130 THE MOOR AND THE LOCH. 



During the remainder of the day we tried every device, 

 both on land and water, to procure at least one female eider, 

 but failed, neither of two very distant chances from the boat 

 being successful. 



Next morning, the breeze having died away into a dead 

 calm, we were reduced to " wooden sails," a mode of progress 

 and approach relished neither by boatmen nor sea-fowl. At 

 every curl on the distant blue the former waved and whistled 

 for a breeze, but all in vain. They were forced to bend their 

 unwilling backs to a three-mile pull for another search of 

 Fiddery, with the poor prospect of a random shot by the way. 



The sight and sound of a row-boat always put wild-fowl on 

 their guard, and generally stimulate them to be alert and un- 

 easy; so, notwithstanding the frequent groups of eiders and 

 scoters floating all round on the quiet sea, the dip of the oars 

 scared each team far out of reach. Unfortunately, also, the 

 large flock of male and female eiders had posted themselves 

 outside the bays of Fiddery, beyond the reach of shot. As 

 they were most unlikely to move when the water was so 

 smooth, we had to change our tactics by taking post for a 

 flying chance, while the boatmen pulled round to drive them, 

 if possible, within range of our hiding-places. 



A bluff of detached and jagged rock rising abruptly in the 

 sea, a little to the west of the island, afforded me safe ambush, 

 while my son succeeded equally well in securing himself among 

 the rough stones of the Fiddery coast. We had thus a nar- 

 row sea between us, where the fowl, if judiciously flushed, 

 would be very likely to pass within reach of either gun, when 

 rounding the west corner of the island from its northern end, 

 where they were now seated. 



A few detached birds dashing past in mid-channel, and of 

 course out of reach, showed that the fishermen had succeeded 

 in their task. The main body soon followed this advanced- 

 guard. They simultaneously took wing, but soon separated 

 into three groups. Two of these kept the island side, but the 



