The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-05-19
An Eagle and a salm..

About hive hundred yaIds from Beach,
hut, stands lofty pine tree. on which /.
grey eagle has built its nest annually during
the nine years he has lived on the shore,
IF the Raquette. The Indian who dwsl.
there before him, says that the same psir Of
birds made their nest on that tree Tor len
years previous-makiDg in all. nineteen
years they have occupied the same spO
and built on the same branch. Il is pos.
ole, however, that the young may have a
ken the place Of their parents. Al all
events, Beach believes them to be the sane
old dwellers, and hence regards them as
squatters like himself, and entitled to equal
privileges. From his cabin door he can
see them in sunshine and slOm-qOsdy
perched on the tall pine, OF wildly Graded
as the mighty fabric bends and swsys 70
the blast. tie has become attached 70
them, and hence requests every one VIZ
WISH him not to touch them. ] yerly BE-
lieye he would like 10 shoot the nsn who
should harm one Of their feathers. They
are his companions in that sOliIude-pOUd
occupants Of the same wild home, an
hence bound together by link il would Be
hard TO define. and yet which = as strong Is
steel. II that pine tree should iall, sni
those eagles move away to some other lsks,
he would feel as if he had LOST hiena,
and the solitude brcome doably lonely.
Thus 1t is-yOu cannot BY any eiGcs
Iion or experience DIVE all the poetry O4
Of a man-it fingers there sill, and blszes
up unexPectedly-reyealing The human
heart with all the sympathies, attachments.
and tenderness that belong to il.
He, however. one day came near losing
ais bold eagle. He was lying al anchor.
6shing. when he saw bis fayOrile biTd high
up in heaven, slowly sweeping round and
round in huge circle. evidently awaiting
the approach Of a fish to the surface. FO
an hour or more, he thus sailed wilh mo-
donless wings above the water, when oil q!
once he stopped and lowered momsni,
with an excited gesture-then rapid IS
fash Of light, and with a rush Of his broad
Pinions, like the passage Of a sudden gust
Of wind, came to the still bosom Of The
lake. He had seen huge salmon HOul
swimming near the suTface-and Plungns
from his high watch-tower. drove his lslOns
deep in his victims back. So rapid and
strong was his swOoP that he burisd hia'-
self out Of sight when he struck. bui he
next moment no emerged into view. and
tapping his wings. endeavOTed to rise viii
his prey. But this time he had miscslcula-
ted his strength; in vain he struggled nO6lY
to lift the salmon from the water. The
frightened and bleeding fish made sudden
dive. and took eagle and all out Of sight,
and was gone a quarter Of a minute
Again they arose 10 the surface, and no
strong bird spread bis broad, dripping pan.
ions. and gathering force with his TsPd
blows, raised the salmon bali OOt oil waller.
The weight, however, was too great lOr hlnl'
and he sank again to the surface. beating
the water into foam about him. The sain-
on then made another dive, and they BON
went under. leaving only lev bubbles %
tell where they had gone down. Tbs nhs
they were absent a full half minute, ana
Beach said he thought il was all over WIZ
his bird. He soon, however, resPPeafed,
with his talons still buried iu the Hesn o.
his foe, and again made desperate snon
10 rise. All this time the FISH was Shooeh5
like an arrow through the lake. carrying
his relentless foe on his back. he eOola
not keep the eagle down. nor the bIrd cary
him up---and 50 now beneath, and nov
lpon the surface, they struggled on pre-
'enting one OF the most singular yet eAc'E
ng spectacles thai can be imagined. IL was
earul 10 witness the blows Of the cage "
" dashed the lake with his wings INTO sPfa.'
md made the shores echo with the feP0'.
At last, the bird thinking, as they say vsN
hat he had walked up the wrong Pssses'
,er,' gave il up; and lOOsening hIs eiIlss,
Dared heavily and slowly away 10 a's iS'Y
zine tree, where he sat for long time 81
en- and sulky-shs picture Of dissPP0h'A
Imbisiou. -HeadlsR's AdiroBtaek. ---