snow take place among the crevices and gorges during
winter. Such of these masses as form on steep slopes
are loosened by occasional thaws, and are precipitated
in the form of avalanches into the valleys below, carrying
trees and stones along with them in their thundering
descent. In the gloomy gorge where Dick's
horse had taken refuge the precipices were so steep that
many avalanches had occurred, as was evident from the
mounds of heaped snow that lay at the foot of most of
them. Neither stones nor trees were carried down here,