198 FOKEST CKEATUEES. 



With my right hand I then turned the eaglet quickly 

 on his back, which was not so easy, as he held on to the 

 stick with a convulsive grasp. Then letting go, I made 

 a grasp at his talons which were now turned upwards, 

 but caught only one of them, while with the other he 

 tried to seize my hand, but happily clutched the stick 

 instead : at the same instant, however, I got hold of the 

 second talon. I now with the right hand was able to 

 lay both talons in the two liberated fingers of my left hand : 

 with the right I then took the thong and quietly bound 

 them together in spite of his loud cries, his fluttering and 

 resolute resistance ; fastened the other end of the thong 

 to the upper button of my coat, and then repeated the 

 swinging movement so as to have my entire left hand for 

 holding on by. Both arm and hand were now getting 

 cramped, for I had been three quarters of an hour on the 

 ladder, and two-thirds of this time hanging to the nest. 

 Victory having been achieved, I therefore began to think 

 of effecting an orderly retreat. So, with my right hand, 

 I let my prisoner hang suspended behind me, in order 

 that he might not incommode me while descending, and 



the door was filled up by the sticks and brambles of the eyrie, and that 

 I eoidd just get my chin on the top of it. Well ; now look ! " — and 

 with a slight elastic movement, giving his body an upward swing, he 

 at the same instant let go of the door-handle and grasped it again ; but 

 this time only with three fingers, leaving forefinger and thumb free. 

 " There, now they are at liberty ; but to get them so, I was, you see, 

 obliged to risk that movement, and be for a moment without hold or 

 support." 



