The morning call., 1892-01-03
GIANT JAPANESE CRABS.
Their Shell Is as Large as That Of a Green
Turtle Immense Claws.

EnoShima is an island lying some thirty
miles below Yokohama. At low tide Emo
shIma is rocky peninsula, joined to the
land by long sandy bar. At high tide the
water covers this sandy strip, and in time
OF heavy storms also, the far-reaching waves
make 1t an island and surround it with foam.
EnoShlma is covered with groves and an
Client temples, and there is even temple in
cave FAR III under the island, which one
can enter only at low tide. Tea-houses and
pretty summer villas peep from the dense
groves, and while pilgrims resort there to
pray other people 60 TO enjoy fish dinners
and to buy all the curious shells, Sponges
c0rals, Sea-WeedS and pretty trlfles that can
be made of shells and fiSh-Scales.
The only unwelcOme visitor to this beau
tliul beach is the giant crab whose she'll is
about as large as that Of the green turtle,
whose eyes project and wink and roll hor-
rIblY, while each Of his claws measure five
TO six feet in length. The ordinary visitor
does not meet this crab walking up the
beach in the daylight. Heavy storms some
times sweep them in from the deep waters
where they live and the fishermen hunt
them on the reefs off-shOre, or to their sur
prise sbring them up in their nets The
weight of the crab and the thrashng OF his
claws generally ruin the tiSherman's net,
and he is an unpleasant fellow-trayeler in
small boat. Such a crab in the middle Of
boat twelve feet long could reach out 10
both ends Of it and nip the men at bow
and stern; and his reach, measured side
wise, In the real crab fashion, is sometimes
over twelve feet. The fishermen used to
consider it bad luck 20 haul up one OF these
crabs in. net. They would make quick
Work OF throwing the crab back into the
water. and afterward beg IN the cave shrine
Of Benton Sama that the gods should not
plague them with any more such luck in
this modern and M 70 Z do ho
fishermen have learned that one big crab is
worth more than whole netful of common
fish. Every perfect crab landed can be
sold for So or more. and in time each travels
to foreign country and becomes the gem in
some museums collection of shelfish.
The fisher-foik along this fer Pacific
stranh tell some stories that make bather
find this crab as dreadful as the cutie nsh,
which also inhabts these waters. They
claim that the big crab will fight fiercely
NIP at any moving thing. Then, too, they
say that its eyes give out light and glow like
balls Of fire in the dark. Some jewellers
coming home very late from the tea-hOuseS
OF the .neighb0ring village of katase have
been frightened sober by seeing the beach
full OF these red-eyed crawling monsters,
who cracked their claws in the air and
ratified their bodies over the stones as they
gave chase. In japanese fairy stories
these crabs have run away with bad
little boys and girls. haunted wicked
persons dreams and taken other part
IN human affairs. The Enoshima crabs were
brought into modern English fiction by
Rider Haggard, in his story, ALLAN Quarter
MAN," In that book the heroes came out
from an underground fre-chamber and
foated along deep and narrow canyon.
When they stopped to rest and eat. an army
of crabs came up at the smell OF food, and
rolled their eyes and cracked their claws,
until they frightened the heroes away.
Mr.. Haggard says in foot-note that he
had read of these crabs in some book of
travel, and borrowed them for this canyon
scene TO make Allan Quarterman's adven-
lures the more exciting.-EIiZa Il. Scidmore
in January ST. Nicholas