The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-06-19

| On Saturday they were In some thick
woods that lie just 90 the west OF Cliff
side and about a mile from the Palisades.
Jancke, happening TO cast his eyes up
rather large tree. sDied an unusually
| large nest. The size 81 the nest caused
them to stop and investigate 20. The tree
was a gigantic oak, towering fully fifty
feet high and very difficult TO climb
because OF the size OF the trunk and the
absence OF limbs az the lower part. The
nest had been built in a fork made Dy
three huge branches about thirty feet
from the ground. The two~men had no
idea Of climbing 10 the nest but one Of
them. out of curiosity. clapped his hands
and shouted in order to disturb a posi-
| bic inmate OF the nest. Prior 10 this no
! signs of life had been discernible. but
| hardly had the echoes OF the shouting
died away before there was such a terri
| Bile screech that both men paused in as
| constituent
Suddenly out from the nest there float
| ed what seemed TO be a sort Of dark
| cloud. IL was fully "a minute before the
| men understood what 81 was. Then they
| saw that 10 was an eagle and a mighty
| biz one. The bird. as 10 lowered around.
| seemed 10 measure about five feet from
| tip TO tip il was Of the bald-hcadCd va
| ricty and had Misunderstanding bcak
! While the men were celebrating as To
what they had better do the bird kept
| soaring up high above the surrounding
trees. ard then with an almost head
| long dive would descend again 90 the
| nest. an the time emitting the most dcnd-
| ish scrccchcs. Jancke has a collection
| of birds at home. and the sight Of the
nest. with the probability Of there being
young ones in it, was too tempting for
! him 10 hesitate very long.
| Telling his companion 20 keep trying
| rT rr-1f Tl Ia
! making the attempt TO reach the nest
| be starteG up the tree.
! lie had hardly got up ten feet by cling
| ing 10 tho bark when. with an ear-split-
/ ting scream. the eagle making one of bis
/ dives swooppcd down and struck him
/ horcciy with ono OF Sos enormous wings
| So sudden had been the birds onslaught
| that Janckc. becoming frightened. lost
| his hold and foll 90 the ground. lie was
| too much bruised 10 make another at
| tempt. nut Fcnring volunteered this time
| IN get 20 the nest Before doing so he
/ procured n pair of climbing irons from
! neighbor While he was getting the
! irons Jancke. who was watching The nest.
noticed INC eacle dart off and disappear
! He began to congratulate himself on The
| successful way i'm which the bird had been
| disposed Of when suddenly there was au-
| other chorus Of screams and another
| down upon the nest. Fohring had come
| back by this time, and nc started up the
| tree. He armed himself with a stout
! stick with which 90 defend himself and
| he soon began 10 need &C. lie got uD
| about fifteen feet before the enemy APP
| pcared but 80 was an he could do 20 hang
] on and defend himself. The eagle didn't
seem TO care 10 attack him with his beak
! but ke~+ Tapping his wings and endeav0r-
| Of oh
| him with the stick Fehring managed 10
| draw himself up inch by inch. his COM
| paniOn on the ground below trying 20 aid
| him by throwing sticks at the eagle. The
| climbing became comparatively easy when
| the branches were reached. but tho on
| slaughts Of the bird at the same time be-
came fiercer with every advance the in
| vader made toward the nest. one or two
| good blows Of the stick kept the bird at
! bay however and Fehrlng finally
reached the nest. Tn 80 he found four
| little birds i'm q state of alarm As soon
as Fehrng appeared they began 60 add
! their screams 10 the din made by the pa
rent bird.
TWO of the birds I'm the nest We're about
| the size Of goslings. The other two were
| a trde smaller. 10 took but a moment
| for Fehring TO grab the two smaller birds,
and put them I'm the pockets of his coat.
| When he did SO the big birf, which had
risen in the air. swoOped down and this
/ time sailed right for him. Before Feb
| ring could defend himself the bird had
seized MS coat in its boak am tried 90
| tear him from his hold. The strength OF
| the bird made 10 seem for time as
! though it, would succeed. Fchring. put
ting ono arm around a limb and ttIue his
| feet twisted about another. held on Ike
grim death. trying 90 club the bird of.
| lie finally landed a good blow ON the
neck OF the bird but the latter. i'm one
| last effort tore big piece out of the
| back Of the mans coat and sailed away
with IT, Fehung took his handkerchief
and tied the legs of the other two little
eagles. Then with the handkerchief
| gripped between his teeth. he started
| down toward the ground lie hadn't
gone fdr before there was cry from
| Jancke 10 look out. suddenly 10 seemed
| TO grow dark and before he knew 10 he
felt the bird light on his back Still DE
chung on, but without assistance 30 was
hopeless. Assistance came. however.
Jaucke drew a revolver and fired 81 as
near the eagle as he dared The bullet
didn't hit the bird. but the report caused
30 20 Jet go it's hold. Fehring landed an
other good blow with his club then and
the bird sailed Off again. It appeared TO
conclude that ltS fight was hopeless and
FehrIng had no more trouble. He soon
reached the ground. The men started
home in triumph with the little eagles,
but they were followed by the big bird
for half a mile. All the time 30 kept
making swoOps within q few feet of them.
The young birds were the wonder Of
every ono that saw them. They are all
gray and none of them have many feath-
ers. Jancke put them in slat covered
box the first night. The birds, however,
were not TO be tanned so easily, and Cliff
side spent a sleepless night because OF
the noise made by them. A delegation
Of citizens waited on Jancke the next day
and expressed their admiration OF the
birds. but mildly interposed an objection
10 their residing permanently in the town.
Jancke fed the birds on raw meat uatl
il hung out of their bills. but 10 was no
use. They could not keep still and finally
he sent three away. one OF the little
ones died the day after the capture. The
other smaller one has died since. but the
larger ones have become a little more
used q civilization. Jancke brought
them back when this was accomplished
and now exhibits them to every stranger
who happens 10 pass his door. Two trips
have been made 10 the nest since. but
no one has been able 10 find the big eagle.
Every one is on the watch Tor him. and
it Is probable II Il comes back its fate
will be hard.
only one other eagle has ever been seen
in that part of the country according to
the residents and that was killed three
years ago. But II wasn't nearly as big
as the bird Fehring fought. and for that
reason the woods are Trained +hrou~h