80 HISTORY OF 



of a most delightful climate, eating their dinner 

 in the outer air with several large dishes of boil- 

 ed goats flesh before them, this eagle suddenly 

 made its appearance : .he did not stoop rapidly 

 from a height, but came flying slowly along the 

 ground, and sat down close to the meat within 

 the ring the men had made round it. A great 

 shout, or rather cry of distress, which they raised, 

 made the bird stand for a minute as if to recol- 

 lect himself, while the servants ran for their 

 lances and shields. His attention was fully fixed 

 upon the flesh. He put his foot into the pan 

 where was a large piece in water prepared for 

 boiling ; but finding the smart which he had not 

 expected, he withdrew it, and forsook the piece 

 which he held. There were two large pieces, a 

 leg and a shoulder, lying upon a wooden platter ; 

 into these he trussed both his claws and carried 

 them off, skimming slowly along the ground as 

 he had come, till he disappeared behind a cliff. 

 But being observed at his departure to look wist- 

 fully at the large piece which remained in the 

 warm water, it was concluded that he would 

 soon return, in expectation of which Mr Bruce 

 loaded a rifle-gun with ball, and sat down close 

 to the platter by the meat. It was not many 

 minutes before he came, and a prodigious shout 

 was raised by the attendants, " He is coming, 

 he is coming !" enough to have discouraged a less 

 courageous animal. Whether it was not quite 

 so hungry as at the first visit, or suspected some- 

 thing from Mr Bruce* s appearance, it made a 

 small turn, and sat down about ten yards from 



