378 SHORT STALKS 



small account, compared with those already overcome, and 

 the sense of overlooking both sides is only comparable to 

 the exaltation of the skater when he first succeeds in 

 balancing himself on the outside edge. In this case, we 

 had quite enough excitement to keep our powers on the 

 stretch, for now a fresli trouble met us. 



A heavy thunderstorm had for some time been cracking 

 and growling below us. We stood as it were, on an island 

 with a curdling sea of thunder-cloud at our feet, not inky 

 as such a one appears from below, but brilliantly illumin- 

 ated from above. This lio-ht w\as so stronsf that it subdued 

 the flashes of lightning, and we could only see those that 

 were near us and on the edge of the cloud. They appeared 

 from our position to take a horizontal course. Some of 

 them were instantly succeeded by rending explosions 

 which seemed to send a vibration throuoh the mountain 

 itself, as the shock of a broadside wave shudders throuoh 

 an ocean liner. It was still more trying to the nerves 

 when our axe-heads began to hum audibly with the stream 

 of electricity passing through them into space, and the 

 loose hair under our caps became distinctly sensitive to 

 the same mysterious influence. Such an experience has 

 occurred to most Alpine climbers, and to myself on more than 

 one occasion, but never under such startling circumstances. 



Quite suddenly, the storm rose and enveloped us, and 

 the air Ijecame thick with a tourmente of snow, driven 

 before such a wind as is only felt on the loftier ridges. It 

 seemed like some live and anury Ix'ast, which strove to 

 cond) us ofl' the crest. Lest I should seem to exaixo-erate 

 in this, I may remind the reader tliat we were within a 

 mile of tlie Px^ssc du I^romadaire. wliere some vears after- 



