The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1901-12-13
AN EAGLES NEST.
Peril of Egg Hunters on the Caiifor-
mia Coast.

mia Coast.
Those who seek to rob birds nests
sometimes repent of their deed, espe-
cially if the bird happens to be an eagle
as fierce as those on the California
coast. The birds are seldom shot, and
consequently they have increased in
numbers but the eggs are in demand
by collectors, and a few adventurous
spirits make business of trying to Sc
cure them. c. f. Holder tells in the
New York Commercial Advertiser of an
adventure wherein two egg-hunters had
a trying experience, and the eagles
came off victorious.
The nest was on a rocky pinnacle,
perhaps 100 feet in height, completely
separated from the shore. In storms
the waves rose, a splendid mass Of
foam, to the very summit. The base
was covered with kelp, and the waves
would rise eight or ten feet, then as sud
denly drop away, leaving jagged points
upon which boat would be hung until
overwhelmed by the next wave.
One quiet day the men approached.
They rowed about the rock for ten min
utes. then, the sea being level, rushed
at It, With all their care however, the
boat was dashed on ledge, and they
found themselves prisoners on the rock
with nothing to eat-the provisions hav-
ing been lost newfoundland the bot
tom of the boat crushed in.
They rescued a rope and a can OF
water, and being still determined to try
for the eggs, they turned their atten-
ton to the nest, allaying their uneasi-
ness by the thought that some passing
yacht would take them off.
The rock however. proved slippery
from long accumulation of guano, and
the men found it impossible to climb
nearer than forty feet from the nest.
One of the Adventures decided to at
tempt that last forty feet after the fash
ion adopted by South Pacific natives
in climbing trees A long rope, doubled.
with a stone attached to the doubled
end, was hurled over the rock so that
it fell on the other side, thus encircling
1t. Then the egg-hunter began climbing
barefooted not going up, but gradually
circling the pillar and hitching the rope
upward.
In one circuit of the rock he had
gained ten or twelve feet, and the foot
ing was growing better The second
brought him twenty-five feet up. He
was reaching down to raise the rope
when he heard a cry from his compan-
ion, and then came n sharp whistling
sound, a rush, and something filled the
air in front of him, striking fierce blows
and throwing him from his feet, so that
he hung for second by the rope, faint
and bewildered.
, 1t was the mother eagle, that had
/ plunged down upon him from a great
height She was driven off for a time
, by the man below, who hit her squarely
, on the breast with a stone.
, The hunter, still undaunted, proceed
ed to climb, this time with his knife
between his teeth. When he was with
, In five feet OF the top the former expert.
ence was repeated.
A short, sharp fight ensued. The bird
fell away, but Immediately returned
, The man struck at it with his knife
missed it, and then, while one of its
claws was fastened in his clothing, lost
has balance and fell against the rope
The rope broke, and bird and man went
r plunging into the sea.
The fact that the birds talon had
r caught in his clothing saved the hunt
l. er's life, for the eagle, as soon as il
9 struck the water, began to try to fly
: and actually helped the man out of the
I kelp bed into which he had fallen
. Then by its struggles it freed itself, anC
. the hunter swan to the rock
All thought of securing the eggs was
/ now abandoned. The boat proved t
be damaged beyond repair, and the mel
G spent a miserable night in a crevice OF
the rock the sea rising all around them
g Late on the following day they were
f rescued by a passing boat.