Cheyenne transporter. [volume] (Darlington, Indian Terr.) 1879-1886, 1885-03-20
THE KING OF CRABS.
The Immense Creature That the Japanese
Serve Up for q Family Dinner-Crabs That
Climb fTrpes--Their EnOrmOus STRENGTH

Museum of Natural History in New
York the other day, ran across nat
uaralist who was examining curious
object.
That's crab" said he, lifting an
enormous something that might have
served as a shell for largesized tur-
tie and one of the largest known.
This is only the top shell; the legs
were unfortunately lost, and If you
are astonished at this you will proba-
bly, think am drawing on my immag-
ination when say that the crab when
alive was twenty-five feet across"
The shell was a curious object
rough, corrugated, Of light yellow hue,
and about two feet across. The eye
stocks were two inches in hight, and
between them extended upward long,
sharp spine that would have been a
formidable weapon if the giant was
disposed to use it.
.'If you could see one of those fel-
lows alive" continued the naturalist,
land under the circumstances that l
did, you wouldn't forget it. l caught
this fellow myself. They are found
in Japan and known as rock or spider
crabs. The shell of the large ones at
tains length of about two feet, and
resembles moss covered rock. From
it branch the legs, that are truly enor-
nous, and as l have said, this one
when crawling along with its claws
expanded would stretch from the tip
of one to the other at least twenty-five
feet
Il had heard of these giants, but |
had no idea that they attained this
enormous size. But when / arrived in
Japan l soon heard from the native
fishermen the most remarkable stories
and soon found a man who said he
could take me to a spot where they
could be caught. We started one after
noon in one of the small native boats
and skirted the bay for seven or eight
miles, finally arriving at the mouth of
small river. Here he went ashore
and the japanese soon rugged up tent
of rush, in which we were to pass the
night, as it was only after dark that
the sea spiders could be seen. 1t was
dusk when we reached the spot, and,
for three mortal hours we sat there
speechless watching the shore. The tide
was on the ebb, and finally the fisher
man grasped me suddenly by the arm
and pointed down the shore way. and
bering object making its way up out OF
the water. The moon was rising, and
at every move the creature glistened
and sparkled as if 1t was drenched with
molten silver. On it came until finally
| could make out the outline of a gi.
gantic crab that was undertaking the
uncrab-like operation of leaving the
water and taking to dry land. l waited
until the animal stopped and showed
signs that it would go no higher, and
then rushed out, making for the water
so as to head it off. had provided my
self with large stick, and soon found
that should have to use it, rs the mo
ment the huge creature saw us it start
ed for the water, crawling along side
wise and at no mean rate of speed.
II placed myself in front of it, but OF
the creature came, holding aloft it,
two claws, each of which was ten fee
long, and by the time it reached me
stepped aside, and was rather in ;
Quandary, as | wanted to secure it en-
tire. The Jap was talking and yelling
something that could not understand
and suddenly grasped one of the biz
claws. Seeing his game grabbed th'
other, and held on as well as we could
and, would you believe, the strength
of the animal was such that we cOulC
not stand still. We pulled in opposite
directions, however, and in this wa,
lifted the animal from the ground
but while we were holding on, tht
crab, by quick movement, threw OF
its large claws, as you have probabl.
seen small ones do, and over we wen
headlong into the mud, each holding {
a. 4, L. tnn .nA ~