OF THE SCOTTISH COASTS. 137 



sand-banks and rocks. Sometimes they are de- 

 stroyed by recurved iron pikes secured in beams of 

 wood fixed on the banks which they frequent, near 

 low water mark ; the Seals, at the proper time of 

 the tide, are surprised, and driven rapidly into the 

 water, when they are interrupted by the pikes, and 

 despatched with clubs. According to Dean Monroe, 

 the Seals of Islay were slain by the help of trained 

 dogs, Martin, in his " Western Islands,"* makes 

 mention of a rock ofFN. Uist, where there is an an- 

 nual fishing in the month of October. A number of 

 boats resort to the island with people sufficient to 

 guard all the passages, and, on a signal given, the 

 general attack begins, and sometimes 300 young 

 and old are killed in the encounter. In Shetland, we 

 learn from Mr Edmonston, that they are sometimes 

 taken by setting a net, generally at night, a little 

 before full tide, around those rocks which are known 

 to be their favourite haunts, taking care that the 

 upper edge of the net be sunk to such a depth as 

 shall admit of the Seals swimming over it. The 

 Seals almost universally lay themselves on the rocks 

 when the wind is off shore, soon after the water be- 

 gins to fall. When they have been observed to 

 have done so and time has been allowed for the 

 tide to fall sufficiently to bring the edge of the 

 net to the surface, a sudden alarm is given, and 

 the Seals, in their hurry to escape, regardless of 

 every other consideration, become entangled in the 



* P. 62. 



