72 ' THE CREATURE'S RUN AWA.' 



and ineffectual attempts to climb up the smooth 

 walls of his dwelling-place. Twice a day, for a 

 week, I dropped in his food, consisting of half a 

 mussel, and left it under his very eyes; nay, I often 

 lifted him up and placed him upon the shell which 

 contained his once-loved meal; still, although the 

 latter presented a most inviting come-and-eat kind 

 of appearance, not one particle would he take, but 

 constantly preferred to raise himself as high as pos- 

 sible up the sides of the vase, until losing his balance, 

 he as constantly toppled over and fell upon its base. 



This behaviour not a little surprised me. Did it 

 indicate sullenness? or was it caused by disappoint- 

 ment? Was he aware that escape from his prison 

 without aid was impossible, and consequently ex- 

 hibited the pantomime, which I have described, to ex- 

 press his annoyance, and longing for the home he 

 had lately left? 



Thinking that perhaps there was not sufficient 

 sea-weed in the glass, I added a small bunch of /. 

 edulis. Having thus contributed, as I believed, to 

 the comfort of the unhappy crab, I silently bade him 

 Ion soir. On my return home, I was astonished by 

 the servant, who responded to my summons at the 

 door, blurting out in a nervous manner, ' O sir I 

 the creature's run awa ! ' ' The creature what 

 creature T I inquired. ' Do ye no ken, sir ? the wee 

 crabbie in the tumler ! ' 



I could scarcely credit the evidence of my sight 



