58 THE GREY SEAL AT CLOSE QUARTERS 



and a most interesting spectacle revealed. The 

 great beast lay with his huge bulk extended 

 on the sea-wrack, his head toward the shore, 

 his watchful gaze ever on the look-out for 

 possible disturbers as he slowly turned his dog- 

 like head. The powerful lenses seemed to 

 bring him almost within touching distance, and 

 disclosed scars and gashes on his head and 

 neck, some seemingly but half-healed. There 

 was no room for doubt that we saw before us a 

 magnificent old bull of the great or grey seal, 

 fresh from battle with his kind, as is their way 

 at mating time. 



For an hour or more this fascinating spectacle 

 was watched. The bright light of a fine summer 

 day shimmered on his coat, which seemed to 

 change from silvery grey to darker grizzle as 

 his sluggish movements now and again changed 

 the fall of the light or the lie of his coat. 

 Gradually the rising tide encroached until it 

 encircled the little height on which he lay, then 

 at length he stretched his head and neck, and 

 with a graceful gliding motion slipped down- 

 ward without splash or apparent exertion into 

 the depths and was seen no more. 



It would have been just as easy to have 

 brought the Mannlicher rifle instead of the 

 stalking-glasses ; it was a fairly easy ' chance ' 



