^a ^angtJak, 329 



shot, and its tongue was set fast in the cleft : it could not 

 make much resistance, and was carried home captive. But 

 when relieved and restored, it became so violent that it was 

 necessarily killed. Its mate brought a successor from a 

 distance, a much smaller bird, and of a different species. 

 They built, however, for fourteen more years in Borrowdale, 

 before they flew over to Eskdale. They were not long left 

 in peace there ; and when the larger bird was at length shot, 

 his mate disappeared entirely. Such devastation as was 

 caused by these birds is not heard of now ; but while there 

 are crags aloft, and lambs in the vales, there will be more or 

 fewer, nobler or meaner birds of prey. We are unable to 

 ascertain positively, amidst conflicting testimony, whether 

 any eagles at all remain in the region. Three gentlemen — 

 two of whom are travelled men, and not likely to be mis- 

 taken in such a matter — declare that, in 1850, they saw 

 one sweep down Scandale Fell into Kirkstone Pass, and 

 rest on a crag in the vale, some way above Brothers' Water. 

 There is, however, a preponderance of disbelief of there 

 being now any nest or settlement of eagles among the 

 mountains of Westmorland and Cumberland. 



From Sty Head Tarn to iSptinfelincf 5E^am, and on to 

 ^.S^ngU ^axn there is a track whose general course is due 

 south-westward, running under Great End and Bow Fell on 

 the right, the Longstrath Valley, leading into the Stake Pass 

 and to Rosthwaite, opening out on the left. The descent 

 into Langdale by ^ossett ©ill is decidedly rough travel- 

 ling for a mile, and then we have two miles of cart-road 

 at the head of the Great Langdale Valley, before reaching 

 the Dungeon Gill Hotel. 



The return journey to Buttermere might be by Wastdale 

 Head, Black Sail and Scarth Gap. 



