466 How I Robbed the Eagle's Nest, and Why. [Sess. 



Here was a predicament ! What was to be done ? The 

 reason, however, of his inability to draw me up was obvious. 

 Above was the overhanging rock, and all the way to where 

 the keeper sat the rope was subjected to severe friction, so 

 that to lift my weight was simply impossible. " I will have 

 to go to the farm for assistance," Donald cried down. "All 

 right," I replied ; " be as quick as you can," — and I was now 

 fated to be left for three hours at least in the eagle's eyrie. I 

 took the eaglets from my pockets, put them again into the 

 nest, and sat down in the farthest corner of the cavern. I 

 thought that as I was partly out of sight, the eagles might 

 come to their young without observing me, and especially as 

 they had seen the keeper leave the place. This, however, 

 they did not do, being evidently aware that I was concealed 

 in the eyrie. 



As may be supposed, the hours seemed like days ; and as 

 it became very cold, my imprisonment in such uncongenial 

 quarters was anything but pleasant. At last Donald and 

 two shepherds appeared, and when they came close enough 

 for me to shout to them, I expressed my intention of going 

 down to the bottom instead of ascending to the top. It 

 appeared that no more rope was obtainable, and worsted was 

 the only thing that could be got, so they brought several balls 

 in their pockets. The two shepherds remained below, while 

 Donald went away round in order to regain the summit. It 

 took him half an hour to get round, when he lowered a small 

 stone to me tied to double worsted. This I let down in order 

 to see if the rope was long enough to reach the bottom. 

 Discovering it was only thirty feet, I cried to let go the rope at 

 the top, which I pulled down, and let one end drop to the 

 bottom. I now set about securing the other end of it in the 

 eyrie, which was no easy task. Tying it round a huge piece 

 of rock and using two balls of worsted — which I drew up 

 from below — to warp it securely, in order to prevent it from 

 slipping, I prepared to descend. 



To go down a rope thirty feet is a simple matter to those 

 accustomed to it, but having ruptured the muscles of my 

 shoulder in Norway eighteen months before, I had not re- 

 gained the proper use of it, which consequently made it 

 much more difficult. I threw over the stag's antler, pocketed 



