The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1901-11-26
THE BIRD WON THE FIGHT.
An Attempt to Rob an Eagles Nest
That Did Not Succeed.

An Attempt to Rob an Eagles Nest |
That Did Not Succeed.
Those who seek 10 rob birds nests
sometimes repent of their deed, espe-
cially if the bird happens TO be an ca
gle as fierce as those on the California
coast These birds are seldom shot.
and consequently they have increased
in numbers, but the eggs are in de-
mand by collectors, and a few adven-
turous spirits make business of try
ing to secure them. Mr.. c. F. Holder
tells In the New York Commercial Ad-
yertiser 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
suddenly drop away, leaving jagged
points upon which a 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 can Of wa
ter, and, being still determined to try
for the eggs, they turned their attention
| to the nest. allaying their uneasiness
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 adventurers decided to at
tempt that last forty feet after the
fashion adopted by south Pacific ma
tives 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 it. Then the egg hunter be-
gan climbing barefooted, not going up
but gradually circling the pillar and
hitching the rope upward.
In one circuit of the rock he had gain
ed ten or twelve feet, and the footing
was growing better. The second
brought him twenty-five feet up. He
was reaching down to raise the rope
when he heard cry FROM his compan
ion, and then came a sharp, whistline
| sound, a rush, and something filed the
air in front of him, striking fierce
blows and throwing him from his feet
, SO that he hung for q second by th'
rope, faint and bewildered.
1t was the mother eagle that hat
plunged down upon him from a grea
, height. She was driven Off for tim
by the man below, who hit her SQUARED.
on the breast with a stone.
The hunter, still undaunted, proceed
ed to climb, this time with his knife be
. tween his teeth. When he was withil
five feet Of the top, the former expert
ence was repeated.
A short, sharp fight ensued. The bir,
fell away. but Immediately returned
The man struck at it with his knife
missed it and then, while one of it
claws was fastened in his clothing, los
his balance and fell against the ropt
The rope broke, and bird and ma
! went plunging into the sea.
The fact that the birds talon ha
caught in his clothing saved the hum
er's life, for the eagle, as soon as
struck the water, began to try to q
and actually helped the man out of tn
kelp bed into which he had fallel
Then by its struggles it freed itsel
and the hunter swan to the rock.
G All thought of securing the eggs wa
O. now abandoned, and the men spent
miserable night in a crevice of tt
rock, the sea rising all around then
Late on the following day they wei
rescued by passing boat.