SEALS IN CO. MAYO. 139 



catching his hind flippers, I dragged him up from the edge of 

 the water ; but, though I had him on the land, I did not know 

 how to despatch him. I could not reach my gun to hit him 

 with the butt ; there was no bit of wood or stick near me ; so, 

 with a puzzled look all round, I at last saw an old cabbage- 

 stump left by the tide a few yards from me, and, dragging the 

 Seal within reach, I killed him by a few blows with it across 

 the snout — the first Seal, I suppose, that was ever killed 

 with a cabbage- stump. He was a young Grey Seal of about 

 70 lb. weight, and was covered with a beautiful coat of silvery 

 white hair. 



m2 



