282 IN MALAY FORESTS. 



morning sun like molten gold ; but when seen close 

 at hand, on either side, they resolved into a horrible 

 blue-brown slimy mass. 



Crabs of weird shapes and colours thronged the 

 flats. Great ugly green crabs crept sluggishly over 

 the mangrove roots, or climbed, with the appearance 

 of painful movement, up the slime -covered snags and 

 dead branches that jutted up abruptly above the 

 level of the mud. With jerky efforts hermit-crabs 

 dragged along their whelk-shell homes, and upon 

 any alarm withdrew into the farthest recesses of 

 their shells, which fell over backwards with horrible 

 deathlike suddenness, and which then lay until the 

 danger was past, as apparently tenantless as any of the 

 empty shells that were scattered over the surface of 

 the mud. Brown crabs scuttled towards their holes, 

 and then, having made safe their line of retreat, stared 

 with beady, expressionless eyes at the passing boat. 



In strong contrast with these ungainly varieties, 

 and with the surrounding of the mangrove swamps, 

 were the little crabs : some of the brightest vermilion, 

 others of the most perfect turquoise. 



One tiny creature a miniature in purest enamel 

 which had found a delicacy, plied two claws, enor- 

 mous in proportion to its body, to convey infinitesimal 

 morsels to an invisible mouth ; and the claws worked 

 alternately with the speed and clicking regularity of 

 knitting-needles. Never was greed more prettily 

 served. Pugnacious little creatures were they too ; 

 and each stood by its hole and waved a claw in the 

 air on the alert for love or war. 



We slowly paddled along with the ebbing tide, 



