The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1869-03-05

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us go on and will be relating IL to
you"
at is now, perhaps, twenty-five years
ago." he began, "that lived yonder,
in the Tyrol, with my relations. was
then vigorous, powerful man, for
whom there was no greater pleasure
than to climb up the mountains, with
my rifle on my back. No chamois path
was too steep, then, no eagles nest too
high. My two cousins, likewise strong
nimble lads, shared with me the pas
sion for the chase. When a chamois
had been tracked, or an eagles nest dis
covered, we three cousins were sure t.,
be not far off. All in the valley knew
this, too, and brought us word, when
anything appeared.
zone day a shepherdboy informed
us, that, on the ledge OF precipice,
there was lodged an eagles nest, in
which, as far as he could determine, two
young eagles were fluttering. The prec-
ipica led into the depths Of a frightful
abyss and the ledge was only to be
reached from above by descending on a
rope. The danger of the pursuit when
such noble booty was at stake, could
not deter us from attempting the haz-
ardous enterprise, and even promised
to talse the nest myself.
"The next morning we proceeded
well loaded with strong ropes, up the
mountains. l had provided myself
with an Alpine staff, whose iron point
had an unusual length, and might serve
me as powerful weapon of defence in
case of necessity. Besides this, l wore
my great chamois-knife in my belt.
"Arrived at the summit of the rock
/ lay down, with half my body extern
ded over the precipice, and gaznd down
into its depths, to discover the iedges.
1t was terrible sight. However sharp
my eye was, otherwise, it did not, here,
reach the bottom of the abyss, that
stared back at me, only like a black
chaos. The ledge with the eagles nest
was easily found, and lay about seventy
or eighty feet below the summit on
which we stood. There were nestlings,
as the lad had seen quite rightly, two
young eaglets, in their knotty, hard
bed of twigs, .the older possessors of
which, the male and female, in all prob
ability, had flown away in search of
food. Since it was early in the morning
we might expect that they would not
return soon, and determined to set to
work at once.
my two cousins now put one end of
the rope around the thick stump of a
tree, that stood upon the summit Of the
precipice, while at the other end was
fastened a firm, wooden cross s-piece by
the middle, and in such way that l
could use it as seat in the dangerous
descent. Besides this, l wound about
my body a short rope, which, however,
was fastened to the longer one, so that
l should not be embarrassed in descen-
ding and ascending. This was mea-
sure of precaution, in case l should
slide from the cross-piece.
"When everything was in readiness,
lay cautiously down upon the rocks,
with my feet towards the precipice, and
extended upon my belly, pushed my
self slowly with both hands, from the
verge, and hung over the abyss, whose
whole terrible depth l now overlooked.
1t was the first time that L ever attemp-
ted such thing, And, sir, it is pecu-
liar feeling to hover thus in the air,
high aloft on Il slender rope, that may
break or slip off any moment, and un-
der you black, ugly chasm, whose i'm
ward. Had not the pleasure of the
chase thrilled all my members, and
the fear Of my cousins fidicule re-
strained me, l should almost have
begged 10 be drawn up again. l did
not, however, but only asked for my
hat and staff, and slowly sank into the
abyss.
"You will spare me the description
of this descent; 1t is not associated with
the most agreeable "reminiscences ofmy
hunting life. Suffice it to say, that, af-
ter journey through the mir of about
five minutes, | arrived in the neigh
borhood of the ledge, beside which, TO
my great joy, deserted q smaller ledge
upon whose surface could find room,
When the young still almost unfledged
brood perceived me, they opened their
bills wide, and lifted their ieath erless
wings, as ifthey would fly away. With
out paying farther attention to them, l
clinched cleft of the rock, planted
my loot upon the ledge, and stood now,
freely breathing and successful, on my
feet again, knowing that terra iirma
was under mo.
"SilentIy, and with the least possible
noise, 1 made my preparations. The
side-pockets of my coat were so large
that young eagle had ample room in
each of them. Not to be hindered in
taking them from the nest, l made "A
signal TO my cousins above to slacken
the rope, and was just upon the point
of stretching out my arm and seizing
one Of the young eagles, when n pecu-
liar cry sounded shrilly in my ears. In
the midst of rustling, that sounded
like the tapping of wings, rang forth
shrill, half-piplng, halfplaintive sound
that every moment approached nearer,
and finally changed to a cry ofanguish.
Turning my head in the direction Of
the noise, perceived an eagle larger
than any had ever seen. With all the
impetus of his headlong flight, and
with eyes flashing rage, he was rushing
down upon me, tho robber Of his chill
dren. l knew that was lost if did
not succeed in enfeebling the onset, or
laming his wings.
"In thrice / had seized the rope
again, with my left hand with my
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