NETTING SEALS 263 



made for the purpose, across a deep and narrow channel through 

 which they escaped when frightened off a sand-bank, where 

 they were in the habit of resting- at low- water. We quietly 

 laid the net down, fixing it at each end with an anchor ; we 

 then rowed round to the bank, and away went the seals, 

 splattering over the wet sands into the channel ; we came after 

 them as hard as we could row. At first, when they struck the 

 net, some turned back, but frightened on by our shouts, they 

 made a rush at the net. We got to one end of it, detached 

 the anchor, and began to haul it round, so as to enclose the 

 seals ; then began a noise and clamour which surpassed anything 

 of the kind I ever heard — the seals splashing and snorting like 

 drowning horses, while we were all straining every ner\'e to row 

 round the boat, with the weight and struggles of seventeen seals, 

 large and small, against us ; my crew of six Highlanders shout- 

 ing, cursing, and swearing, and encouraging each other in Gaelic 

 — presently a more furious shout from the leader of the crew 

 announced that something unexpected had happened, and 

 looking round, we saw that thirteen of the seals had escaped, 

 partly by jumping over the net, and partly by breaking through 

 a weak part of it. One very large seal, which we afterwards 

 found had left her young one within the net, returned in her 

 maternal fondness to rescue it; she swam round, and finding 

 her offspring in the midst of all the confusion, swam away 

 again from the net, leading the way for the little one to escape 

 also. I snatched up my gun and fired, killing her on thie spot, 

 so that she fell back into the net, and we managed to larid her, 

 and the other four, and despatched them, despite their struggles, 

 to the great joy of the salmon-fishers of the Cromarty Firth. 

 At another time, several years ago, I was put into rather a 

 dilemma by one of these animals : we had shot a three-parts 

 grown seal, as she was asleep on an isolated rock. Having 

 got her into our very frail and crazy boat, we proceeded towards 

 the land in high spirits ; but before we were half-way across, 

 our seal, who had only been stunned, the shot having merely 

 grazed her head, came to life, and finding herself in so unwonted 

 a position, commenced an indiscriminate attack on everything 

 in her way ; our legs being more so than anything else, we had 

 to throw our feet up on the gunwale of the boat, and despatch 

 her bow we could, as she was tearing away, with immense 



