Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1901-08-16
Two EAGLES WHIP A BEAR.

! W. EAdlIES w nix a DEAN.
A fight to flush between pair oi
eagles and bear few pc sons have
seen, and the sportiest sport of the turf
would hardly know on which to bet in
lch o combat. Hans LarseD, Nor
wegian fisherman who has been 6shing
| for salmon in the Columbia, near Eagle
Ciff, this season, saw a desp crate strug-
gle between two foe bald eagles that
had their nest not fer from his camp.
aud a half grown bear. Inc eagles
won.
A huge sturgeon bad been washed up
! on the river bank and the eagles were
using 1t to iesd their young. One morn.
ipg the eagles were serving breakfast TO
their young and one Of them had flown
up to the nest with lot OF pieces OF
sturgeon, and the other was tearing
away ct the huge fish, when the bear
came crushing through the brush to
hnd the sturgeon he had scented.
Bruin walked straight mp to the fish.
But the eagle was not to be scared, and
be tapped bis wings and stood on the
defensive.
Big, fat sturgeon do not come ashore
along the Columbia go frequently as
they used 10, and the carcass OF this
one was a prize, and 1t riQhtfully be-
longed to the eagles ss the origi"
pal discoverers. The bear paused
a moment aud then rushed at the lgle,
which gracefully eluded him, and, soar.
ing q short distance In the air screamed
bloody murder as O signal to bis mate.
She came swoopiDg down from the ne Q,
and Joined forces with her mate In an
attack on the bear, which was so busy
tearing the sturgeon that he paid no
attention to the royal birds till they
landed like thunderbolts on bis neck
and rump, and sank their tslons in his
fish.
The tsloDs OF tull.grown eagle are
not to be snet zsd at even by q bear, and
the howl of rage bruin let out showed
that be had been both panied and hurt.
He reared up on his launches and
crawled ssvas ely at the birds, which
whirled sgilely about him. O1e would
make dash at bis face and eyes, and
the other would bit him In the back Of
the neck like cs'spult. For ten min
utes or so the bear stood up to the
"scrstch" and when he had scratching
enough he began to show signs OF want
log to get away. He did not exactly
show the white feather, but he began
edeiug off toward the brush, which was
City feet distant.
As soon "a he WAS vIl ell fours the
eagles were on him, and he would have
TO get on bis hsuuches to use bis paws
effectively. The blood was tresming
down his face sud showed in spots all
over bis glo 'sy hide. but the great
orject OF the eagles appeared to
be TO ge, at bruins eyes, and he seemed
to be aware of this, and WIS very
anxious to get under the protection Of
the brush. The eagles we're evidently
just % anxious to prevent this. When
bruiu turned his head toward the
brushes they would plump down on bis
head and try TO sink their tsloDs in his
,yss, or TO dig them Gu. Tith their
snarp breaks and drum in his ears with
their strong p!nions until the poor tssr
did not know where be was 81"
All this time Larsen was sitting
quietly 10 his boat watching what he
says was the most savage snd enter-
tanning fight be ht ever seen. 1t was,
be judges, nearly hall an hour from the
time the bear came out OF the brush till
he was able to drag himself back under
lis friendly cover, where the eagles
could not get at him. and be was the
most dilspidsted looking bear imaVin.
able. The eagles flaw up on tree and
smoothed their ruffla I'd plumage and
congratulated each other on the out
come OF the struggle. Then, as their
esglets were squawking for more break
fast, they resumed their work OF carving
and serving their sturgeon, aud until II
was ell used up, which took several
days, no animal offered to approach il,
10 the day time at least Morning
Oraponian