The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-10-11
BIG BATTLES WITH BIRDS
Desperate Conflicts Waged Between Men and Feahered
ASSISTANTS.
AssaiIants.


The Maritime Alps of Eastern France
have long been noted as being the
haunt of the most ferocious and pow
erful breed of eagles in existence.
Children innumerable have been
carried off by them, and they even at
tack adults on occasions, sometimes
with dire results.
In July, 1899, for instance, post
man named Gustaye Silva, who car
ried the mails on foot between the
villages of Sospello and Puget Then
iers, was set upon while crossing the
pass by three large cockbirds and
frightfully injured.
He managed to drive off his winged
assailants with the aid of his alpen-
stock, and eventually reached his des-
tination with his bag of letters. But
his case was from the first regarded
as hopeless by the local doctors, and
sure enough, after lingering in indie
scribable agony for six Gays, he sue
cumbed to his wounds.
Meanwhile two young French touists,
Messrs. Joseph Monand and Antoine
Neyssel, went up into the mountains
to try to kill the birds that had done
the damage, and were savagely at
tackled in their turn. Both were arm
ed, but the sudden onslaught of the
huge winged creatures completely I'M
nerved them, and after firing only one
shot they tried to escape by running.
Birds Strike Them Down.
The birds, however struck them
down ere they had gone many yards,
and they would have doubtless been
both torn to pieces where they lay but
for the opportune arrival of party of
shepherds. These succeeded in rescu-
Mr oil h1If for
jured, he having sustained no fewer
than ten, severe wounds in the head
and back, besides innumerable minor
decorations and abrasions. His COM
panion, Mr.. Monand, was killed out
right early in the fray, and his body
when recovered presented a most
shocking spectacle. Mr.. Neyssel re-
diSfigured for life.
Very tragic was the fate of Peter
Thoralsen and John HILBERT, two sea-
men belonging to the whaler Good
Hope, who attempted for a wager to
reach the summit of Possession island
some years ago.
This, perhaps the most desolate and
saldom visited spot on the whole globe,
is the home of myriads of sea fowl,
who occupy the entire surface of the
land, from the lowcrmost beach to the
top of the conical mountain which occu-
pies the center of the island.
1t was noticed from the ship that the
sitting birds attacked the explorers Wig
orously as they waded through them,
pecking at them with their sharp beaks
and screening savagely, but no one
anticipated danger.
When about two thirds Of the ascent
had been completed, however, the men
We're seen to be in difficulties, and
relief party was organized; but at that
moment there sprang up one of those
terrific billiards. that are so frequent
in the Antarctic regions, and commu-
nication between ship and shore be-
came for the time being impossible.
Their Horrible Fate.
Next day it was restored, but it was
then too late. The explorers were
found upright among the guano, into
which they had sunk up to their waists,
and quite dead, while around the dis
figured and mutilated bodies lolled
thousands of bloated seafowl gorged to
repletion with a hideous and unwonted
diet.
Ordinarily the ostrich is a shy bird.
more ready to run than to fight on the
approach Of a human being. But in
the breeding season, and especially
when the hen has nearly finished sit
ting, the old cock is frequently little
less dangerous than a slightly wounded
tiger.
Many terrible tales are told in Cape
Colony of the ferocity with which they
will then attack all and sundry, and of
the shocking injuries they are able to
1nfiict with their long-pointed toes. Nor
is escape at all easy. A native will
spring upwards at the birds long neck,
and gripping it tightly swing himself
on his assailants back, where he is
comparatively safe. But woe betide
him if he misses.
The emu, too, is equally dangerous
under similar circumstances. Bert"
Castleton the well-knoWn Australian
explorer and prospector, lost his life
In fight with ono of these birds after
passing unscathed through all sorts of
dangers.
Emu Pounds Man to Death.
The emu, an ''old man. bird, took him
unaWares, hurting him to the ground
and breaking one of his legs, after
which it deliberately set to work and
pounded him to death. When, next
DAY. the body was discovered bv a
search party, it was found to have sus-
tafned no fewer than sixtv-three
wounds, many of them of the most
shocking character.
The strongest and most formidable
beak among birds of prey is owned by
the Egyptian vulture. This bird is
protected" throughout Northern Afri-
ca, asst acts the part of scavenger
and does not as rule, use upon living
creatures the terrible weapon with
winch nature has endowed It,
But when famine falls upon the land.
as In certain districts is not infre-