CHAP, xxix.] ADVENTURE WITH A SEAL. 229 



About the same period of the rise of the tide, th'e monster ap- 

 peared again. Donald cocked his gun, and crouched down 

 behind his ambuscade of seaweed and shingle, ready for the 

 animal's head to appear within shot. This soon happened, but 

 instead of swimming on with the tide, the seal came straight to 

 the shore, not above ten yards from where his mortal enemy was 

 lying concealed. The water was deep to the very edge, and the 

 great unwieldy beast clambered up the steep beach, and was very 

 soon high and dry, a few yards from the muzzle of Donald's gun, 

 which was immediately pointed at him, but from the position in 

 which the seal was lying he could not get a shot at the head, the 

 only part where a wound would prove immediately fatal. Donald 

 waited some time, in hopes that the animal would turn or lift 

 his head, but at last losing patience, he gave a low whistle, 

 which had the immediate effect of making the animal lift its 

 head to listen. The gun was immediately discharged, and the 

 ball passed through the seal's neck, close to the head. Up ran 

 Donald, and flinging down his gun, seized one of the immense 

 fins or flippers of the beast, which he could scarcely span with 

 both hands. The seal was bleeding like a pig at the throat, and 

 quite stunned at the same time, but though it did not struggle, 

 it showed a kind of inclination to move towards the water, which 

 obliged Donald to stick his heels into the ground, and to lean 

 back, holding on with all his strength to prevent the escape of 

 the enormous beast. " 'Deed, Sir," said Donald, " if you 

 believe me, he was as big as any Hieland stirk in the parish." 

 Well, there the two remained for above an hour motionless, 

 but always straining against each other, Donald's object being 

 to keep the seal in the same place till the tide had receded to 

 some distance, and then to dispatch him how he best could. 

 Many a wistful glance he cast at his gun, which he had so rashly 

 flung clown without reloading; the said gun being, as he said, 

 " but a bit trifling single-barrelled thing, lent him by a shoe- 

 maker lad, who whiles took a shot along the shore" in other 

 words, who poached more hares than he made shoes. 



After they had remained in this uncomfortable position for a 

 long time, till Donald's hands had become perfectly cramped 

 and stiff, the seal suddenly seemed to recover himself, and turning 

 round to see what was holding him, looked the man full in the 



