Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1830-06-10

length Munro and | arrived nc nearly the
place where the imperial bird aseesdcd Ross.
not daring to follow as 90 far, and Mae Ivor
having raised another eagle considerably TO
our right, went alone in search of lis nest, as
his ow" prize. conjured Munro 10 remain
where ma was, on a projected piece Of rock
TO my lett, to keep up communication with
the others, II we should require their assist
ance. while should proceed in quest Of the
eagles lofty dome; for
sour aerie buddeih on the cedAr's ron,
Seosns the rude wind X dalhes Sih the sun. Z"
Although young higblanders. we were ac
eustomed TO climb the s;eepest mountains
with the agility OF the chamoiss, or scud along
the plain with the tleetness Of the deer, il
would in the present case, be terrible to have
behold US seramblng along The edges OF the
rocks. regardi' SIS OF the dresdal chasm below
Leaving Munro on the rocky projection.
scrambled down the decliYltyof smother huge
rock. At length cot hold d a small branch.
whose roots We're Indicated ia The clelty rocks
before me. Grasping this lonele trig with
NY left hand, aad holding with my right
hand on q piece of rock--i beheld with no
little eyultation, the summit of nay most ar
dent hopes The fruit OF my perllous enter
prses--the eaglestone: and, just as | was
making a sudden spring TO place myself ep.
poslte the nest, the fragile t'Yig gave way, at
the same Time that The piece OF rock on which
placed my foot as a rest,ng place tumble
down iuto the Tremendous OCEAN below,
echoing hollow, mnrmgring sounds. | still
held on. The rock with NV right hand, but this
pendant position was most terrible to behold,
the very remembrance of which n0w chis
my soul with horror, but could hardly then
''iIeege my young blood" | cried TO Munro,
whose distant response, sweeping across the
hollow rocks, murmufcd mouuiully on my
ear. Ga looking up, / bahed the lowering
cliff, with its tremendous brow. ready to fall
every moment on my devoted head, end
crush me into thousand atoms To look
down was still more dreadful.
"iiow fearful
And DIZZY lis o cast ones eyes 40 low!
the miI nu{ing surge.
That on uununbered die pe , lies ohsfes,
Csnnoi be acsrd so high. I'll look no more
Lest my hrsin turn.
was afraid at length to breathe, lest tho
echs of my own voice might bring the i'm
pending crsgs on my head. Nay, 81 this
distance of time, my Imagination recsils from
the frightful picture. Good Cod beneath,
tremendous Sulph, where the da:hing rlvulets
foamed over the slippery rocks, forming deep
Embedded pools in tho caverns, overhungw with
green brehrn trees. No reeting place for my
feet, ne shrub or cleft to hold bv. save that to
which chung with death-like grasp, and that
with one hand only. Death appeared in all
his shostly tefrors: nor had [. like Bertram,
"one plank between me and dcsiruction."-
The thought Of falling several hundred feet,
and thus being launched into eternity in
moment, was insupportable: cold sweat
chilled my brow-my eye became Gin; but,
4, /
swing with the intention Of gainlug tive oppo-
site cliff. twas the struggle Of daspair-an
expiring effort ofnatare for her own preser-
walton. | swung half way, when, God Of
hesven the crag looscned by Tia. motion,
gave way fell.
Deprived OF sense, and consequent loss Of
blood, (for n cyss, ivhen found, were gloom
ed with gore) rememb ered nothing since
the falling of ihe piece of rock by which 1
chung, till was gradually aroused from my
death ike slumbsF in my fathers house,
where the fir.t thing that saluted my aston
ished ears was parental ejaculation to hea-
ven for the preservation Of his child. wept
for JOY to see my friends around me; and as
soon as my exhausted state would permit,
Munro stated, that. OH ay falling, both Ross
and he shrieked aloud, which attracted the
attention of some shepherds hard by, and
that, WIN their aSsistahces lhey pfocuEcu
ropes and descended into the csverns below,
tracing ms by the blood they found on TIE
stones, at last discovered ms lying on thieely
scattered bopshs of sorpo trees, rhich prcyi
dentiailv had broken my fall at the distance
of about thirty feet.
In a few wecks | recovered, bat 10 this
day bear about me the marks OF nay fatal in
discretion lnever again attempted 10 rob
the eagle or any other bird OF its dearest
property its nest and young ones, nor do
remember ever after running the same risk,
when al school became
A HIGHLAND TRUANT.