SEALS. 59 



propel itself with speed through the water, it presses 

 the hind feet together so as to form them into a single 

 paddle, and, by swaying the body sharply from side 

 to side, propels itself through the water just as a man 

 "sculls" a boat with a single oar at the stern. 



I once took advantage of this mode of propulsion 

 perhaps rather an unfair one. Many years ago I had 

 obtained permission to go with a party of friends to 

 fish in the great Swindon reservoir. We were received 

 by a surly keeper, who would not let us fish from the 

 bank, but put us into a punt, rowed us to an old barge 

 that was anchored in the middle of the reservoir, and 

 then rowed off again, leaving us prisoners until he chose 

 to release us. 



When he was out of sight I first thought of cutting 

 the rope, and swimming ashore with the barge, but 

 presently hit upon a much better plan. We took the 

 butt-joints of our fishing rods, put them into the holes 

 of the capstan, and succeeded in getting up the anchor. 

 We then shifted the rods to the rudder and used them 

 by way of a tiller, that article, as well as oars, poles, 

 etc., having been carefully removed. 



By working the rudder backwards and forwards 

 we soon got the barge into movement, and traversed 

 the whole of the reservoir at will, visiting various islets, 

 and procuring the eggs of coots and other water birds. 

 At last, we took the barge to the furthest end of the 

 reservoir, got ashore, and then pushed the barge back 

 into the water. 



The keeper's rage was unbounded when we pre- 

 sented ourselves at the door of the enclosure, he think- 

 ing that we were prisoners all the while, and not 



