HALIJETUS ALBICILLA. 81 



the face of the precipice, and is still to be seen. When they 

 had their young the depredations of the old birds in the glen 

 gave rise to all sorts of stories — true and fabulous ; and the 

 robbing of this particular eyrie was considered either an 

 impossibility or one of the greatest proofs of courage and daring 

 that could be accomplished, as it was so high up, and the ledge 

 apparently so narrow that, in the event of a struggle with the 

 old birds, the daring adventurer was certain to be hurled off and 

 dashed lifeless on the rocks below (granting it had been possible 

 to reach the nest). But a young man smitten with love for a 

 maiden in the district — that most powerful of incentives — to gain 

 her affections, induced him to risk it. Like the Shetland lad — 



"He got up very early one morning, but alone, and by mid -day was 

 toiling up the rugged side of Craigmaskeldie ; the air was sultry, and not a 

 breath of wind tempered the sun that was reflected and intensified by the 

 rocks. He had not what is called ' a good head ' for climbing, and grew 

 dizzy — like the boy on the main truck when he happened to look below. 

 His want of experience led him to choose a devious and perilous path ; at 

 some places there was no path, and he was astonished at his good luck 

 when he reached the point aimed at, viz., a rocky summit which jutted 

 out from the mountain's brow, over the narrow ledge on which lay the 

 eagle's eyrie. From this point the nest was distinctly seen, tenanted by 

 three half -fledged eaglets ; both of the old birds were absent, and being 

 unmolested in such close proximity to their nest was the best proof that they 

 were on a far journey : for, when a mere speck in the sky, the keen eye of 

 the eagle can detect the tiniest lamb on the hillside and timid hare 

 crouching in the bracken. His plan was simple, he unwound from his 

 waist a coil of rope, which he tied round a knob of rock. Having tied the 

 other end under his shoulders he grasped the upper part of it and slowly let 

 himself down the face of the cliff. At a distance of 20 feet down he hung 

 in mid-air exactly opposite the nest, but about 7 feet from the ledge. By 

 jerking his feet repeatedly he set a pendulum motion agoing until his feet 

 touched the rock, against which he kicked with all his force and bounded 

 back, then rebounded with such violence when landing on the shelf that 

 it took all his staying power, along with a desperate clutch at the pro- 

 tuberances on the surface of the precipice, to prevent him from being hurled 

 off once more. The ledge was about 15 feet long and only 3 feet broad. 

 The eaglets stared at him with great composure as he lay exhausted on his 

 narrow resting-place quivering with fatigue and excitement. He could 

 hardly help smiling as they kept staring at him with an air of composed 

 ferocity, blinking at him as the white membrane came over their great, 

 bright yellow eyes — as yet unaccustomed to the full meridian glare. He 

 prepared for the coming conflict. His weapons were few- — a pair of pistols, 

 a sharp hunting knife, and a short, stout stick. He laid the stick and knife 

 within easy reach, and sat with a pistol in each hand. In this constrained 

 posture he remained two hours before any warning of danger came. It was 

 now past three o'clock, when a far-off faint scream reached his ear. The 

 eaglets grew suddenly excited, they began to flutter, their eyes to gleam, 

 and their ravenous beaks to open in the uttex-ance of hoarse, savage, gasping 

 cries. There was soon no mistaking the swift flight of the large bird 

 bearing down on the eyrie. He must have been concealed by the afternoon 

 shadow stealing over the face of the precipice, for it was within 200 yards 

 before the eagle suddenly swerved, and, with a piercing scream, swept up 

 the face of the crag till she was far overhead, at the same time letting her 



