The Hi/lory of ookI. 



tie Crabs, whereof there may be feen millions about t e bignefs 

 of a large farthing, getting into the neighbouring bullies till 

 fuch time as they are ftrong enough to get to the old ones in the 

 Mountains. 



Another confiderable thing in thefe Crab?, is, that once a 

 year, to wit, after their return from the Sea, they are under 

 ground for the fpaceof fix weeks, fo that there is not one oF 

 them to be feen : During this time they change their fkin or 

 (hell, and become wholly new: They work out the earth fb 

 neatly at the entrance of their retreats, that there is no hole to 

 , be feen 5 which they do to prevent their taking of any air 3 

 for when they put off their old coat, their whole body is as it 

 were naked, being only cover'd with a very thin pellicle 5 

 which grows thicker and harder by degrees., till it come to the 

 folidity of the {hell they had put off. 



Monfieur du Montd relates, that he purpofely caufedfbme 

 places w be digg'd where it was likely there were of them hid- 

 den : Having met witli them, he found them wrapp'd in leaves 

 of Trees , which no doubt was their fuftenance, and ferv'd 

 them for a nelt during that retirement 3 but thty were fb weak 

 and unable to endure the air, that they feemed as it were half 

 dead, though fit enough, and excellent meat, and as fuch high- 

 ly fefteeriied by the Inhabitants .* Clofe by them he found thp 

 fheH they had pi it off, which feem'd to be as entire as if the 

 animal had been ftill within it: And what was ftrange, though 

 he look'd very narrowly, yet hardly could he find any hole, or 

 cleft at which the body of it might get out of that prifon : But 

 having view 'd it very exactly, he found a little disjunction neer 

 the tail, at which the Crab had flipped out. 



They are commonly drefsct as the Crevices in thefe parts 

 are 3 but the more delicate will take the time and pains, after 

 they are boiled, to pick out all that is good in the claws, and 

 to extract a certain oily fubftance which is in the body, and by 

 fome called Taumaly^ and to fry all together with the eggesof 

 the female, putting thereto a little of the Country Pepper, 

 and fome juice of Oranges 3 and this makes it one of the moft 

 dainty difhes in the Caribbies. 



In thefe grounds where there are many of the Trees called 

 Manchenillos, the Crabs which feed under them, or eat of the 

 fruit, hare a venemous quality, infomuchthat thofewho eat 

 thereof fall dangeroufly fick : But in other parts they are whol- 

 fdm enough, and as the Crevices in Europe are numbred among 

 the delicacies : Such as are careful of their health open them 

 them before they eat thereof, and if they be black within they 

 think them dangerous, and ufe them not. 



. 1 



CHAP. 



