The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1909-03-18

the man hanging dt Ine eHu VI tue
rope before her nest.
This time Williams braced himself
and with his stout stick ready IN his
right hand awaited the onslaught o.
the big bird. His left hand grasEed
the rope.
The eagle struck Williams On the
:ead with her wing and at the same
noMent Williams lashed at the bird
with his stick. Such was the fury
and strength of the creature, how
ever, that the stick flew from VIII
iiams's hand and went whirling
through space to the bottom of tie
canon far below.
Pecking, clawing and striking
stunning blows with her terrible
wings, the bird beat the air in front
of Williams's face, holding her posi-
ton and tearing savagely at the hsaI
and face of the would-be despoiler o.
her home. Her screams were inces-
SAINT.
Meanwhile on top of the cliff there
was utter CONSERVATION. The atten-
tion of one man was necessarily
taken up with the rope, and slip
on his part meant instant death to
Williams in the way of fall to the
rocks at the foot of the precipice.
With rifle in his hand the other
man watched that nightmare fight
in midair far below him. He could
not shoot without endangering Will
liams even more than the eagle.
Just then things were going very
~ r0hhar P1nn6
was flowing from dozen cuts on
his head and face, his hand was lac
Grated, the clothing about his shoul-
ders was cut in ribbons. Moreover
he was half stunned, and but for
the loop in the end of the rope would
have fallen to his death. He had
no time to give directions to his
comrades and simply had to fight the
battle out alone.
Presently the old bird darted
away, preparing for another swoop
at the defenceless man. When she
was ten feet distant rifle shot rang
out from the top of the cliff, and
Williams knew his friends were do
ing what they could. But the old
bird did not falter for second, al
though a couple of feathers from her
terrible right wing floated away in
the wind. In his haste to send a
second bullet downward the man
with the rifle managed to jam it, and
with a despairing cry threw the now
useless weapon to the ground.
The eagle returned to the attack
with even greater fury, and for a
few minutes Williams thought his
last moments had arrived. But still
he fought on, pulling greater hand
fuls of feathers from the bird and
beating at her desperately with his
bare fist, receiving in return many
cuts and slashes as well as stunning
blows from the madly Tapping wings.
He was almost ready to loose his
hold on the rope and 60 crashing
down to the bottom of the canon,
when the eagle suddenly wheeled
away for another attack.
AS she came back again, scream
ing and beating the air, something
the size of Williams's head struck
her on the back, and down she went
like stone, whirling over and over.
Williams's friends above had hurled
small rock at the bird, and luckily
for Williams, the boulder had struck
her fairly on the back between the
immense wings.
Hold on tight and we'll let you
down to the bottom!" sang out the
man at the top, of the cliff, leaning
far over. Then Williams showed the
sterling stuff of which he was made.
Though bleeding from a dozen
wounds, breathless and exhausted,
he was still determined to fulfill his
errand.
Hold me here until get these
little BIRDS" he shouted feebly. Il
came after them, and I'm going to
have them
With that the plucky fellow crawl
ed back into the niche, put the two
little eaglets in his bag, thrust his
leg through the loop, grasped the
rope with both hands, and was safe
ly lowered to the floor of the canon.
Within a few feet of where he
landed lay the old mother eagle.
Williams staggered over to her and
gave her kick. To his amazement
she moved, stood up on her feet
and flew away.
One of Williams's companions
came sliding down the rope and
reached him just as the injured man
tainted from Joss of blood and ex-
citement. The punishment he had
received was terrible, but fortunate
ly his eyes had escaped injury.
After casting off the rope the
third man made his way down the
mountain to where Williams and his
friend were. They managed to stop
the flow of blood, and between them
got the wounded man his horse and
brought him to Riverton. Williams
spent several days in bed and was
covered with bandages for two
weeks, but received no lasting in.
juries.
AS souvenirs of his terrible fight
he has two little eagles and dozer
or more big scars to show his friends
Wide World Magazine.