Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1888-04-27

all, from the arctic plains and mount
aims of Alaska to the hot and malarial
lands of Panama.
It seems to be an inherent passion
among the abOrigines to possess eagle
plumes, not only for decorative pur-
poses, but also as a medicine for their
arrows, and as a trophy of prOwess.
The name is a great favOrite, too, with
these simple sons of the forest. In my
short experience 1 must have met at
least a thousand braves who had the
word Eagle" somehow or other mixed
up with their titles. There is Crow
Eagle, Pretty Eagle, Fly Eagle, Long
Feather, Two Feathers, Black Eagle,
Red Eagle, White Eagle, Eagle
Feather, Eagle Iron Feather, Bald
Eagle, Bear Eagle, Bald Eagle Bear,
Brave Eagle, Thunder Eagle, High
Eagle, Conquering Eagle, Flying Eagle,
Yellow Eagle, Eagle Legs, and scores
upon scores of other Eagles.
The method of capturing the bird
among the Absarah and Blackfeet of
the northwest is exceedingly novel and
most ingenious as well as curious. In
fact, there are two styles of hunting
eagles. The first thing Of all is of
course to hold an eagle dance An In
dian can not do anything without first
dancing for it, and as an eagle is an ex-
ceedingly hard and difficult bird to
capture, the dance in consequence must
be all the harder and more prOtracted.
As rule the nOmads of the northwest
still cling to the antiquated, antedated
bow and arrow, and as their quarry
scars high among the mountain peaks,
forever on the watch and keeping
away from danger, it is a very difficult
matter indeed, even with a Unrestricted
rifle and quick trigger, to bring down
one Of these high-hying American birds.
Yet the Crows capture them almost
easily with their simple arrows, where
a white man. armed with the best OF
modern breech-lOaders, would fail to
score nine trials out of ten Crawling
carefully like a snake among the grass,
an Indian viii work his way high
above the eyries, when it is a very easy
matter to send an arrow flying down
ward, and usually with slillful results.
The second method practiced by the
Absaraki tribe to secure the much COW
eted birds is to build an eagle trap
The brave who is after plumber goes off
alone by himself to the Big Horn Noun
tains, proceeds upward until he arrives
IN the perpetual snow district, and Sc
Letting a favorable spot, digs a pit large
enough to snugly conceal his person
within, After a vast deal of careful
preparation Zone item of which is to
carry the loose earth away in a blanket
and cast 1t to the winds), the still hun
ter arranges q covering for his trap,
consisting of light reeds and grasses,
and then proceeds to ensconce himself
IN the pit. The bait is a slice of
tough meat, bear or mountain
goat, firmly attached with sinews
to a piece of rawhide, and
and this IS laid on the trap outside to
await a customer. just at dawn of day,
as the sun IS coming up over the east
ern peaks, the eagles, who all night
long have smelt the savOry mOrsel,
swOOp yiciOusly down upon the raw
hide and bear meat, which they pro-
coed vigorously to tear with their talOns
and beaks. Meanwhile, the buck in
side, watching his opportunity, reaches
up through an interstice in the trap,
and, Selling the big fellow firmly by
one Of his legs, quick as a wink drags
the surprised bird of liberty down into
the prison below. The fun would not
now be all on one side either had the
eagle even a flash of q second to recover
himself in; but the Indian, the moment
his victims neck is within reach, with
one sharp, quick, wicked swipe OF his
long, keen hunting knife, sewers that
member from the body, and so the mat
ter ends. The warrior then returns to
his lodge, and proceeds. to relate to his
friends and relations the wonderful ex-
plOits of his trip, of which he is the
sole hero and big high-muck-a-muck.