116 THE GOLDEN EAGLE. 



were, from the clouds. On looking in the direc- 

 tion from whence it came, we soon perceived a 

 small dark speck moving steadily on towards us. 

 It was a Golden Eagle, evidently coming from 

 the plain countries below; on drawing nearer we 

 could see that his wings scarcely ever moved; he 

 seemed to float, or sail in mid-air, rather than fly; 

 though now and then, indeed, they slowly flapped 

 as if to steady him. As he was approaching in 

 a direct line, we hid ourselves behind a rock, and 

 watched his motions through a telescope. When 

 first seen he could not have been at a less dis- 

 tance than a mile, but in less than a minute, he 

 was within gun-shot, and after looking round once 

 or twice, he darted down his legs, slightly quivered, 

 and alighted on a rock, within a few yards. For a 

 moment he gazed about with his sharp bright eyes, 

 as if to assure himself that all was safe ; he then, for 

 a few moments more, nestled his head beneath one 

 of his expanded wings, and appeared to plume him- 

 self. Having done this, he stretched out his neck, 

 and looked keenly and wistfully towards the quar- 

 ter of the heavens from whence he came, and uttered 

 a few rapid screams ; then stamping with his feet, we 

 saw him protrude his long-hooked talons, at the same 

 time snapping his hooked beak, with a sharp jerking 

 noise, like the crack of a whip. There he remained 

 for about ten minutes, manifesting great restlessness, 

 not a single instant quiet; when suddenly he seemed 

 to hear or see something, and immediately rising 

 from the rock on which he stood, launched himself 

 into the air, and floated away as before, uttering 

 the same shrill cry; and looking round we beheld 



