Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1911-12-23
TOYS OF A STORM
An Experience on a Mountain Top
4 Alive With Electricity.
MEN GLoWED WITH SPARKS

and Turned Il Into q Sort Of Human
Pyrotechnio Display.
We had spent week in painless
and dense woods. working toward n
high mountain In northwestern Mon.
tana. At last we left the pack horses
In care Of the guide. and three Of US
set out on foot for the peak. We
carried a plate camera. provisions.
gun, ice pick, aneroid barometer for de-
termining elevation and other neces-
sary articles. For several hours we
climbed over ridges and up ravines.
The final ascent was slope OF rot
ten shale. For four and half hours
we climbed the loose rock. with not
solid bit Of footing. Halfway up the
slope we observed that a storm cloud
had gathered southwest Of us. not far
above a ridge which we had crossed
early in the morning. Suddenly bolt
OF lightning flashed from the cloud to
the earth. A little later a wreath Of
smoke assembled from the ridge. and
we knew q fire had started from the
lightning.
| About half past we reached the
summit. q narrow top but few feet
In width. on which was a pile OF rocks
shoulder high. government triangu-
lation monument. Before was preci-
pice, at the foot OF which was an I'M
named and UNEMPLOYED glacier. Be
hind was the rotten shale up which
we had scrambled. TO the right a
narrow ridge. with powders as large
as a small house. connected our sum-
init with the one beyond.
Against the eastern face Of this sum-
init great masses OF snow and ice
formed the head OF the glacier. To
the left was steep, open ridge.
h The glacier was furrowed by hun
dreds Of chasms. The yellow rocks Of
the neighboring SUBMITS were fianked
by great masses OF ice on the one side
and by tremendous precipices on the
other. Far away the mountains blend
ed with the blue sky. On the crags
were few mountain goats.
What is that noisef' shouted one
Of the boys suddenly.
What noise? do not hear It,"
replied.
"Over ut the monument"
III Will go and see."
The monument was not dozen
steps away. As | approached it
smelled the pungent odor of ozone.
and instantly I knew. We had for.
gotten the storm cloud gathering near
us to the south. The summit on which
we stood presented to the electric
cloud above a sharper point in COM
parison with the earth than can be
made on any electric machine. The
exchange OF electricity between the
charged cloud and the earth began at
the rock monument, which was lit
tie higher than the place where we
stood I may have heard the noise:
do not remember. smelled the ozone
and turned toward my companions
with the cry: I'VE are in an electric
storm! We must run for our lives!"
In a few seconds the electric dis
charge had increased with wonderful
rapidity. My rifle was shooting sparks
from the end of the barrel. which
were visible in broad daylight. did
not drop the gun; ] threw 1t. My
scalp felt as II each hair was a bristle
on end pushing against my hat.
could feel the discharge from fingers.
cheeks. nose and chin. and | was
wearing heavy rubber soled shoes.
which should have assisted in making
me a nonconductor.
One of my companions threw away
his Ice pick. as had thrown my gun.
The other. seeing my white face-as
he afterward told NEWS completely
unnerved and knew not what he was
doing or what to do. Before was the
cliff. Behind was the rock shale. with
no protection. To the right was the
impossible ridge, connecting the sum
mits and blocked with masses Of rock.
There was only one way--to the left.
"Shall we go this way" said one.
extending his hand In that direction.
The extended hand and fingers were
aglow with sparks shooting outward
from the body. and instantly the arm
was jerked back TO the body with n
startled exclamation. Stronger and
stronger grew the charge II seemed
to all our bodies and cracked from
every projecting rock.
Half dazed. hooked my arm In the
carrying case Of my camera and with
lit dashed down the ridge. followed
closely by my two companions. We
crawled under big rock and with
our feet against the ice and our backs
against the solid mountain. felt safe.
Thus we remained for perhaps an
hour. Then we began to feel hungry
and in this trying position ate our
luncheon.
We returned to the summit. Fortu.
nately the cloud had passed TO the
south Of us. and we had experienced
only the edge Of the manifestation Of
laIarfrfcffv Had tho eloid hQQn dirQct.