THE GOLDEN EAGLE. 
113 
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 
VOL. i. ^ l 
