DARING OF AN EAGLE. 33 



vented it diving much, still it managed to make 

 considerable progress over the surface of the water, 

 so that it was at least a hundred yards out in the 

 lake before it was laid hold of. I had observed pre- 

 viously a white-headed eagle hovering overhead, just 

 sufficiently distant to be out of shot. Well, I thought 

 I knew what the villain was after, for frequently 

 before that day they had robbed me ofwounded"fowl," 

 but I had a new experience now to learn. With 

 a swoop, as remarkable for its velocity as the fish- 

 hawk's, tern's, or gannet's, it descended, I supposed 

 for the bird ; no such thing, the dog was the object 

 of its attack. There was no hesitation displayed, no 

 vacillation of purpose ; Snow was pressed down for 

 some moments beneath the surface of the water, and 

 in an instant after his assailant arose, taking my 

 poor dog aloft with him. The victim, as far as I 

 could distinguish, had no power to make an effective 

 resistance, although he struggled with considerable 

 energy, as he was held by one of the talons across 

 the neck, while the other grasped the small of 

 the back. When an elevation of over a hundred 

 feet had been obtained by the assailant and victim, 

 I fired both barrels over the bird. The shots, 

 which could have no injurious effect at such long 

 range, caused the eagle to relinquish hold of his 

 prey, but scarcely had the terrier reached the 

 water when he was again seized, this time by the 

 head and back, and taken off to the other side of the 

 lake, in spite of the two bullets I fired at long range 

 after them. 



I was utterly powerless to assist my favourite, for 

 no canoe was at hand, and if it had been I doubt 

 very much indeed whether I could have rendered 

 effective aid. 



At my request, that afternoon two of the Indians 

 crossed the lake, to learn, if possible, further par- 

 ticulars of my pet's fate. Evidence was abundantly 



D 



