The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-09-28


Sea eagles were formely common in
Shetland, but through trapping and
shooting these noble birds are now
nearly extinct on these northern isles.
Within the last three years pair has
established an eyre in the cleft of
great sandstone sea cliff. known as the
Bard of Bressay, forming the south
most point of the island Of Bressay, the
island east of the mainland which land
locks Lerwick Harbor. On the east
side the cliffs rise sL0er out of the sea
to height of four hundred or five hun
dred feet. The depredations of the
eagles on the farms upon Bressay and
the adjacent mainland this year have
been extensive. The hungry eaglets
required to be fed, and almost daily
lambs were missed from the fields. To
put stop to this plundering 8 project
was formed to rob the nest, and dar-
ing young cragsman-a leader in haz-
ardous observation-disclosures to do so
upon the first convenient opportunity.
The risk was great, for, besides the
peril of the descent and the ascent,
there was chance of a fight with the
parent birds. The eyrie could only be
seen by the aid of glass from cliff on
the north side. A considerable way
down the cliff is large protruding boss
something in the shape of an oriel
window, with great cleft in the middle
of it. In the cleft the nest was
built. The exact distance of the
nest down the cliff was first as
csrtained. By means of reel of
thread. with q small weight at the end,
the measurement was found to be fifteen
fathoms, or about ninety feet. With
two assistants the cragsman very early
one morning shortly afterwards crossed
the Sound of Bressay in boat. The
top of the Bard was attained about
three,o' clock. A stout oaken stake having
been driven firmly into the ground,
through an "eye" at the top of it, one
end of a strong Manila two-inch rope
was passed. The young climber (says
the account in the Scotsman, from
which this narrative is taken) made this
end secure round the body, while his
assistants grasped the rope on the other
side of the '.eye." He had taken off
all superfiuous clothing, and wore
pair of thin goloshes. In belt round
his waist he had six-chambered revolt
yer. Over his shoulder was slung his
distinguished. Going over the brink of
the cliff he partially climbed down, so
as to take the strain as much as posi-
BILE OFF the rope. When he got to the
pond" as the place where the eyrie is
built is locally known, he found that
fortune had favored him in this-that
neither of the old birds were at home;
but at the same time he found that it
would be difficult matter to get at the
nest. Immediately above the pond
was great ledge of rock which COM
pletely overhung the eyre; so that the
cragsman, suspended in the air
on the same level as the
nest, found himself still ten
or twelve feet from it. He at once sig
nailed to those above to be hauled up to
this ledge; and, that having been done,
he cautiously climbed down its face,
which had sharp inward slope, until
he got upon the same run of strata as
that upon which the nest was built. By
following an open seam just wide
enough to admit his fingers he managed
at last to scramble into the pond"
where probably human foot had never
been set before. In the rocky chamber
in which he now found himself he could
hardly stand upright; he therefore went
round on his knees to the back of the
nest. There were two pretty eaglets in
the eyrie; and when they saw the |
strange intruder they buried their heads |
below the woolly lining of the nest, and
perfectly still. On lifting the |
eaglets out of the nest, though only a
fortnight old, they were so large and |
well grown that only one would go into
the tishing-basket. The cragsman was
how he could get the other |
to the top of the cliff, when a warning |
shout from above told him that one of |
the old birds was approaching. 1t was
the female bird. which apparently was
determined to show fight in defense of
her young. She came through the air
straight for the eyrie, like :. flash
Of lightning;" and the cragsman had |
barely time to throw himself on
his back into the deepest recess of
the pond" and to draw his revolv-
er. when the Infatuated eagle was
upon him. She made one tremendous
and unsuccessful swoop at him with
talons and beak, and simultaneously he
pulled the trigger of his revolver. The
weapon, however, missed fire. The
eagle lowered outside for moment be-
lore renewing the attack; but a shot
from the revolver-the report of which
-everberated among the rocks-effectu
ally scared it to distance of about two
hundred yards, where it continued to
circle in the air-yelping like dog. 1t
vas by and by joined by the male bird;
put neither of the eagles again showed
light. The cragsman, having deposited
me eaglet in his fishing basket. took the
,ther under his left arm, and. having
given the signal to his companions,
swung himself out of the ..pond," and
vas safely hauled up-his perilous vent
Ire successfully accomplished. Both
II the eagles are still alive, and appear
o be thriving well in captivity. They
ire fed three times day on flesh and
ish, and on this diet are coming into
-ery beautiful plumage. Since the
'yrie was robbed it may be mentioned
hat the old eaglets have on more than
me occasion been seen lowering over
he town of Lerwick. This is the first
inns for txuopty rooru that aarloa baya |