THE HERDS OF PROTEUS 79 



you least expect him, and it is not an easy thing 

 to snatch up your rifle and get a good shot at him 

 before he is down again. If he has been up any 

 time, it is ten to one that he is watching you, and 

 that he will duck the flash ; and with both boat 

 and seal in motion it is not easy to take an 

 accurate aim. 



However, a day came at last when I fired a 

 successful shot from the gig between Poltalloch 

 farm and Eil-an-righ, and although the seal 

 disappeared, the reddened water showed clearly 

 enough that the shot had struck home. I feared 

 he was lost ; but after a few minutes he rose to 

 the surface about sixty yards farther off, and we 

 pursued him in the boat, his dives growing shorter 

 and shorter each time he rose. At last w r e 

 approached sufficiently near him to drive a long 

 trident-shaped barbed fish-spear into his body, 

 and we had almost got him to the side of the 

 boat when he gave a convulsive struggle, twisted 

 the strong triple barbs almost into the shape of 

 fish-hooks, and once more dropped off into the 

 deep water. I feared that he was lost to me after 

 all, but this was his last effort, and when he rose 

 again we were able to secure him with the spear 

 and lift him on board. The skin was mine at 

 last, but sadly spoiled by the wounds inflicted 

 by the barbs in his struggle to get off. 



I pause for a moment in my narrative to discuss 

 the vexed question whether a seal shot in the 



