Oscar Eckenstein Diary Entry

 Monday, 4 March - Saturday, 9 March 1901

We [Eckenstein and Aleister Crowley] next determined to go on to the volcano, and ascend it if possible; it is some distance south of the Nevado. The approach to it was attended with much difficulty; water was exceedingly scarce, and we had to cut our way through chaparral. In two days we reached the crest of the ridge immediately to the north of, and facing, the volcano, and here we stopped for some 24 hours (height about 11,600 feet).

During this time there were over a dozen eruptions, and the earlier part of one of them I photographed (4 p.m., March 7th, 1901); these photographs are reproduced here. Figure 1 is the volcano in its quiescent state; figure 2 was taken 3 seconds after the eruption began; figures 3 to 7, at intervals of 3 seconds subsequently; and figure 8, 10 seconds after figure 7.

The ascent of the volcano was clearly out of the question; it presented the cheerful alternatives of death by bombardment or by cremation.

On out other expeditions in the country we never had any difficulty in obtaining excellent men and good transport; but on this occasion we had to put up with inferior donkeys, and even more inferior men. As it was impossible to get them to go any further, we decided to send them back to Zapotlan, while we (i.e., Crowley and myself) went round the volcano, and made our way down to the south of the Mazanillo road. So we sent them off, and then started by ourselves. From our camp we should have descended at once straight down to the valley between us and the volcano (the slope was quite feasible immediately below us), but we made the mistake of traversing along the slope in an easterly direction to save height. As a result we became cut off by cliffs, and had to re-ascend and go a long way round till we could reach the edge of the lava field at the foot of the volcano. We then crossed the lava in a south-easterly direction; it was bad ground to go over, and the best description I can give of it is that it was like an icefall constructed out of volcanic debris. Fortunately we did not have much of it, and we soon reached the head of a valley, which appeared to run more or less in the desired direction. So we started down it. At first some chaparral gave us some trouble for a short distance, and then to our joy we struck a rudimentary but distinct track leading down the valley. But before long the track petered out, and so did the valley as a distinct valley, and our real troubles commenced. The ground consisted of a number of very narrow but deep ravines, filled with chaparral, and overgrown with big trees, and plenty of the latter had fallen down and were in every state of decay. In addition everything was covered with fine volcanic dust, and one's progress was attended with the formation of a thick and very irritating dust cloud. It was only with difficulty, and very slowly, that any progress at all could be made. At length, about 4 p.m., we struck a good path, which led down along the edge of a ridge, nearly in a straight direction. Down this we went for 65 minutes at a very great pace (rate of descent varying between 50 and 100 feet per minute). The path then turned sharply to the south-west and traversed along at a gentle falling gradient. We went on as long as the daylight lasted, and just as it was becoming too dark for satisfactory progress we found an open space, where we could stop and light a fire without danger of setting the whole hillside ablaze. So we lit a fire, partly for warmth and partly to keep wild animals off, til the moon rose some two hours later, and gave us sufficient light to go on by. Then we started again and at length, at 11 p.m., we reached water (there had been none the whole day), and we drank, and we drank, and we drank. Here we camped for the rest of the night. Subsequently we discovered that this spot is inhabited part of the year, and is known as the Durasno Ranch. The next morning two hours' easy walk on a good path took us to the San Marcos Hacienda, on the main road between Zapotlan and Mazanillo.

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