ADVENTURE BY MR. KING. 249 



which were occasionally got by Mr. King, who 

 was a daily visitor amongst them. On one occa- 

 sion, just as he had hit his bird, his attention 

 was attracted by some more in an adjacent pool ; 

 so, without staying to pick up his game, he crept 

 towards the others, and as he thought disabled 

 a fine drake. Eager to bag it, he waded into 

 the water, when he was startled by a sharp 

 whizzing noise over his head. This, he soon 

 perceived, was caused by a large white-headed 

 eagle, which was descending with the rapidity 

 of lightning towards the precise spot where lay 

 the duck he had before hit. Impelled by the 

 desire at once to secure the bird for dinner, and 

 if possible to get a shot at the eagle also, he 

 instantly left the wounded drake, and, sans 

 culottes, flew with all speed over patches of 

 hard snow, dashing through the swamp, and 

 arriving just in time to see the powerful ma- 

 rauder quietly sweep off, exactly out of the reach 

 of shot, with the duck firmly grasped in its talons. 

 Having watched it out of sight, he then re- 

 traced his steps ; and leaving his gun in a dry 

 place, betook himself to the aquatic chase of the 

 drake, which, far from being fluttered or alarmed, 

 remained motionless, as if waiting to be taken 

 up. Still, as he neared, it glided easily away 

 through innumerable little nooks and wind- 

 ings, with all the confidence of a branch pilot. 



