82 RAMBLES OF 



them more, had not I known that death in some form 

 or other was continually awaiting them, and that 

 their devourers were all destined to meet their fate 

 in a few months in the stye, 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 un- 

 provided 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, cautiously 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 press- 

 ing him against the sand. He must then stoop down 

 and take hold of the crab by the two posterior swim- 

 ming legs, so as to avoid being seized by the claws. 

 Should he not wish to carry each crab ashore as he 

 catches it, he pinions or spansels (as the fishermen 

 call it) them. This is a very effectual mode of dis- 

 abling 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 opposite 

 biting claw. The crabs are then strung upon a 

 string or wythe, and allowed to hang in the water 

 until the crabber desists from his occupations. In 

 the previous article, crabs were spoken of as curious 



