Хребти божевілля

           Theexposedmetalofthegroundedplanesanddrillingmachinerywasbruisedintoahighpolish,andtwoofthesmalltentswereflatteneddespitetheirsnowbanking. Woodensurfacesleftoutintheblasterwerepittedanddenudedofpaint,andallsignsoftracksinthesnowwerecompletelyobliterated. ItisalsotruethatwefoundnoneoftheArchaeanbiologicalobjectsinaconditiontotakeoutsideasawhole. Wedidgathersomemineralsfromavast,tumbledpile,includingseveralofthegreenishsoapstonefragmentswhoseoddfive-pointedroundingandfaintpatternsofgroupeddotscausedsomanydoubtfulcomparisons;andsomefossilbones,amongwhichwerethemosttypicalofthecuriouslyinjuredspecimens. 

           Noneofthedogssurvived,theirhurriedlybuiltsnowinclosurenearthecampbeingalmostwhollydestroyed. Thewindmayhavedonethat,thoughthegreaterbreakageonthesidenextthecamp,whichwasnotthewindwardone,suggestsanoutwardleaporbreakofthefranticbeaststhemselves. Allthreesledgesweregone,andwehavetriedtoexplainthatthewindmayhaveblownthemoffintotheunknown. Thedrillandice-meltingmachineryattheboringweretoobadlydamagedtowarrantsalvage,soweusedthemtochokeupthatsubtlydisturbinggatewaytothepastwhichLakehadblasted. Welikewiseleftatthecampthetwomostshakenupoftheplanes;sinceoursurvivingpartyhadonlyfourrealpilots—Sherman,Danforth,McTighe,andRopes—inall,withDanforthinapoornervousshapetonavigate. Webroughtbackallthebooks,scientificequipment,andotherincidentalswecouldfind,thoughmuchwasratherunaccountablyblownaway. Sparetentsandfurswereeithermissingorbadlyoutofcondition.