Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 5.djvu/270

260 fort took an airing on horseback, in which my troublesome knee, much to my vexation, prevented my joining.

January 1, 1826: The commencement of a new year, in such a far-removed corner of the globe, where I am almost cut off from all civilized society, suggests many reflections. On New Year's Day, 1824, I was on the Atlantic, returning to my native land from North America; on the same day, this time twelvemonth, I was scudding over the Pacific, between the Island of Juan Fernandez and the Gallipagos; and as to where I may be ere another year revolves, is known only to the all-wise Disposer of events.

So few events occurred between this date and the 1st of March that my journal is not worth transcribing. I may, however, mention some birds of this country that came under my notice; and first, the Silver-headed Eagle (Aquila leucocephala of Richardson and Swainson?), a grand creature, abundant wherever there are rivers containing fish. These birds perch on dead trees and stumps overhanging the water, and are invariably found near cascades and falls. They are wary and difficult to be killed, although other species of eagles do sometimes overcome them. The voice is a shrill whistle. They build their nests in large trees, not confining themselves to dead trunks, and appear always to select the most conspicuous situations, such as the tops of steep rocks, points and necks of land, where they may be almost certainly looked for. Two, three, and four young ones are hatched at a time, which keep the nest, and continue on the tree much longer than most birds, seldom quitting the vicinity of the place where they are reared. The color of the first plumage is a brownish-black, which in the first spring assumes a mottled grey, lightest on the head and tail; the second year these parts become perfectly white, and the body black. I killed one of these birds flying, last July, during an excursion of twelve days, which I had made principally for the sake of obtaining the roots or seeds of a Cyperus mentioned by Pursh