OWL AND MAN.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2145, 7 June 1889, Page 2

OWL AND MAN.

(Forest and Stream) Ihe scene of a singular encounter between a man and an owl has often been pointed out to me by my gnideff. The occurrence is well known, and if I mistake opt the hero of it m etill living m the vicinity. A toamster, taking m a load of baled hay to a lumber camp by the w <y of the old ' tote road' from tirowmille to the Jo Merry Lakes, stopped late m the afternoon to bait hi * horses. His halt was under a big yellow birch, and while his horses munched their outs the teutnster coiled himself up on the top of bis load and palled his blanket over him for a little nap. Whether he slept longer than he intended I do not koow, but when he awoke it was nearly dusk. He with a quick movement drew his blanket from his face, when instantly liia faoei was pierced deeply by sharp and crnel talons. This fierce onslaught had been made by a huge owl, which, * oa seeing hia white face suddenly revealed, and doubtless taking it for a rabbit or some siioh animal, had instantly pounced with all his energy from the tree above. The assaulted man, frenzied with pain and terror, and not m the least knowing what had seized him, grasped derparately nt hia enemy, and clutching the legs of the owl with one hand and its neck with the other, actually, by one' wrench tore Its head from its body; How he extricated the talons from his face and how he made his way to the clearings and help the man hardly koetr. Ibalieve by great good fortune hia eyes were not destroyed, but fora long time the swollen condition of his face prevented him from seeing, and I have often heard a description of his appearance during that period.