SEAL -SHOOTING. 93 



a mark than if the seal had been actually swim- 

 ming. It was impossible to get closer than the 

 gate, which, however, gave the advantage of a fine 

 rest. 



I always like shooting ball at objects in water, 

 as a man is at once aware what kind of shot he 

 has made. In this instance I did not expect to hit, 

 but determined in the face of four witnesses to go 

 as near as possible to my aim. I never fired with 

 more deliberate calculation, but own I was nearly 

 as surprised as the onlookers when the animal 

 stretched on the surface dead. There was a rush 

 by the two fleetest of our party for the rickety 

 skiff, but long ere it was possible to pull round, I 

 had the mortification to see my prize turn on its 

 back and sink. I directed the rowers to the very 

 spot, but although there were two pairs of as sharp 

 eyes as ever scanned the deep, they could see 

 nothing white at the bottom. On coming into the 

 skiff I at once perceived that there was no possi- 

 bility of detecting the object of our search, except 

 at the lowest ebb of the tide. 



Our interrupted deer-hunt was again resumed, 

 but there being neither hoof nor horn to delay us 



