44 
IN FORBIDDEN SEAS 
fired as soon as the otter “ stood,” not stopping his 
boat, but pulling right on for several hundred yards 
beyond where the otter was sighted. The chances 
are that the otter, knowing that the boat was 
coming in his direction, would dive in the opposite 
one (a very favourite trick of this animal), pass 
under the boat, and come up just where he was 
wanted—in the middle of the triangle formed by 
the three boats. The idea is to keep him there, and 
the boats are manoeuvred with that object in view. 
Experienced hunters can tell pretty well how an 
otter will behave after he has made a few dives. 
His actions will indicate in which direction he wishes 
to go. If there is no wind, it will be with the cur¬ 
rent, as in that direction will probably lie a tide-rip 
in which he knows he will be safe. If there is a 
breeze, he will take up wind, for he seems to be 
aware that a boat cannot travel so fast against the 
wind. If there is no wind or current, and the sun 
is shining, he will take right up the sun-streak, 
apparently realizing that it is more difficult for the 
hunter to sight and shoot him in the sun-glare ; and 
if hard pressed near the shore, he will often make 
right for the breakers amongst the rocks, and is then 
hard to get out or to hit. 
The otter is a very cunning animal, and will try 
all sorts of dodges to get away. He will hide behind 
rocks, and sometimes, after making a series of short 
dives for the purpose of getting the boats to close in, 
he will make an exceedingly long one in order to get 
out of range. He stakes his all, so to speak, on this 
manoeuvre, for unless he gets away altogether— 
which he sometimes does—he is soon despatched, 
the long dive having played him out, and he can 
