of low sandhills which keep out the sea. But, as the keeper often remarks as he shuts up the glass, "I spy them, but the thing is to get them into the bag." The day after we reached the lodge we made an expedition seaward in search of geese. For this sort of work each man wants a big gun-preferably an 8-bore-as well as a 12-bore. There was a heavy sea running: we could see miles outside the breakers coming in, rising up over isolated rocks, and hiding them for long intervals with far-flying white water. But our course was a well-protected one, and we ran out four or five miles merrily enough under the big brown sail. We had been much amused by a little comedy which was enacted at the tiny village where we got the boat. We were late-there were many things to see to the first day-and keen and impatient to be off. But a council was held at the door of the chief man's house which did not admit of hurrying. Two old men and two young men took part in it: one of the former stood for some time apart, on the roof of his low cottage, and when he made up his mind to join the debate, he walked down the thatch with his hands in his pockets, as if that was the best and most natural way possible to come. could take no part in this consultation, which was carried on in Gaelic (in this island the majority of the old people can speak no English), and we listened with anxious and forboding minds to the long-drawnout arguments. We could take no interest at the time in the curious low houses, with the deep heavilytied-down thatch, and tiny windows deep set in the very thick walls. They must be saying, we feared,

We

that it was too rough to go out, or that it would become so soon. At last the keeper-unwillingly, deprecatingly-translated the verdict: the men, besides the not immoderate pay for themselves, wanted 25. a-day extra for the boat. Hitherto Is. a-day had been the price. The extra shilling was agreed to. "For this day only," explained the keeper; and when they had sought from our faces confirmation of his words, preparations were commenced for getting under weigh. We christened the head elder of this village "Columbus": he was an experienced navigator, and a very nice old fellow as well.

In no place where we have ever been-probably in no other place in the British Islands-is to be seen a sea so full of wild-bird life as we saw that day. Hundreds of cormorants sat in solemn black rows on the rocks, or swam with graceful crested heads close to the boat, or flew across the sea. A dozen long-tailed duck-sea pheasants-tempted us to follow them before we were well on our way. We came quickly round the shoulder of an island, and a score or more of herons-we counted forty one day on the wing at once-would be up, tumbling uneasily about till they got into their ordinary, long, easy flight. Great flocks of disturbed widgeon and mallard wheeled to and fro, taking good care these to keep out of gunshot, no matter how long and heavy the gun might be. Before night we had seen eider-duck and teal, and great "skeins" of bernicle and grey lag

whilst multitudes of sea-swallows, curlews, plovers, and gulls of every kind and size swooped and swooped about. And the sea was full of seals:

we saw perhaps only a score or so that day; but when the weather is calm, and the sun shining, they may be counted by hundreds, sitting on the warm rocks, or bobbing up and down in the pure pale-green water. There was an indescribable feeling of freshness and sweetness and wildness in the air and in the sea-scape. It was scenery which even a keen sportsman might enjoy without having a gun in his hand.

One of the most satisfactory features in shooting in a country of this kind is its perfect wildness and naturalness. The very hoodies were natural, or perhaps some would say unnatural, and cared nothing for us. When snipe-shooting the next day with a setter, we were several times within easy distance of these grey-backed depredators, and it was amusing, and almost provoking, to see them flapping unconcernedly away. "We don't bother about them at this time of the year," said the keeper; "they are mostly strangers from other islands, and don't do any harm now."

As the sea, in the flats just described, fights with and creeps into the land, so here the land fights, but in a less effective fashion, with the sea. The coast is dotted with hundreds, probably without any exaggeration it may be said with thousands, of islands-from sharp jagged rocks which just give footing to the cormorants, to green patches which will only feed one sheep or a couple of geese; and from these again to others which are a mile or a dozen of miles round. The navigation in and about these skerries is most intricate, and for the first day or two you soon become bewildered on the sea, just as you were before on the land, and lose

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all marks, and are constantly wondering which way you came, and whereabouts is the north. The tide flows strongly past them and round them, and it was very difficult for us to tell, when we were running before the wind, whether the brown mass of heaving seaweed was concealing treacherous rocks, or would give a safe passage to the boat. But the men knew the difficult coast intimately: this was their playground and their work-ground, and day or night made little odds to them. Each little cove and rock and narrow passage was familiar to them, and all the turns and twists of the tides; and with Columbus steering and holding the sheet in his hand, we never felt any uneasiness, even when the boat heeled over to the fresh north wind, and no passage appeared to our uneducated eyes to lie through the rocks towards which we so swiftly ran. We landed on a green island-green with rich long grass all above highwater mark, and purple and brown and yellow with rock and seaweed below it-where we had seen some geese settle; but they had taken up a perfectly inaccessible position for our purpose, and no stalking, however careful, could get us within a shot of them. So it was arranged to move them, and it fell to the lot of the narrator to take up his position with one of the men and his two guns at a certain point, while the others sailed round the island to put them up. Driving, carried on in this fashion, is always uncertain work; and here it may be said that unless the man who makes the arrangements knows his work and has studied the habits of the birds, getting a shot would always be a fluke of the largest kind. So it was with

no very great expectations that I hid behind a knoll and waited. Half an hour passed and nothing came: they must be off some other way, we agreed, and the boat will be coming round the point soon. But suddenly, "The geese! the geese!" cried the gillie, and round the corner of the land, and coming right at us, were five of the bernicles. They came almost over our heads, and gave a quite possible though high shot. I had barely time to get the big gun

cocked-a hammerless 8-bore would be invaluable for this sort of work-when they were upon us, and the charge of No. I and the slugs with which it was loaded delivered themselves harmlessly in the air,at least that is my opinion, although Angus declared one was hit. To tell the truth, a bunch of geese coming past are not such easy birds to hit as might be thought. Their size is deceiving; they always appear to be nearer than they really are; and their pace is deceiving, as many a man has found out who has fired, as he thought, well in front of a leading bird, and seen the second or third in the line fall. Very, very provoking are these birds sometimes: it is when you least expect them that you have them oftenest within shot. After a long day spent in this particular country, one of our party, a very good shot, set off to walk on in advance of the trap. He deliberated whether to carry his gun with him or not, finally decided not to burden himself with it. Two miles farther on five or six of the wary grey lags flew over his head, so close that he could have killed one with a charge of small shot. When out after ducks a day rarely passed without a sudden cry of "Geese! geese!"