ON THE SEA-SHORE. 243 



well fitted for a struggle with the air, but it is 

 against the water that it has developed its highest 

 powers. 



Continuing our excursion in the courida bush, 

 we notice that although walking on a soft ooze our 

 feet hardly sink into it. Now and again a place is 

 softer than the rest, and we can at once realise 

 what would be our condition were the whole 

 surface nothing but this same " putta-putta," as the 

 negroes call it Everywhere at the mouths of the 

 crab holes we see it in heaps, and if we should be 

 unfortunate enough to step into it, feel at once 

 that it has no bottom. The crabs, however, find it 

 congenial to their tastes, for they are here by 

 thousands, their scarlet and dark blue bodies and 

 long arms, with which they apparently beckon to 

 each other, enlivening the otherwise dismal shade. 

 Again we wonder why the ground is so springy 

 underneath, and look down for the reason, but 

 except that here and there are patches of upright 

 pegs, like sticks thrust into the mud, there is 

 nothing but an even surface. Putting a foot on 

 one of these sticks, we find it firm but elastic it 

 will move back and forth but not downwards, and 

 return again to its first position when the pressure 

 is removed. We ask ourselves whatever can be 

 the use of these things? They are not suckers 



