SEAL-SHOOTING. 337 



out through the brain behind. Of course she was 

 perfectly dead ; this, however, I did not know at the 

 time, and not being a very expert swimmer, though she 

 floated on the surface, within twelve or fifteen yards of 

 me, I scarcely liked venturing into deep water, lest on 

 being touched she might partially revive, and deal me 

 an unpleasant cuff in an element where I had the 

 disadvantage. However, as she gradually began to 

 drift away with the tide, I saw there was nothing else 

 to be done, so stripping as rapidly as possible, I 

 screwed up the necessary courage and swam out ; a few 

 cautious strokes brought me alongside ; I gave the body 

 a gentle push, but no signs of life appeared ; the push 

 was repeated, this time less gently but with the same 

 result ; and now assured that there was no danger, I 

 swam towards the shore, shoving my prize before me. 

 But the body thus easily propelled while afloat, I could 

 not move a foot when once it had touched the ground ; 

 and all my efforts proving of no avail, I at once hurried 

 into my clothes, and set off at the top of my speed to 

 the nearest point where a boat was to be found ; this 

 was a distance of about two miles. However, I 

 fortunately obtained four stout men, who speedily 

 pulled me back to the promontory, where to my 

 delight the seal was still lying, the tide having only 

 altered its position by a very few feet. She was a very 

 large beast, being nearly eight feet long, and from her 

 weight our united efforts were insufficient to get the 

 body into the boat. But she was soon made fast by a 

 stout line, and in this way we towed her to the harbour 

 in triumph. In a few days her fat had become oil, and 

 her skin had been cut up into " spleuchans," the best 

 kind of pouch with which I am acquainted for pre- 

 serving tobacco. 



The next day I got the same boat and crew and 



16 



