226 DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 



As we made for the next ground we heard the 

 puffings, and saw the passing, of a hastening school 

 of porpoise whose speed and gambols conveyed the 

 notion that they were hurrying off to some merry- 

 making. There was plenty to make us feel the 

 wildness of the place for, added to the other sights, 

 there came to view, just as we received the order 

 to let out again, in the depths that run close to the 

 rocky sides of the bay, a monstrous, grey-headed 

 seal. Its rising was commented on by our second 

 boatman, who seemed to give the creature a name 

 of recognition and to speak of it in conjunction 

 with salmon nets, but, to interrupt inquiries, we 

 received indications that we were amongst pollack 

 again. It was along this fruitful stretch that we 

 finished our all too short day and, when the reckon- 

 ing came, we found we had quite a grand take of 

 fish, over 200 pounds in weight and thirty-one in 

 number. 



Where our driver had been meanwhile, or how 

 employed, I did not ask, but we found him just 

 where we had left him, waiting to help drag in the 

 boat, and, as soon as he caught a sight of the fish, he 

 exclaimed : " Shure and didn't I tell yer honours we 

 should get the fish ? And it's ivery one av thim 

 we'll be taking back for ividence against the same 

 spalpeens that doubted me." He looked at us eager 

 for assent. I had some compunction about taking 

 all the fish but got over it by promising the men 

 that all we might catch on the morrow should be 

 left with them. 



Pat's tongue on the homeward journey was given 

 nearly equally to all three of us, my son, myself and 

 Kitty. If there was any difference the greatest 



