33a Mr. WAFERS Defcription 



Conch and Welks, and other Shell-fifli, have ufu- 

 ally a Sand in a Veffel that runs the length of the 

 Body in Manner of a Gut ; which we are forc'd to 

 take out, for elfe they would be gritty in one's 

 Teeth. If thefe Soldiers eat of any of the Manchi- 

 neel- Apples which drop from the Trees, their Flefh 

 becomes fo infefted with that virulent Juice, as to 

 poifon in a Manner thofe who eat of it : And we 

 have had fome of our Company very fick by eating 

 fuch as had fed on Manchineel ; but after a while 

 'twould wear off again, without further Damage. 

 The Oil of thefe Infedts is a moft Sovereign Reme- 

 dy for any Sprain or Contufion. I have found it fo, 

 'as many others have done frequently : The Indians 

 ufe it that way very fuccefsfully, and many of the 

 Privateers in the Weft-Indies : And our Men fought 

 them as much for the Oil, as for the fake of eating 

 them. The Oil is of a yellow Colour, like Wax, 

 but of the Confiftency of PalnvOiL 



On the Samballoes I think there are alfo Land- 

 Crabs, tho' but few: But in the Caribbee-Ulmdsj a- 

 mong which I have been crufing, and efpecially on 

 Anguilla, they are very numerous, and fome very 

 large, as big as the largeft Sea-Crabs that are fold 

 at London. They have them alfo in other of the 

 Weft-India Iflands ; but on Anguilla they fwarm 

 and a little I (land near it has fuch Multitudes of 

 them, that 'tis calPd Crab-Ifland. They are excel- 

 lent good Meat, and are the main Support of the 

 Inhabitants, who range about a Crabbing, as they call 

 it. After a Shower of Rain they will come abroad; 

 and then is the beft Time to look out for them. 

 They live in Holes or Burrows like Rabbits, which 

 they dig for themfelves with their Claws. When 

 they are upon the March they never go about, nor 

 turn their Backs, but crawl over any thing that lies 

 in their Way, guarding with their great Claws 

 while they creep w 7 ith the fmall ones ; and whatever 



they 



