The Grenada gazette., 1888-04-28
FAWN AND EAGLES.
A Mother Does Heroic Defense OF
Her Little One.

Some twelve years ago. while scou
Ing with soldiers in Central Nebrask
near pretty little stream called th
Cedar, We saw over distant ridge
huge eagle soaring in the air. As W
watched him he darted ferociousl,
down. and then came battling back i
the air with angry shrieks and flap
ping wings to repeat the dashes agai
from time to time.
''Tackling rattlesnake may be!
'Got gopher away from his hole,
guessr' Don't know how to get
grip on hedgehog, probablyr wer
some of the many conjectures tina
came from the soldiers along the line
Too much of racket for any sucl
small-fry as snakes or gophers or sucf
varmints. remarked our guide. as WI
watched the eagle. Perhaps it's al
elk or deer some lnjuns have wound
&c" he continued. So with this idea
as the most likely explanation. the
guide and | rode over to investigate.
my thoughts bent on finding a wound
ed animal. which would prove the ex-
istence of hostile Indians near by. as
at that time the Cedar Greek region
was almost unknown to white men,
the nearest settlement being sixty
miles south.
As we approached the spot over
which the eagle was lowering We
noticed that there were two of the
birds, one of which kept on the ground,
and when the one in the air made an
attack the other would assist. return
ing to its place in the high grass as
the other scared upward.
II knowed it was q deer they were
tackIing." said my guide. as at trot
we ascended to the summit of ridge
and saw fine full grown doe stand
ing at bay before the eagles She was
SO intent on battling with her winged
enemies that she paid no attention to
our presence, although we took no
care to hide ourselves from her, and
were only two or three hundred ards
away.
She's wounded. O course" said
the guide, as we halted to view the
proceedings. "for them eagles know
enough not to waste their time on a
full-grown deer that is all right, an
the shell o the blood maddens em.n
Even the eagles did not deign to
notice what must have been our very
conspicuous presence, aud angrily
ruflled their feathers and prepared for
another assault The one on the
ground came hopping along first with
arched neck and spread wings. like
fighting cock in the barn-yard, and |
when within ten or fifteen feet kept
circling around. the doe facing i from
whatever quarter it appeared, while |
the eagle in the air slowly APP
preached to within n foot or two,
striking its wings and pecking at the |
does head. So great was this irrta- |
ton from above that the desperate
deer rose suddenly on her hnd- feet |
aud struck at the bird with her fore
hoofS. As she rose, the eagle on the |
ground rushed rapidly toward her.
and down she came in second,
striking at it rapidly with blows from
her forefeet that could be plainly
heard by us so far away. l thought
tand hopcd) that she had killed it at
first, it looked so like bundle of
rumpled feathers in front of her feet,
but it was only "shamming.' 10 get
the deer to follow it up. a temptation
50 great that the angered beast
did finally make one or two
savage leaps at it, striking
with Its forefeet; but the bird escaped.
seemingly just by 'the skin of his
teeth. but none the less ffcctually.
As the deer rushed forward. the eagle
in the air swooped downward on the
spot where the animal had been stand.
ing, and quick as flash she wheelel
from her short pursuit and made for
the new assailant. There was no
doubt Of her success this time.
"Good'' well done!' went up
rom both Of us, as we saw the feathers
nr and the eagle go screaming into
he air. the other hopping away to a
,afc distance
There's the whole thlng in nut.
hell. Lieutenant, remarked the
guide, who had eyes like a hawk,
She's got little fawn with her. and
hem varmints are after it for all
hcy'r' vorh. Ihere'e the little beast
.rectly 's,dAr hcr--that thing thai