210 ACCESSIBLE FIELD SPORTS, 



ing on either side ; one of the latter, of a pink, salmon 

 colour,* rose so close to the boat as almost to be within 

 reach of the oars. In the mouth of the river several 

 sea-trout were taken, one a splendid fellow nearly six 

 pounds. At first when he was struck, we thought 

 it was a salmon from the rush he made, but soon 

 after his spring from the water told us that our adver- 

 sary was only first cousin to the king of game fish. 

 On arrival at the place of disembarkation, the colour 

 of the river pleased me much, being scarcely as clear as 

 the day before, possibly caused by a shower up country, 

 or some light slate-coloured clouds that floated in the 

 westward heavens. As I marched up the course of 

 the stream, I found not less than a dozen seals having 

 a grand pow-wow, and with the hope of learning some- 

 thing of the habits of these strange Amphibia, or their 

 method of catching their prey, I watched them from 

 behind a rock ; but the appearance of the captain on 

 the other side of the stream, who was unaware of my 

 ruse, put them all to rout like a flock of scared 

 sheep ; nor did they again show themselves till they 

 were several hundred yards down the river. 



I have never been able to learn to my satisfaction, 

 from books or friends, how these ungainly creatures 

 catch their prey, more especially when I know with what 

 * White porpoise, common in many parts of the world. 



