The North-Carolina standard., 1847-08-25
The Procession of Land Grabs.
BY THE REV. THOMAS APPpLEoATE, !

Ia
bsz;,,il By THE REV. THOMAS APPLEGATE., 1; / -,
.!4t, was on "a 6ne clear morning in the month Of
March, that took a walk on one of the Bahama
ISLANDS, lying just within the tropics to reconnore
the scenery around and inhale the fresh air of
heaven. u My attention was soon arrested with The
novel spectacle of an immense number, of land
crabs, marching in procession to the sea, These
animals, unlike the rest of their class, are exceed
ingly curious in their habits: They are natives
OF the Bahama, and take up, their abode during
the greater part of the year in holes Of the ground
hollow trunks of trees and other places of a SINH
lar description. Annually they repair to the sea
side TO deposit their eggs. and they prepare for
this migration in the month Of April. - stct ed
Having mustered in considerable, numbers, the
procession starts forward with all the regularity
and precision of a we'll disciplined army, under the
guidance of an experienced commander Their
destination being the nearest coast they move in
stinctiyely for Ill, ia strait ine and when inter-
cepled in their path by houses and bulings,1hey
prefer 10 scale the walls and roof and alght on
the opposite side, rather than suffer deviation
from their, accustomed course. La the prosecution
Of this arduous ente; prise nearly the whole of one
side of our temporary residence was literally
lined with them, and 1t was not a little amusing 10
stand and witness their ,manGuvres. Should
window perchancc to be left open, they will be
glad to spare the time and strength of a more
perilous ascent, by entering that avenue unsolict
cd and direct their intruding march over. the bed
OF some needless sleeper. Rudely assaiIed by
their unceremonlous incnrsions into the different
apartments of our dwellings,, it was necessary, on
several occasions TO take stick in hand and resort
TO the work oflexpulsion in The best manner posi-
ble . s--.. n .. ... AKA $780,.
The crabs in their march usually arrange them
selves into three ballalions. The first batta ion
consists Of bold and hardy males, who go forward
as pioneers 10 clear the route. Sometimes they
arc obliged 10 halt on the route for want of rain
and repose in the most convenient lencampments,
till the weather changes. -. ..rs j-,..r.. ID, .....
The second company comprises large and re-
specialize assembly of females. that seldom leave
their more elevated retreats till after the rain has
set in short time; they then descend in regular
columns, several PAGES in width, and covering the
surface of the earth to an enormous extent. .rr
The third body forms The rearguard, that fol-
lows three or four days after this is q weakly.
Struggling, consumptive of males and femal les
having neither the health nor the vigor of their
predecessors, and looking filter subjects for the
nurse and the doctor, than Of pilgrimage to The
coasts. Their chief time of travelling is in The
cool Of the night. when the world around them is
sleeping, and the hindrances aud dangers are few
er than they would be likely to encounter in the
broad light ofday. About two months march in
this way brings them to their destined spot, where
they Immediately enter the water, wash themselves
clean, and t,cn rcure to holes in the rocks, and
other hiding places, where they remain ill the
time of spawning. - -, -..,
A, such period they once more, seek for water,
and shaking off their eggs, leave them to the
chance of being hatched or devoured by shoals of
hungry fish, that have repaired to the place for
that purpose. The eggs when they have been
ha,ched under The sand, become productive OF
millions of little crabs, that may be seen slowly
quitting the shores for the hiIIy regions. The
old ones are not so active to return. They have
become cnfeebled and lean, and can hardly crawl
about, and are, therefore, obliged TO continue in
The fat parts of the country ill they recover, cover
ing themselves over with leaves and dirt, and
creeping into the holes of the rock There they
throw off all old shells, which they leave behind
nearly whole. At this time they are quite naked,
and continue almost without motion for six or
seven days, after which they become SO fat as 10
be considered delicious food. In about six weeks
the new shell is ,oIcrably hard, and these singular
ANIMALS may be seen gradually returning again
10 their haunis. On several of the out islands
they form considerable portion of the food of the
inhabitants, and it certainly is very nutritious.
Crab soup is excellent. .-'