Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1885-03-05
An Educated Crab.

a number OF the passengers on the
o'clock Oakland boat Yesterday wit
messed an interesting AMI curious exhi-
bition. A man, having every appear
ance OF being n sailor. sto'i,l on the low
CT forward deck beside l;Vgc pail,
which was filled with >en-watcr. In
| this pail was crab of cuormous size,
| and. to judge by the Gunchr> OF barna-
Giles upon his back, of considerable age.
The sailor was genial fellow. and APP
peared TO be proud OF his pet. He first
informed the surrounding passengers
that the crab was the humble posScssor
of the name of ''Ncd, and that, in adj
dition TO owning name. he would
| answer to that name. This was receiv-
ed with incredulous smile. on the part
of the onlookcrS. The crab could be
observed lying motionlc,S ~ the bot
tom OF the pail. rs apparently content
ed with his position ~ though he was
delving in the mud at the bottom of the
bay. The sailor kncelcd beside the
pail, gave subdued whistle. and then
muttered Ned. Ned, twice. Instant
" there was commot!uH ~ the water
as the crab wrigglci i, Joints and
bobbed around like ! spider impalcd on
the point of needle. This motion
was kept up until il succ rdcd in get
ting two claws over the edge of the
pail. 1t then tried to draw itself up.
The sailor suddenly ceased whistling,
whereupon Ned dropped into his
motionless attitude, only TO rouse up
again upon repetition Of the whistle
and the calling of his name. At last
he got grip upon the pail with one of
his claws. and drew himself up almost
clear of the water. His master came
TO his relief and laid him out upon the
deck. Here he strutted around in his
awkward fashion 10 the infinite amuse-
ment of every one. He was apparently
delighted. and when his master
stretched out a hand TO linn, he stroked
il with his claws and even pretended 10
nip it rs kittens play bite, but it
was noticeable that he did not close on
it. When any of the passengers APP
preached nc appeared sensible OF the
difference between them and his mas
ter, aud. drawing up his extremities,
lay sullenly in one place. Upon being
asked whether Ned" could do any
more wonderful things, the sailor re-
piled that he could. He dropped Ned"
into his pail, to his crabship's satisfac-
ton.
Then the pleased owner drew from
his pocket piece of thin rope. This
he stretched between two of the deck
posts, about three feet from the deck.
The crowd of spectators, which was
now swelled by many from the upper
deck who had heard that something
extraordinary was going on, pressed
around, eager 10 see what the next act
was on the programme. The sailor
plucked Ned" out of his natural ele-
mcnt once more, and hung him TO the
rope-his crabship clutching the line
tightly with one of his nippers. His
master then began low, monotonous
whistle and Ned put himself in mo-
ton. He evidently knew just what
was expected of him, and reaching out
his spare nipper got hold of the rope a
short space along. Then wriggling his
claws he released his first hold and
caught the rope again close TO his Sec
ond 'nipper." In this fashion he
worked himself along to about the
middle of the rope, when he stopped.
His master held his hands beneath him,
and he dropped into them exhausted.
The sailor explained that Ned became
weak after he was out Of the water
very long. Ned'S achievement was
hailed with delight by the passengers,
and many ladies pressed forward to
look at him As he lay in the bottom OF
the pail.-Sah Francisco Cal.