80 R A M B L E S O F 



out of the net, always letting go when held over the 

 water. This a good crabber never forgets, and should 

 he unluckily be seized by a large crab, he holds him 

 over the water, and is freed at once, though he loses 

 his game. When not held over the water, they bite 

 sometimes with dreadful obstinacy; and I have seen 

 it necessary to crush the forceps or claws before one 

 could be induced to let go the fingers of a boy. A 

 poor black fellow also placed himself in an awkward 

 situation the crab seized him by a finger of his 

 right hand, but he was unwilling to lose his captive 

 by holding him over the water; instead of which, 

 he attempted to secure the other claw with his left 

 hand, while he tried to crush the biting claw between 

 his teeth. In doing this, he somehow relaxed his 

 left hand, and with the other claw the crab seized 

 poor Jem by his under lip, which was by no means 

 a thin one, and forced him to roar with pain. With 

 some difficulty he was freed from his tormentor, but 

 it was several days before he ceased to excite laughter, 

 as the severe bite was followed by a swelling of the 

 lip, which imparted a most ludicrous expression to a 

 naturally comical countenance. 



JOHN. 



