84 AUTUMNS IN ARGYLLSHIRE 



perhaps a mile ; but we are not tempted to fire 

 till we have explored the rocks. The glassy 

 surface looks as if it could never be ruffled, but 

 appearances are deceptive, and it is not a nice 

 place to be attempted by unskilled boatmen or 

 with a fastened sheet. Like all Highland lochs 

 under high hills, it is very subject to squalls, 

 which sweep down with extraordinary sudden- 

 ness and great violence. But our boatmen are 

 both capable and cautious ; to-day, however, 

 there is no need for their skill or care, for we 

 pursue our course under a sapphire sky till we 

 reach the landing-place at Eil-an-righ. Some 

 of the party stop by the beautiful spring, in 

 its nest of hart's - tongue and lady-fern, sur- 

 rounded by boulders covered with moss and 

 hymenophyllum, while I and two of the ladies 

 go up the path to spy the rocks. No need of 

 caution here, as we are more than half a mile 

 off, so we seat ourselves on a boulder and care- 

 fully spy. Sure enough there are four seals on 

 the nearest rock : one or two wriggling and 

 twisting their heads and tails round in awkward 

 and ungainly attitudes, one large dark fellow 

 lying perfectly still with his head turned towards 

 the shore. I carefully mark the exact spot, and, 

 leaving the others to watch, take my single- 

 barrelled Henry out of its case and start off on 

 my stalk. It is easy enough to get within three 

 hundred yards. Up to that point I have shelter, 



