208 THE ADIRONDACK. 



ment, with an excited gesture— then rapid as a flash 

 of light, and with a rush of his broad pinions, like the 

 passage of a sudden gust of wind, came to the stih 

 bosom of the lake. He had seen a huge salmon trout 

 swimming near the surface — and plunging from his 

 high watch-tower, drove his talons deep in his vic- 

 tim's back. So rapid and strong was his swoop that 

 he buried himself out of sight when ho struck, but tho 

 next moment he emerged into view, and flapping his 

 wings, endeavored to rise with his prey. But this 

 time he had miscalculated his strength — in vain he 

 struggled nobly to lift the salmon from the water. 

 The frightened and bleeding fish made a sudden dive, 

 and took eagle and all out of sight, and was gone a 

 quarter of a minute. Again they arose to the surface, 

 and the strong bird spread his broad, dripping pinions, 

 and gathering force with his rapid blows, raised the 

 salmon half out of water. The weight, however, was 

 too great for him, and he sank again to the surface, 

 beating the water into foam about him. The salmon 

 then made another dive, and they both went under, 

 leaving only a few bubbles to tell where they had 

 gone down. This time they were absent a full half 

 minute, and Beach said he thought it was all over 



