A CHILD CAPTURED BY- AN EAGLE.
A child was captured by an eagle near Meigsville, Tennesse, on Christinas Eve, 1868, and carried about two miles before it was rescued. He was a bright little fellow, just old enough to be learning to walk. When no one was in the house he managed to roll out of his trundle-bed, and crawl into the front yard. A great grey eagle came swooping down and fastened its immense talons in the clothing, of the little boy, then rose up with much difficulty and sailed off across the adjacent woods, just Bkimming the tops of the trees. Its course lay towards the Cumberland River. A servant girl saw the eagle and gave chase. She dashed into the tangled wood and tried to keep a straight line, thinking the bird would do the same. The patch of wood was fully a mile and a-half through, but the girl made the run to the other edge of it without feeling fatigue. Beyond the wood, and between it and the Cumberland River, lay a patch of cleared ground, partly marshy and partly corn fields, full of old Btumps. When the girl left the wood, and had a clear view, she saw the eagle in the air; he seemed inclined to alight with his burden somewhere in the vicinity of the river. This gave her new courage. It happened that there was a man hunting in the neighbouring marshes, and just at the moment when the eagle reached the ground with hi 9 burden a shot went off so dangerously near him that he mounted into the air again, but this time without the boy. The pursuing girl began a vigorous shouting as she ran, which attracted the hunter's a'tention, who, seeing the eagle quite near him, and a lady rushing j down the slope with streaming hair and gar- 1 rnents, and wildly shouting, concluded at once that there was something strange, and perhaps dreadful, in his immediate vicinity; he also set up a vigorous hallooing, and proceeded to re-load his gun. The eagle soon became aware of the opposition he would meet if he attempted to recapture hia prey, hovered over the Bpot for a moment, and then wheeled round in one grand sweep across the river, and disappeared behind the shelving rock which forms the opposite bank. When the girl came down to the hunter, she fell stiff, and was not able even to indicate what was the matter, 'ihe rough gallant then heard'the scream of a child, and soon found a fine, healthy, rosy boy, with torn clothes, but otherwise uninjured, endeavouring to rise upon his little feet. The tears streamed down his innocent cheeks, and his face wore a most piteous expression. The hunter took the baby in his arms and carried it to the girl, who was now recovered. She clasped it to her bosom, covered it with kisses, and wept with joy. The parents in the meantime had missed the little one, and had become very uneasy. There as wlaughing and crying enough when the wanderers returned, and the wonderful voyage of the little fellow was explained.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TS18691231.2.12
Bibliographic details
Star (Christchurch), Issue 505, 31 December 1869, Page 3
Word Count
526A CHILD CAPTURED BY-AN EAGLE. Star (Christchurch), Issue 505, 31 December 1869, Page 3
Using This Item
No known copyright (New Zealand)
To the best of the National Library of New Zealand’s knowledge, under New Zealand law, there is no copyright in this item in New Zealand.
You can copy this item, share it, and post it on a blog or website. It can be modified, remixed and built upon. It can be used commercially. If reproducing this item, it is helpful to include the source.
For further information please refer to the Copyright guide.