80 RAMBLES OF 



speedily reducing them to a state of helplessness by break- 

 ing off their forceps. Such a crunching and cracking of 

 the unfortunate crabs I never have witnessed since ; and 

 I might have commiserated them more, had not I known 

 that death in some form or other was continually await- 

 ing them, and that their devourers were all destined to 

 meet their fate in a few months in the sty, and thence 

 through the smoke house to be placed upon our table. 

 On the shores of the Chesapeake I have caught crabs in 

 a way commonly employed by all those who are unpro- 

 vided with boats and nets. This is to have a forked stick 

 and a baited line, with which the crabber wades out as 

 far as he .thinks fit, and then throws out his line. As 

 soon as he finds he has a bite, he draws the line in, cau- 

 tiously lifting but a very little from the bottom. As soon 

 as it is near enough to be fairly in reach, he quickly, yet 

 with as little movement as possible, secures the crab by 

 placing the forked stick across his body and pressing him 

 against the sand. He must then stoop down and take 

 hold of the crab by the two posterior swimming legs, so 

 as to avoid being seized by the claws. Should he not 

 wish to carry each crab ashore as he catches it, he pin- 

 ions or spansels (as the fishermen call it) them. This is 

 a very effectual mode of disabling them from using their 

 biting claws, yet it is certainly not the most humane 

 operation ; it is done by taking the first of the sharp- 

 pointed feet of each side, and forcing it in for the length 

 of the joint behind the moveable joint or thumb of the 



