The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-06
ROBBING EAGLES NESTS
An Exploit Always Attended With
No Little Danger.
The Adventurous Work of Two Men
Upon Rock in the Pacific Ocean
Desperate Fight of Old Birds to
Protect Their Eoung-A Battle in
Midnir-A Very Rough Experience.

OF which was given a name which signi-
fled the Isle of Eagles. The birds in the
old days were considered sacred by the
natives, the tail feathers being used as
sacrifices or offerings to their god-not
taken from the bird, which was never mo-
Tested, but from the nests. The birds
| were so tame that at the time of the last
Spanish expedition they were known to
dash down and seize fish from the hands
OF women, who were no match for them
These birds were still undisturbed, it he
| ing an unwritten law to protect the
| eagles; consequently they have increased
in numbers of late years Their points of
vantage are the lofty and inaccessible
pinnacles which rise from the rocky
shores, and their nests are usually built
on points beyond the reach of the most
+, skillful climber. On Santa Catalina there
is pinnacle perhaps 100 feet in height,
completely separated from the shore, the
| sea having eaten the intervening rock
| away, and about it the waters swirl and
| rush furiously. The point is the most ex-
| posed OF any, facing the long seas which
| come down from Point Conception and in
| storms they strike the eyrie of the eagles
! and rise, splendid mass of foam, to the
/ very summit, where the bunch of wood
| and branches indicates the nest Of the
! great eagle.
Unfortunately the eggs of eagles are
IN dema'd by collectors and a few adven-
turous spirits make business OF trying
to secure them. literally taking their lives
in their hands. The nest mentioned. on
| the north end of the island from being
| unmolested, grew to large size, a heap
of kelp. branches of trees and shrubs
. easily distinguished from yachts and other
craft. To reach it was the ambition of
score of men and finally two determined
to make the attempt. The north ISL
and is uninhabited-a maze of hills,
mountains and canyons, some of which
are famous for their hcat-the island
gradually narrowing as it approaches the
north until finally there is nothing but 4
ridgepole of rock. narrow and dangerous,
along which a man can crawl and 50 at
tain the end, Cape Babrillo beyond which
/ is the local pillar of HercuIes-the eagles
eyrie- The men started from Avalon,
rowing up the coast, making their head
quarters III a little bay about two miles
south of the eyrie. While there are no
storms here in summer, there is a heavy
sea, which often piles in, making the ab-
proach to the rock impossible: SO the
men waited for a calm day, and waited
two weeks. For days it would be 6bso-
lutely calm in the vicinity, hardly a ripple
disturbing the waters, but the rock of the
eagles seemed to be guarded by some
mysterious power, as the sea rose and
fell increasingly about it, swirled about
and was sucked into unseen caves with
ominous sounds, as though disappearing
into the bowels of the earth, to be ex-
PEELED with such volume and force that
boat would be crushed. again the base
OF the rock was covered with slirting
of kelp, or moss, 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 over
whelmed by the next wave
All these points the men studied for
days, and finally one morning they found
the sea so quiet that they determined to
make the attempt. AS they approached
on the glass-like water two large eagles
rose with wild cries and flew away. The
men were equipped with guns. ropes. and
provisions, ana their plan was TO gain the
rock if possible and remain until they had
secured the eggs. They rowed a boat
about the forbidding rock for ten minutes
then, the sea being level, they rushed at
1t. The man in the bow leaped onto
ledge as they struck, the other dropped
the cars and sprang TO his assistance and
at the word both lifted the boat upon
the ledge. But at the same moment the
sea sank-literally dropped away-leaving
the boat hanging stern down, over the
water; then as it rose it tilted her, and
wnen it again sank dragged her from
their hands, and they found themselves
on the face of the rock with nothing to
eat the provisions being dumped ever
board and disabled boat the bottom
having been crushed in. They secured
from the boat can of water and iope,
and, still determined to try and secure
. "a =
lee side, where she was allowed to float
off to the length of the rope. They then
turned their attention to the nest, relying
on some OF the passing yachts, which |
rounded the island almost every day, TO
take them off. The rock was slippery
from lorg accumulation of guano, and he |
men presently saw that to reach the nest |
was almost beyond human possibility |
They could climb the base, which was ir-
regular and broken, to within forty feet |
of the nest. but from here there was |
nothing but the smallest breaks in The !
way of footholds. One OF the adventurous. !
however, decided to attempt it, and IN { n |
ingenious manner. The long rope which |
they had was doubled and a stone at
tached to the doubled end, and with a |
swing this was hurled over the top so |
that il fell down on the other side II he !
rock and they had encircled it,; in word |
the egg hunter proposed to ascend it as |
the natives OF the South Pacific climb |
trees. He began the climb barerooled |
not going up, but gradually circling the
pillar and hitching the rope upward |
Holding to the creVices with his ices he |
made good Roadway. and by the time he
had completed the circuit of the rock he
had gained ten or twelve feet and the
footing was growing better.
Slowly he moved observing every eau
ton; now overhanging the sea which but
poorly concealed jutting rocks now over
the rock itself; and on the second turn
always hitching the rope up, he had gain
ed twenty-five feet. lie was reaching
down to raise the rope when he heard a
cry from his companion. and then came
sharp whistlng sound. a rush and some
hing filled the air in front of him, strik-
ing fierce blows and throwing him from
his feet so that he hung fo.' a second by |
he rope, faint and bewildered by the
blows. 1t was the mother eagle that
now. convinced that the object of the
visitors was to attack the nest. had
plunged down from great height, strik-
ng the man with wing and talons in a
desperate effort to throw him off. The
bird dropped away for a moment. perhaps
Harmed by the cries OF the man below, |
who also threw pieces Of disintegrated
'ock at it, giving the climber moment |
o recover and secure Ii new footing and !
AXE out a long sailors sheath knife. He |
vas none too soon, as the eagle rushed at
lin again, turning when it reached him
md striking him with its claws and at |
he same time with its long wing. Hav-
ng both hands free the man warded off |
he wing blow, snatching at it in en-
eavor to disable st. the only result being
everal feathers, while he almost lost his
"a Iauce The eagle was now hit squarely |