Then gathering momentum, they sprang into the air with leaps such as those of shells ricocheting upon water, till in the end, singing and hurtling, many of them rushed past and even over us to vanish far beyond.

Some indeed struck our little mountain with the force of shot fired from the great guns of a battle-ship, and shattered there, or if they fell upon its side, tore away tons of rock and passed with them into the chasm like a meteor surrounded by its satellites.
Indeed, no bombardment devised and directed by man could have been half so terrible or, had there been anything to destroy, half so destructive.
The scene was appalling in its unchained and resistless might evolved suddenly from the completest calm.

There in the lap of the quiet mountains, looked down upon by the peaceful, tender sky, the powers hidden in the breast of Nature were suddenly set free, and, companioned by whirlwinds and all the terrifying majesty of sound, loosed upon the heads of us two human atoms.
At the first rush of snow we had leapt back behind our protecting peak and, lying at full length upon the ground, gripped it and clung there, fearing lest the wind should whirl us to the abyss.

Long ago our tent had gone like a dead leaf in an autumn gale, and at times it seemed as if we must follow.
The boulders hurtled over and past us; one of them, fell full upon the little peak, shattering its crest and bursting into fragments, which fled away, each singing its own wild song.

We were not touched, but when we looked behind us it was to see the yak, which had risen in its terror, lying dead and headless.