it, we could see the gulls basking in
the hot sun; some, standing on one leg, having the other drawn up under
the wing, and looking apathetically at us, while others arranged the
feathers of their tails, or breasts, with their bills, much after the
same fashion as ducks do, when they have been swimming in ponds, or
dabbling in puddles.

"Put your helm to starboard, your Honour," said the cockswain to me in a
quiet voice, "and bring her head right round."

I did as desired; and the men pulling noiselessly, the boat glided
towards the rock, like a needle to a magnet. The gulls had all
clustered to windward, and not one could be seen to leeward.

"I have no shot," I observed to R----, who sat just before me; "but only
balls."

"Never mind--they will do," R---- replied; "more credit to you if you
kill any."

Letting the tiller ropes loose, I allowed the boat to choose its own
course, and began to ram down my bullets. I tried two at a time. With a
slight grating, the keel of the gig touched a sunken piece of land, and
almost at the same time, its weigh was stopped entirely by the stem
coming in gentle contact with the main rock.

Like so many cats, we now crawled, without a sound, from the boat; and
P---- being the first to step on the rock, slipped back into the water.
The gurgling of the water as it ran over the tops of his jack-boots, and
the floundering P---- made to recover himself, alarmed two gulls, and
they flew, screaming, into the air. We crouched to the bare rock; and
these two sentinels, not distinguishing us from the colour of their
roosting place, took a few gyrations, and then re-perched themselves on
the rock. Aided by R---- and me, and the two sailors, P---- was got out
of the water; but it was no easy matter to accomplish this, for his
jack-boots had filled, to the brim, with water, and added considerably
to his natural weight.

We now stood fairly on the rock, prepared to encounter any given, or
ungiven quantity of birds or beasts.

"I say," observed R---- to me, in a low tone, "take a stone, or piece of
moss, or mud, or anything, and shy it amongst them--just for a start."

The cockswain, who was close behind me, had overheard R----, and being
more active than I, picked up a small pebble; and by way of giving
warning to R---- and P----, said, under his breath,

"Helm's a-lee, your Honour."

The clicking of their triggers answered the signal; and the missile
stone was tossed over the highest