268 DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 



that in their scampering up offered easy shots. At 

 last the dog's action said : " Look out, your turn 

 has come," and I brought down a right and left in 

 spite of my having to take them while resting 

 against my kneeling leg, while the other, with its 

 foot somewhere down below, propped me up. The 

 boy's interest in the proceedings, that had died out 

 when I allowed the hares to pass, took fresh life ; 

 the dog looked happy and I fear the shooter was 

 unduly puffed out with pride. To shoot hares going 

 up or grouse going forward would not elate me, but 

 try your hand at birds that rise only inches above 

 the heather and then drop down a mountain-side 

 and, if you succeed in killing clean, what you will 

 feel is what I felt. Pride often lends itself to failure 

 and my pride gave me away at my next attempt. I 

 waited just a moment to increase the distance and 

 the birds dropped under me to where I could not 

 bring my gun. The dog seemed conscious as to 

 why I had failed to fire as, after that, he used all 

 his cunning to get below the birds and cause them 

 to make a rise that enabled me to take them as one 

 does pigeons coming from a trap. 



Birds were anything but plentiful ; they could 

 scarcely be expected in great numbers where cover 

 and food were scanty, but the good dog made the 

 very best of all his chances and I was pleased with my 

 day for grouse well up on a Connemara mountain. 



The relation of my Leenane experiences had 

 carried us on to near bedtime and, as we proposed 

 making an early fishing start, we were not long in 

 saying " Good-night " and " Good-bye " to our friend 

 in need, Captain Shimmer, whom we had cause to 

 bless many times thereafter. 



