Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1894-09-08
ASSAILED BY CONDORS.
AN Ex-ENoINEER's STORY OF
SOUTH AMERICA.
The Ways OF the Condor OF the Andes
and the Terror Which He Inspires in
cattle-An Exciting Scene Upon
CHILEAN Plateau.

1.-The appearance OF hawk circliug
about in the air over poultry yard
will not fill brood OF chickens with
more terror and excitement than will
the shadow OF a condor on the wing
carry TO herd of cattle feeding on
a CHILEAN plain, as the great yulture
swoops down from its eyrie In the
painless Andes to maneuVer for
prey" said John e. Maxwell, who is
one OF the last Of the engineers who
were with the famous Harry Meigs
in his great South American enter
prises OF generation and more ago,
to a Denver Republican writer
81 was quartered once as q pur-
chaser OF supplies for our party at
the little village Of Latosta. at the
very base OF the Andes. with about
a mile Of plain stretching away to
the ocean. At sunrise on the very
first morning was in the village /
was awakened by great commotion
among the populace. / soon learned
that condOrs had come down from
the mountain SUBMITS that morning
in large force, and were even then
busy with selecting cattle from the
herd pasturing near and belonging
10 the village Looking across the
plain saw that a great cloud of
dust covered a wide area OF it. and
out OF this cloud came the roar and
tremor that had frightened me.
lit was all caused b. the herd
dashing wildly about. fleeing in ter
ror before the pursuit OF the raiding
condors
Mounting my h orse ! dashed
away over the plain, passing jab ber-
ing and shouting groups OF villagers
who were hurrying afoot toward
the rolling cloud Of dust. in which
we're hidden the terror-stricken com
mon property Of the hamlet and its
rayenous and determined foes.
las rode up TO within a few rods
OF the stampeded cattle one OF the
herd burst suddenly from the dense
volume OF dust Four immense con-
doris were following IL closely. and,
swooping down upon it, tore at
its flesh with their great claws. and
punctured and lacerated ii with their
powerful beaks
The animals eyes we're wild and
bloodshot with terror. Its believing
WAS frightful to hear. Ii dashed its
tail in agony against its torn and
| bleeding sides, and rushed this way
and that way, while the huge vul-
lures beat against IL and slashed
and tore IL with claws and beaks
al 4 . T.
cruel chase. The herd thundered
on. Every condor that had been in
pursuit OF the great body OF cattle.
their appetites whetted by the scent
OF blood that poured from the flesh
/ OF this mutilated steer. abandoned
the herd and Joined In mad pursuit
OF this one fated beast
although the poor brute sped
l over the ground with the speed OF
the Aeetest race horse, the attack
ing birds kept easily close at its
sides, plying their terrible beaks
and talons The herd. free from the
assaults OF the condors, came to a
stop u mile or so away, and the
mounted herdsmen dashed back and
became spectators with me OF the
struggle between the agonIzed steer
and its relentless pursuers. They
carried their lariats, and spurred
/ their horses on the heels OF the be.
leaguered animal. followed as 1t was
by the entire field OF giant vultures
The procession OF excited villag-
ers had also come up by this time,
and huddled about in chattering,
screeching. yelling groups. hurting
choice Spanish curses at the bold
flock OF winged depredators that
we're butchering by slow torture one
Of the best OF the heed before their
very eyes.
Following close the fated steer.
and circling around it by their amaz-
ing horsemanship as it dashed here
aud there, the herdsmen threw their
lariats again and again, and several
OF the condors were lassoed and ra-
moved from the chase.
"Once the poor steer. as If look
ing to us for succor, rushed in among
the horsemen and the group of viii
layers. Regardless Of our presence
the desperate residue OF condors
clcng to his bleeding sides or dashed
fearlessly along in its wake. The
doomed animal was black with dust
and streaming with blood from a
hundred wounds. The excited crowd
scattered before the advance of the
steer ana his pursuers, and the
herosmen. having strangled to death
the condors they had brought down,
advanced again to cast their lariats.
The steer circlod around in STUN.
bling and unsteady way,
Bloody foam dropped from his
lips, His believing had changed TO
husky means His tongue. red aud
swollen. hung full length from As
mouth. Once as he passed me a
huge condor swooped down upoa
him, seized the steers tongue in it's
bealS and literally wrenched it out
by the roots and few away TO gorg Q
the dainty morseL The steer threw
his head up with aheartrending cry,
and then saw two hideous, sight
less cavities, dripping blood The
condors had plucked his eyes from
their sockotsl