THE WILDS OF SUTHERLAND. 251 



taken in rear, and, coasting the mainland, seemed 

 inclined to shirk a passage between the islets. 

 This move forced me to change ground to the 

 opposite side of my island. I soon, however, saw 

 them cross over and make for the very passage 

 we had set them. Instantly regaining my first 

 ambush, I had a full view of the splendid birds. 

 In their gorgeous spring plumage their feathers 

 absolutely gleamed in the sunlight. Bounding 

 the point of my islet, they turned into the straits 

 between the guns. My son had seen me creep 

 away to the other side of my ambuscade, but was 

 too much occupied with the divers to notice my 

 return. He therefore thought that all depended 

 on his gun, however distant the chance. 



The birds were almost within reach when both 

 dived, but soon came to the surface again, a near 

 shot from me, and consequently a far one from 

 him. A perceptible difference in size enabled 

 both of us to mark the male, and my duck-gun 

 had covered him, while my finger was just touch- 

 ing the trigger, when an opposite shot prostrated 

 him on the surface. My feeling at the moment 

 was like a person going down-stairs in the dark, 



