22 CAMPS IN THE CARIBBEES. 



chasseurs arrive with their collection of humming-birds. 

 They only hunt at certain times of the day, when I 

 can be near to attend to the little captives, according 

 to my instructions, for they have a cruel way of tying 

 them together if they keep them long. They are find- 

 ing some new things every day, and as they have got 

 the idea that I am collecting everything in shape of 

 bird, beast, insect, and reptile, they bring me the result 

 of each day's "find." Sometimes it is a snail, a fat 

 caterpillar hideous in its slimy skin, a butterfly, a 

 beetle, or a spider. At one time, from an incautious 

 remark that I made to the effect that I would like a 

 specimen of the curious land-crab which abounds in 

 the ravines and rivulet banks, they conceived the idea 

 of supplying me with the crustacean just mentioned. 

 Each boy and girl on the place resolved to be the first 

 to furnish me with the coveted crab. The consequence 

 was that my place was soon overrun with shell-fish — 

 ugly red and yellow crabs — as large as a man's hand, 

 and from that to the most diminutive. One of the 

 girls in a mischievous mood brought in a crab with a 

 family of little ones, over a hundred, just large 

 enough to be seen, and let them loose on the floor. 

 Through some open window, while I was absent, some 

 giant crab would be dropped on the floor to await my 

 arrival. This was not done in a spirit of mischief, but 

 from an earnest desire to aid me in my labors. 



For a week after I could not stir without coming in 

 contact with a shelly creature. I could not put my 

 foot out of bed without a shudder of apprehension. Of 

 nights I would be awakened by a rattling of ale-bottles, 

 and arising would discover that some crab had got 

 thirsty during the night, and had inserted a claw which 



