Cap. XXI I. The Caribby-Iflands. 



Thefe Crabs have this natural inftinfr , to go every year 

 about Mtjtt in the feafon of the rains, to the Sea-fide to wafti 

 themfelves, and difburthen themfelves of their egges, in order 

 to the perpetuation of their fpecies : They come down from 

 the Mountains in fuch multitudes,that the high-ways and woods 

 are covered with them 5 and they have this ftrange direction 

 given them j that they take their way towards that part of the 

 Ifland where there are Creeks and defcents, whereby they may 

 the more eafily come to the Sea. 



The Inhabitants are at that time very much annoy 'd by 

 them, in regard they fill their Gardens., and with their little 

 Mordants they cut the Peafe and young Plants of Tobacco : 

 They obierve fuch an order in this defcent, that they look like 

 an Army marching in rank and filerthey never break their ranks, 

 and whatever they meet with by the way, Houfes, Mountains^ 

 Rocks, or other obftacles, they attempt to get over them, 

 that they may go on ftill in a ftrait line .• Twice a day they 

 make a halt, during the greateft heat, both to feed and reft 

 themfelves a while.* But they make greater journies in the 

 night then in the day, till at laft they get to the Sea-fide. 



When they are upon this expedition they are far, and good 

 to eat 5 the Males being full of meat , and the Females of 

 egges : And indeed during that time, a man may have of them 

 at his door : Nay fometimes they come into the houfes if the 

 palizadoes be not clofe enough , and that »;hey meet with a 

 place to get in at : The noife they make in the night time is 

 greater then that of the Mice, and keeps people from tleeping : 

 When they are come to the Sea-fide, having refted themfelves 

 a little., and confider'd the Sea as the nurfc or their young ones 3 

 they approach fo neer it, that they wafti themfelves three or 

 fourtimesinthe little waves which gently rife and tall on the 

 fand .* then having retired into the Woods or neighbouring 

 Plains to recover their wearinefs, the Females return a fecond 

 time to the Sea, and having wafh'd themfelves a little, they 

 open their tails, which are commonly thruft up under the belly 3 

 and (hake out the egges faften'd thereto into the water After 

 which having once more wafti'd themfelves, they return in the 

 •fame order in which they came thither. 



The ftrongeft of them foon recover the Mountains 5 every 

 one making to the quarter from whence he came, and by the 

 fame way through which he had pafs'd before: But then, that 

 is 3 in their return, they are for the moft part fo weak and lean, 

 that they are forc'd to make fome ftay in the next fields they 

 come at to refrefh themfelves, and retrive their former vigour 

 before they can get up to the tops of Mountains. 



As to the Egges thus committed to the Sea, having been caft 

 up by it on the fofter kind of fand, and warm'd fome time by 

 the beams of theSuD, they are at lafthatch'd, and become lit- 

 tle 



