Stalking Seals with a Camera 357) 
wet higher than the knee. My next discovery was that I could proceed no further 
in that direction without giving the seals my wind, so was obliged to retrace 
my steps, mount a small precipice, and have another look round to determine upon 
a different plan of action. I saw at once that by letting myself slowly down a 
steep heather-bank I could drop right out of sight of the seals, and then I should 
have merely to walk across some seaweed and cautiously push my head over some 
rock, when I judged I should be some thirty yards from the animals. The only 
objection to this plan was that when sliding down the bank I should be im full 
view of the seals. However, I determined to risk it, knowing well that if only 
IT could slide down the bank slowly enough the seals, although they would see me, 
would not take much notice of me. I clutched the heather with both hands and 
began to descend. An old bull seal immediately put up his head and watched me 
intently. I tried to stop myself at once, but my grip of the heather loosened ’ little 
by little; however, I went out of sight down the bank so slowly that the seal thought 
BASKING, 
nothing of it. Arrived at the bottom I was next obliged to wade through the sea 
until I reached a little island of rock. First _I pushed my head, inch by inch, -over 
the* top of the rock until I could see that the seals were there. As luck would 
have it they had not moved. Cautiously I shoved my camera into position, an 
operation which took me several minutes. Every time the old seal moved his head J 
stopped pushing the camera forward. At last all was im readiness, and I pressed the 
button. Every seal jumped when the click of the shutter was heard. I could not 
help chuckling to myself as I quietly pulled back the camera an inch at a time to change 
the plate. I took two or three photographs, the animals starting and looking round 
every time they heard the shutter go. I became emboldened, and began to crawl over 
the rock towards them, pushing the camera on in front of me. At last I got 
within twenty yards, when I took a photograph. The old bull watched me all the 
while as I crawled still nearer. At last he ,became very uneasy, and kept looking 
down into the depths below him, as if meditating a plunge into the sea. I took still 
another photograph at about fifteen yards, but nearer I could not get. Whilst changing 
