ughts for some time, I
resolved to drop a stone down and listen to the echo; having found one
that answered my purpose, I placed myself over the hole, with one foot
on each side, and stooping down to listen, I dropped the stone, which I
had no sooner done than I heard a rustling below, and suddenly a
monstrous eagle put up its head right opposite my face, and rising up
with irresistible force, carried me away, seated on its shoulders: I
instantly grasped it around the neck, which was large enough to fill my
arms, and its wings, when extended, were ten yards from one extremity to
the other. As it rose with a regular ascent, my seat was perfectly easy,
and I enjoyed the prospect below with inexpressible pleasure. It hovered
over Margate for some time, was seen by several people, and many shots
were fired at it; one ball hit the heel of my shoe, but did me no
injury. It then directed its course to Dover Cliff, where it alighted,
and I thought of dismounting, but was prevented by a sudden discharge of
musketry from a party of marines that were exercising on the beach; the
balls flew about my head, and rattled on the feathers of the eagle like
hailstones, yet I could not perceive it had received any injury. It
instantly reascended and flew over the sea towards Calais, but so very
high that the Channel seemed to be no broader than the Thames at London
Bridge. In a quarter of an hour I found myself over a thick wood in
France, when the eagle descended very rapidly, which caused me to slip
down to the back part of its head; but as it alighted on a large tree,
and raised its head, I recovered my seat as before, but saw no
possibility of disengaging myself without the danger of being killed by
the fall; so I determined to sit fast, thinking it would carry me to the
Alps, or some other high mountain, where I could dismount without any
danger. After resting a few minutes it took wing, flew several times
round the wood, and screamed loud enough to be heard across the English
Channel. In a few minutes one of the same species arose out of the wood,
and flew directly towards us; it surveyed me with evident marks of
displeasure, and came very near me. After flying several times round,
they both directed their course to the southwest. I soon observed that
the one I rode upon could not keep pace with the other, but inclined
towards the earth, on account of my weight; its companion perceiving
this, turned round and placed itself in such a po