CHAP. XXIX.] ADVENTURE WITH A SEAL. 229 
About the same period of the rise of the tide, the 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 down 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 
