HUNTING AND SHOOTING 113 



up ; then stalking- the animal by running from cover 

 to cover whenever he sinks out of sight. Then, on 

 reaching the beach, going cautiously between the big 

 boulders to a good shooting-place and poking the rifle 

 over one of the stones, shielding it and self from sight 

 as carefully as possible. There one has to wait, 

 perhaps with the tide coming in over one's legs, until 

 in the course of his antics the seal's head rises within 

 sure shooting distance ; then a careful aim, and a 

 bang. The boatmen hearing the sound, come rowing 

 as hard as they can round the corner, lest the seal 

 should sink and be lost. He ought to be shot dead, 

 or not touched at all. The oozing blubber of the 

 animal makes a circular calm round the spot where 

 he is shot, with the bloodstain in the middle. A 

 boat-hook secures the seal even if he should have 

 sunk four or five feet. His market value is a few 

 shillings ; the boatmen get him as their perquisite. 



I heard a story about the domesticity of the seal, 

 as having recurred, with variations in detail, at more 

 than one place. A young seal was caught and 

 became quite at home with the fisherman, coming to 

 his house for company, for warmth in the winter-time, 

 and for food. It was petted until its size made it too 

 big for a pet and troublesome to the children. Then 

 the fisherman, sad at heart, took it with him in his 

 boat, far away to the fishing-ground, and threw it 

 overboard. Some days later, when the family were 

 at supper, rather dismal at the loss of their old friend, 

 they heard the familiar sound of scuffling and scratch- 

 ing, and on opening the door, in flopped the seal. 



I used to watch the breeding-places of the sea 



birds, of which there were multitudes, of perhaps twenty 

 8 



