THE HERDS OF PROTEUS 77 



tons, with rifles borrowed from our host, deter- 

 mined that this time at least we would obtain 

 the coveted trophy. I do not dwell upon all 

 the incidents of the voyage ; suffice it to say 

 that, after a long beat to windward, we duly 

 arrived on the outside of the island, and, after 

 anchoring our little craft, rowed off in the dingey, 

 and effected a cautious and noiseless landing at 

 a somewhat difficult point just opposite the rock 

 where we hoped to find the seals. Should we 

 toss up or draw for first shot ? No ; that would 

 give but a poor chance to number two, as the 

 seals were not likely to wait for a second barrel. 

 So, after some discussion, we agreed to crawl up 

 side by side, each select a victim, and fire at 

 the word of command one two three. I am 

 not sure, now, that such an arrangement was 

 very likely to be successful, but it was the only 

 means of reconciling the claims of two sports- 

 men at one and the same stalk. Cautiously we 

 climbed up the steep side, and then, regardless of 

 scratches and running water, crawled along side 

 by side towards the point from which we hoped 

 to obtain an easy shot. We were almost on 

 the sky-line, and in another minute we should 

 have been resting ourselves and selecting our 

 mark, when a portentous bang awoke the echoes 

 for miles around, and we rushed, hoping against 

 hope, to the edge, only to see the rings in the 

 calm water round the rock, which clearly denoted 



