464 Hozv I Robbed the Eagle's Nest, and Why. [Sess. 



we sat down to consider our position. Where we sat was a 

 heathery steep sloping bank, eight or ten feet wide, and from 

 the centre of it grew the birch-tree already referred to, which 

 we found to be strong and deeply rooted. Far above us was 

 the steep, rugged, almost perpendicular mountain of rock, in- 

 termingled here and there with patches of heather and other 

 hardy shrubs, which caused us to wonder how we ever 

 managed to descend to where we sat. Immediately below us 

 was the birch-tree, and a few feet beyond that was the edge 

 of the precipice, which went sheer down sixty or seventy feet, 

 in the centre of which was the eyrie. At the bottom of 

 this perpendicular part the ground was steep and rocky, 

 similar to that above us already described. Up to this time 

 we had made no arrangements which of us was to go over ; 

 but as my companion weighed over fourteen stone, and I 

 under twelve, there was no difficulty in deciding. We threw 

 over some stones, and with giant wings the eagle flew out 

 from the rock. The gun was loaded and put safely down 

 where it could be easily picked up. I then tied the rope 

 carefully round my waist and prepared to descend. Donald 

 put the rope round the tree with the view of relieving him of 

 the strain of my entire weight. I did not look over before 

 starting, or I certainly never would have made the descent. 

 Crawling feet foremost, I at once got out of sight of my 

 companion, and looking down, my experience was anything 

 but pleasant. I have already stated that the precipice was 

 only sixty or seventy feet to the bottom, but the ground 

 below was so steep and rocky for many hundreds of yards 

 far away down into the valley, that it was difficult to know 

 where the precipice ended and the " climbable " ground 

 began. My weight drew the rope up under my armpits, and 

 somehow or other my beard got entangled in the knot of the 

 cord, my head being held tight in an awkward position, 

 which was extremely painful, and prevented me from crying 

 up to give instructions. N'ot knowing that anything was 

 wrong, Donald lowered away till I got a place to rest my 

 foot. Directly he felt relieved of the strain, he cried over, 

 " Are you at the nest ? " For some time I was unable to 

 speak, but getting my beard clear of the rope, I informed him 

 that it was seven or eidit feet lower. I could see the sticks 



