Show shooting cluba more reliable than guns in hunting the the effect of conlo OB th timid A green hunter yarrow escape from bang tom to piece seals are very fond of music and the hunters who pursue them most successfully often make use of some musical instrument to attract them in A seal hunt on the blacket islands a writer in outing describes an adventure with seals when a pun proved a dangerous weapon the oars dipped slowly OB eyes were fixed on the caves and the boatmen sung in unison a weird wild song in a kind of undertone to the writer thie seemed a curious accompaniment to a seal hunt but he was still more surprised when one of the men produced a flute and played on it a quaint sympathetic air that echoed and re echoed among the caves the musical effects wera marvelous but our author turned to obrien and asked what is the meaning of all thia oh it is to attract the seals in a few minutes you will eee them basking on the water and on the ledges charmed almost to unconsciousness by the music and so it happened for underneath on an easy ledge we saw two seals scramble up and lie quietly listening now ia our time said obrien and the boatmen gently rowed toward the fascinated seals the flute player still continuing his tune without gun or depear my friend sprang to the rocky ledge he hart with him only a bludgeon and a long knife noiselessly advancing upon the seals he dealt one of them a blow on the nose and then slid forward and killed it with his knife thua our first capture was made why not shoot the poor brutes and so end the affair I 1 asked obrien laughed my dear air he replied it is impossible I 1 will prove it to you you have your rifle with you well the next time we meet a seal I 1 will allow you to do the work with powder and ball and we shall see how you fare then we went over to Carrig duff and endeavored with aubic to inveigle other seals and we were rewarded for far within the great cave there appeared a splendid male much larger than those we had before seen not a common seal but one of the large bearded seals he was to all appearance unconscious of our approach the flute player continued his tune and the oars pushed the waters as noiselessly as possible until we were within c few yards of the game now try your gun whispered obrien I 1 climbed out of the yawl and got g ot close to the seal I 1 feared to get too close lest I 1 should frighten him off the ledge so I 1 rested against the slimy rock and taking careful aim at a point between his shoulders fired the din was awful it seemed as if the little island were being blown to pieces by some modern battery I 1 became aware too soon that my shot had not kille d the animal and that by a series of curious spine made movements he had come close to me and caught my ankle in his powerful jaws I 1 nearly fell I 1 was too fear stricken to cry out all aliis happened in a moment I 1 felt my ankle crunch as though the foot would come off As swiftly as possible I 1 reloaded I 1 could scarcely see the brute that held my ankle so blinded was I 1 from pain and I 1 could not understand why it was that obrien had not come to my rescue but there was no time to spare I 1 must lose my leg or kill the seal placing the muzzle of the rifle against what seemed to be the shoulder of the seal I 1 fired the hold on my ankle relaxed for an instant then came a more angry bite on the thick part of my leg and I 1 became cors clous of some one near me A dull blow sounded and I 1 fainted it appears that obrien who was looking on all the while clambered on the rock where I 1 was engaged with the seal and with a blow of his bludgeon ended the battle in all likelihood ha saved me from death |