The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1899-09-22
To make the matter worse, we were

the foot of the precipice it was neces-
sary to seek out some place for cross
ing.
While looking for such a spot we
heard Arthur Clifford calling to his
young shipmate, and presently saw him
going up the side of the rock. 1t sur
prised us to see how fast he climbed.
We ran a long distance, until it be-
gan to seem as if we were never to find
a place to cross, and when we finally
did so, Arthur had almost accomplished
the ascent.
Hold on, Waltz" he cried; ''don't be
afraid-I'm coming. Just keep where
you are
"Oh, the eagles!" answered Walt.
"One of them has just knocked my cap
off! Hurry up, Art-oh, come quick!"
Some of the rest of us attempted to
Chamber up, but made wretched work of
it, for the risk appeared frightful. 1t
YVES enough to shake very stout heart
to cling to bare rock in the air, where
the hold was so slight and doubtful,
and when we looked and saw the stair
so fearfully high, there was very little
encouragement in the prospect.
i've got him clear!" Arthur shouted
down to us at length, as we were strung
along the face of the cliff. some high
and some low; ''but I wish the eagles
would keep away. Only see! there are
four of them now!"
1t seemed as if a second pair had
come to assist the first, and, embold-
ened by their numbers, the whole be-
came startIingly ferocious.
Seeming to know that the two boys
were attempting to retreat, they
pressed the attack with frantic rage.
Arthur's cap shared the fate of his
companions, and both lads got num-
Der of blows.
As Walter, after all, had no broken
bones, he was still quite active, though
dreadfully cowed and frightened. He
crouched into as small a space as pos
sible, while Arthur, knowing him to be
severely bruised, took the more exposed
position.
Suddenly there was a more than usual
thunder of the sail-ike wings. All four
of the birds seemed to swoop down at
once; their tails were broadened, and
their beaks and talons looked like hooks
of steel.
We saw Arthur strike out with his
arms, and heard terrified yell from
Walter.
In another moment our hearts stood
still with horror. Arthur Clifford had
+a1r o3f ba Jo.,
over 800 feet from the ground!
What a spectacle it was! Such a
shock as we then experienced could
never be forgotten by any of US.
But the next instant, what was our
surprise to see that, instead of falling
like a stone, he was merely sinking
slowly. There was prodigious flap
ping of wings about him, and we real
lied what had happened. Two of the
enormous eagles had fastened their
talons in his stout flannel shirt, and his
weight, dragging them down, prevented
them from getting clear. Probably
they had both struck him at the same
time with what Tennyson would call
their hooked hands," and this had
caused him to lose his balance and fall.
Would their hold continue? Would
it not give way and permit him to be
dashed to shapeless mass?
"Oh, if they should unlock them
selves!" cried the second mate. 'But
there-see! see! He has got them by
the legs besides! Hold on, Arthur! hold
on hard!" he added, shouting with all
his might.
The beating of the broad wings was
like the tapping of windmill arms, and
the screams of the royal birds could
have been heard for miles. Faster and
faster, however, they settled with their
load, while the two that were still free
circled around the others, shrieking as
loud as they.
The descent may have occupied a min
ute; for those huge wings, IL or IA
feet from tip to tip, had immense re-
sisting power.
Then Arthur struck the earth, and
the magnificent birds, making a last
desperate effort, tore away from him,
taking long strips of his blue shirt in
their terrible talons as they scared
screaming aloft.
The brave boy knew better than to
make any effort at OBTAINING them; and,
indeed, he was already badly wounded
by their claws and out of breath from
his eXertions, although wonderfully
cool in mind.
"Where's Waltz" he asked. 'They
haven't thrown him off, have they?'
And the noble little fellow glanced
anXiously up at the high rock.
He had saved his companion at the
risk of his own life; for Walter, seeing
the way clear, at once recommended his
descent, and soon got down to where
two of us were able to assist him. His
lower limbs were much injured where
they had been wedged in the crevice,
but he could still use them. Once more
upon the ground, he staggered up to
Arthur and seized his hand.
at was you that saved me-" he said.
'You are the bravest fellow l ever saw.
The eagles would have killed me where
I was if you hadn't come. Just look
at my head and shoulders! See where
they hit and pecked me!''
"They couldn't quite hold up my 90
pounds" said Arthur, laughing, "and
1 guess they would have let you down
- r L I L B.,