QHounfain^op 



place. Advancing was akin to swimming a 

 whirlpool or to wrestling one's way up a slope 

 despite the ceaseless opposition of a vigorous, 

 tireless opponent. 



At last I crawled and climbed up to the buz- 

 zing cups of the meter. So swiftly were they 

 rotating they formed a blurred circle, like a 

 fast-revolving life-preserver. The meter showed 

 that the wind was passing with a speed of from 

 one hundred and sixty-five to one hundred and 

 seventy miles an hour. The meter blew up 

 or, rather, flew to pieces during a swifter 

 spurt. 



The wind so loudly ripped and roared round 

 the top of the peak that I determined to scale 

 the summit and experience its wildest and 

 most eloquent efforts. All my strength and 

 climbing knowledge were required to prevent 

 my being literally blown out of converging 

 rock channels through which the wind gushed; 

 again and again I clung with all my might to 

 avoid being torn from the ledges. Fortunately 

 not a bruise was received, though many times 

 this was narrowly avoided. 



77 



