The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1889-01-12
a HAWKS ATTACK.
e Drops from tho Clouds Upon Farmer
and Nea airy Kills Him.

e Drops from tho Clouds Upon Farmer
and Nearly Kills Him.
It is not an uncommon thing for hawks
when disabled by gunshot or trap to attack
furious.v and with telling eject either man
or dog approaching it, but for one that has
not been wounded or interfered with to
boldly attack man is doubtless something
that was without precedent until lately
when James r. Schaeffer, Of Rockland,
Berks County, Pa, had remarkable ex-
perience of the kind.
Schaeffer was on his way from Rockland
to Freeport, driving team. For mile or
more he had noticed large chicken hawk
sailing along high in the air, apparently on
the lookout for prey. Finally, says the
New York Times, the hawk poised itself al
most directly over him, and as that IS usu-
ally the preparation a hawk makes when
about to drop on its prey, Schaeter stopped
his team to watch the interesting maneuver
and it's result. His surprise was great when
he saw the bird was descending like shot
directly toward himself as he sat in the
wagon. He still had no idea that he was to
be the object of the birds attack, but in q
second more no doubt remained in his mind.
The hawk swooped down upon him and
struck him blow with its talons in the back
that almost knocked him out Of the wagon
The hawk then few to the side OF the road,
taking big piece OF Schaeffer's coat The
bird was an enormous specimen OF its KIND,
and it's attitude at the roadside left no doubt
that it was ready and willing for tight.
Schaeffer did not suppose it would be
much of feat for man to whip CHICKEN
hawk, and, his temper being UP on account
of the rending of his coat, he jumped out OF
the wagon to put an enc TO the lnlpudent
fellow. He had scarcely set Eas teet On the
ground when the hawk, half Tying anc
half running, rushed furiously toward INN
The suddenness and t1erceness OF the AZ
tack was surprise to SchaeHer, out be
received the hawk with a furious kick IN
the breast. The effect Of this KICK was
hardly perceptible on the ord, except that
it increased it's rage. 1t rushed without de-
lay to the fray. Schaeffer says that 1T was
undoubtedly most fortunate thing Tor
him that close within his reach at the SIDE OF
the road lay heavy club, for without 1T ne
believes he would have been Killed. he
got possession of the club, and the fight shen
became desperate ono The ha'Fk was
so strong, SO savage and SO QUICK that IN
q very short time it had ripped Schaetfer's
clothing IN tatters with its sharp tal"ns,
and had laid the flesh open in great gashes
on his face, legs and breast. The bird
aimed blows with its beak a! his eyes. ny
the time Schaeffer, by lucky blow WIN
his club, succeeded in stunning the blrd, ne
was almost breathless with exhaustion. BE
quickly followed up his advantage and dis
patched;the hawk before it could recover it
self.
schaeffer was 50 nearly tired out that he
had to lie down by the roadside for several
minutes before he could climb back in his
wagon. He was obliged to return home 10
have his wounds attended to, and at last
accounts was still confined to his house.
The hawk measured nearly six feet fxom
tin to tin of it's wings.