The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-08-30
MY FIRST SEAL.

wv hats on Tor tomorrow" asked
Reggie Freeth as we sat along the top
of our garden wall, resting ourselves.
We-that is, Reggie and Evelyn Freeth,
Ned Mitchell, and myself-had just
been indulging in a half-mile squirt
down the road, getting ourselves ''into
wind" as we fondly imagined, for our
coming school games. Ii was nearly
midsummer of the year '64, and Fri
day evening, so that the next day was
our own.
81 vote we take our trip to Inch Mic
kerry" said Ned Mitchell. ''Uncle
John told me we could have the Cur
LEWIS gig any fine day we liked, so that
we promised not to take the sail with
us. He thinks we'd go skylarking and
capsize her under canvas, so he will
only let us have the oars; but can tell
you, we four fellows can make her hiss
through the water. We must start
early and make regular day of 1t.
Take plenty of grub to keep us going
till night"
The proposition was carried by accla-
nation. for this Inch Mickery trip was
a pleasure that we had long looked for
ward to, and this seemed most pro-
pitiOus time to carry it out.
So Inch Mickery, at 8 o'clock sharp
the next morning, was the word.
was to provide the commissariat, as it
was well known that my poor, dear,
old mother always made us out an am
pie and recherche basket. The Freeths
were to bring tishing-tackle and small
ROok rifle with ammunition, while Ned
was to make it all right with his Uncle
John about the boat
Inch Mickery was Cor, for that mat
ter, is-for don't see how any change
could ever be worked on it unless some
of those He'll Gate engineers got at IT'D
very small, rocky island in a Scotch
firth.
That bright, dewy, June morning
saw us early enough down ut Granton
harbor, and after much grumbling, in
terspersed with curious. nautical, ,exple-
tory oaths, the old, one-eyed skipper of
the Curlew delivered over to us his
precious gig. resplendent in coat of
green and gold, with the parting in
junction Not TO be knockin' and
grindin' the"paint off o. the boat on
them-rocks."
The sun WAS shining brightly as we
rounded the head and dived into the
long, rolling swell outside, which told
of a recent "blow' out somewhere on
the German ocean.
We rowed merrly out into the firth
and shaped our course for the island OF
our choice. rolling along gloriously
over the long, surging swell. The "Hen
and Chickens" is in one mass of white
foam, as the big rollers break over the
gregarious rocks which rejoice in the
above innocent name, warning US that
we cannot attempt landing on the
Inch except on the western side.
Sure enough, when we reached our
destination we find it in one seething
mass of foam too, but giving it pretty
wide berth we pull round and glide in
to the smooth water on the lee side.
1t does not take long to find a good,
safe haven for our boat, where the
precious paint will not suffer from
those sanguinary rocks denounced by
the Cyclopean skipper of the Curlew.
and we quickly unload our provisions
and proceed at once to fix on spot
for our camp kitchen. A nice, cOzy
nook is soon selected, and after collect
ing plentiful supply of driftwood and
getting the fire going cheerily we settle
down to our respective avocations. By
unanimous vote Evelyn is installed
cook, as his skill in the culinary art is
well known. and we know he cares not
for anything in the sporting line.
Ned and Reggie take out the boat in
lee of the island and commence war on
the "poddleys" (the name of which q
species of rock fish was known to us,
while / shoulder the rifle and start with
murderous thoughts intent. 1t is too
early in the day for the rabbits to be
out summing themselves, and only see
couple of unwary, diminutive speci'
mems which would scorn to pull the
trigger on.
Iprowled about for long time, peep
ing round the rocks to try and see
| something worthy of my lead, but met
with no luck.
When got to the eastern point of the
Inch l sat down on a rock to watch the
maneuvers of the sea birds as they
skinned over the broken surf, wheel
ing and screaming in a way that would
have warmed the heart of u TipperarJ
faction fighter.
A quiet little nook lay at my feet; i
was nearly land locked, and the com
motion outside scarcely affected it.
As looked down into the clear, still
water l thought what jolly place i
would be for dive and swim, an6
nothing but my total ignorance of thu
natatory art kept me from stripping of
and plunging in. Suddenly my atten
ton was attracted by slight "fop'
on the water, and looking round / saw
big. .bullet-looking head appear abov'
| the surface. | had never seen one, bu
| knew at once that this was seal, hav
ing heard that they frequented the Incl
at certain times of the year.
He evidently did not see me, and
j breathless with excitement, stole tn
rifle to my shoulder. | covered him
but my hand shook so / was afraid +
fire. Taking a long, long breath, t
try and stay the bouncing of my heart
l again took aim, pressed the trig ge
and had the satisfaction to see the tis
beast give a convulsive spring out O
water. roll over on its side, and CON
mence splashing and tumbling about il
a way that told me it had got its death
wound Almost mad with Joy, thre,
the rifle to the ground and began clam
herring down the face of the rocks +
where my pray was now giving its las
kick. managed to get down to tn
waters edge. and, stretched out, wa
lust able to touch my seal, when it CAV
a struggle to one side aud missed il
was not to be done. however. SC
catching a firm hold of a tuft of Sc
weed growing out of a rock. ! ben
forward and made another grab at il
when-whish! and was in, head first
How l managed it l don't know, bu
when 1 came to my senses found my
self clutehing rugged ledge of roc
like grim death,