174 FISHES AXD FISHING. 



had resided and remained in that place some time 

 previous to,and during the revolution, over the upper 

 part of the harbour, to find a place to angle, but we 

 were not successful. At low water there were such 

 plenty of mussels near the town, that a cart-load 

 might have been gathered there, and then they would 

 not have been missed. There were few large crabs 

 in the market, but as I saw on the sands, on the 

 other side of the harbour, several large pieces of rock, 

 around which the flux and reflux of the sea had 

 made basins of water ; I pulled off my shoes and 

 stockings, drew up my trousers, and as soon as the 

 tide would allow, crossed the harbour; and having a 

 large landing-net, to the staff of which I caused to 

 be added two or three joints, I pushed my net under 

 the hollow of the rock. I soon captured a fine lively 

 crab, nearly eight inches lengthways of the shell, 

 which was quite blue this, with some difficulty, I 

 transferred into a bag ; shortly after, I took another 

 nearly as large. Whilst untying my bag the first 

 escaped, and made for the water ; when he saw me 

 approach, he opened his claws, and set up to fight ; 

 by the aid of my net I placed him also in the bag. 

 On arriving at home, I had some sea-water boiled, 

 and plunged them into it in the bag, where I let them 

 boil during twenty minutes. When I took them out 

 it was evident they must have fought as I brought 



