LOBSTERS. 103 



Crawfish, allured by the bait, had approached within 

 attainable distance, those dogs of war pounced upon 

 him, and he was high and dry upon the beach before 

 he had even meditated a retreat. The boat-keepers in 

 the boaLs alongside used to let down pieces of net 

 spread on the hoops of a cask, with pieces of bait 

 inside them. In a few minutes these were hauled up, 

 and one of our simple friends appeared seated, greatly 

 enjoying the travelling. Sometimes two or three came 

 up struggling for standing room. Eut enough of Craw- 

 fish, I will only add that we thoroughly enjoyed both 

 the catching and the eating. We had crawfish for 

 breakfast, crawfish for dinner, crawfish for supper, and 

 crawfish for any incidental meal we could cram in 

 between. The last I saw of my friends was with their 

 long feelers wreathing about, as they w^ere borne about 

 Valparaiso as presents on our return." 



AVe learn from the old authors that Apicius, after 

 profoundly studying the culinary art at Minturnus, in 

 Campania, where he feasted right royally on Crawfish, 

 in order, it is said, to strengthen and improve the 

 appetite — at length feeling that change of scene and 

 provender were needed, and opportunely hearing that 

 Craws of marvellous size and surpassing excellence 

 were captured on the coast of Africa, the sage knew no 

 rest until he had obtained a ship and had set sail for 

 that favoured land. The voyage proved prosperous, 



