ayre came rebounding, with a greate noyse, very shrill, and whistling, in sort that the whole hil did tremble. It was to be compared vnto an ouen where glasse is made. The smoke and heate was so greate, that they coulde not abide it, and of force were constreyned to returne by the way that they had ascended: but they wer not gone farre, whë the vulcan began to lash out flames of fier, ashes, and imbers, yea and at the last stones of burning fire: and if they had not chanced to finde a rocke, where vnder they shadowed themselues, vndoubtedlye they had there bin burned. When with good tokens they were returned where they left their fellowes, the other _Indians_ kissed their garments as an honor due vnto Gods. They presented vnto them such things as they had, and wondred much at their facte. [Sidenote: Purgatory.] Those simple _Indians_ thoughte, that that place was an infernall place, where all suche as gouerned not well, or vsed tyrannie in their offices, were punished when they dyed, and also beléeued, that after their purgation, they passed into glory. This vulcan is like vnto the vulcan of _Cicilia_, it is high and round, and neuer wanteth Snowe about it, and is séene a farre off in the nighte, it lasheth out flames of fire. There is néere aboute this hyl many Cities, and _Huexozinco_ is one of the nighest. In tenne yeares space this straunge hill of workyng did expell no vapoure or smoke: but in the yeare .1540. it beganne agayne to burne, and with the horrible noyse thereof, the neyghbours that dwelte foure leagues from thence were terrifyed, for the especiall straunge smokes that then were séene, the like to their predecessors hadde not bin séene.