76 AUTUMNS IN ARGYLESHIRE 



clear water, and were now lazily sunning our- 

 selves on the rock, from which in those days the 

 stake-nets extended far into the bay. There, on 

 the glassy surface, appeared the head of a large 

 seal. We were a somewhat noisy party, and 

 very conspicuous with our white towels, but the 

 seal swam straight towards us, turning neither 

 to the right hand nor to the left. He knew it 

 was Sunday just as well as we did as almost 

 every kind of wild animal does and he literally 

 approached within thirty yards of us, and in 

 another minute we could see the corks of the 

 net shaking, as he explored its meshes in the 

 hope of getting a salmon without the trouble of 

 hunting it. This was more than we could stand, 

 and we pelted him with stones till we "made 

 him leave that." 



This sight renewed in me the desire to get 

 the skin of a seal of my own killing, and I 

 confided my wish to my good-natured host, then, 

 as always, desirous that every guest should enjoy 

 the sport which pleased him best. The keepers 

 were consulted, and reported that seals in large 

 numbers frequented a rock opposite the Goat 

 Island in Loch Craignish, and that it would not 

 be difficult, by landing on the far side and crawl- 

 ing cautiously to the top, to get a good shot. 

 Three days afterwards the tide was reported to 

 be suitable, and we set sail in the Troich Dhu 

 (Black Dwarf), a little half-decked yacht of five 



