382 
SOUTHERN AFRICA. 
story, As it was, however, having let go with 
one hand before the other, the fall was thns 
swerved in a sidelong direction, and so brought 
him clear of the river, and into the centre of 
a dense " Vyacht-um-bige" thorn tree. This, 
breaking his fall, saved his life, but at the 
expense of his skin and clothes, which were 
lacerated and torn in a most serious manner. 
So bruised was he, that he felt little inclined to 
renew the attack ; still not liking to be van- 
quished by a bird, he mounted once more, this 
time scaling the tree instead of the rock. Hav- 
ing reached the first fork of this, he found 
himself stopped by the slender length of the 
branches, on which the nest rested, and which 
would not bear the weight of the body. De- 
murring as to how to proceed, he was fiercely 
assailed by the second falcon, on whose eggs he 
meditated his attack. She had been compla- 
cently watching him, from her lofty eyry, and 
encouraged by the former successful onslaught 
of her neighbour, now tried the force of her 
talons on his face and courage. For several 
minutes, he resolutely maintained his position, 
to the eminent danger of his eyes, which she 
attacked violently, but at length he had again 
to beat a retreat ; and it was not until he re- 
turned a third time to the charge, in the after- 
noon, accompanied by a friend, a rope, and a 
