The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-06-25
JOHNSON AND THE CRABS.
THE SOLE INHABITANTS or A CORAL
ISLAND IN THE PACIFIC
There was Osly Gao OF johnson, mt There
Were millions OF the Crnbs-A FI-h On
which One Cnn Make n SQUARE Meal.

supposed to DO tho carpenter on board the
Caleb Curtis" said Johnson. but whom they
began to talk about the Euano on Clipporton
Island and the money there was in it II we
could got at II. Pull mo ashore there Gays j.
and I'll heap up enough to load tho vessel
with by the time you como back again You
Gee. the island looked comfortable enough
from on board the schooner. and there's
bit OF tho Robinson Crusoe in me my
way. 30 / thought it would he q regular
outtand-out lark. II only had enough to ent
and drop or two to drink. SO / volunteered
TO 90 ashore and stay thoro until called for.
They needn't have worried about my running
away. though. for Clipncrton Island Is a little
out OF the track OF most vessels. and it's hard
to get on and of OF. anyway. It's nothing but
long strip OF land. with frcsh-water Log Don
In the middle and coral-rccf fringe all around
1t. And that reef Is the Kind ot fringe that has
teeth on it, The Caleb Curtis's boat was to put
mo ashore and let me look about bit before
they left me for GOOD. but It was all they could
do to land me and tho provisions had.
The boat finally got through o break In
the reef. however. and dumped my kit and me
on tho bolt Of land there. But the tide was
getting low and told the men thcy'd better
get OF to the schooner: I'd get on all right.
no doubt SO thoY put the boat about. and 1
never oven had n chance to shake hands with
them. We shouted good-by to each other.
and sat down on box Of ships stores and
watched tho boat 20 OF to the Caleb Curtis.
said l was bit like Robinson Crusoe in
my way OF thinking, but confess to queer
sort Of feeling when saw that boat going fur
ther and further away from mo. i am mon
arch Of all survey, says ]. but there was n
higgsh lump in my threat, and couldn't swa::
the last of July Of last year and the weather
was line as you please
loft me- Presently tho " HINT seemed Wn 1"t t. p fn
from from view. | s'ill sat on tho. box, As sat
myself hy letting them land mo there 1 fclt
something touch my foot. 1t felt as much like
showed the creature away and stood up for a
moment Ono foot camc plump down on q
sheliltkc sort Of thing that m?ycd under my
was literally sumolnGrd by land crabs. | was
certainly not likely to lack for company if
49, What a fool was no. to mako ND some
sort sort Of n shakedown before The dark came on
growing lighter In the east ac and spt few mot
used to laugh at Tie tnIk Of there being N man
out hand to me he'd been Jolly weieoms to
sneHGF wa aozan f boss sse1 hnv
body would have been welcome But neither
the crabs nor the moon said anything to me.
ana the big lump kept up in my throat again.
There was Dig rock little way IN from
where had been sitting. and got to the lee
little shelter Tor the night. 1 stretched q tar.
Pnnlir overhead unroilel my blankets. and
glad to have some one 10 Visit WITH fthos AND Mffs bod
to Get Up and walk about. The only. sound |
1t struck az llnst the coral reef: And this was
only music TO u GATORS ears. ] stood still for
tho beach. and between tho sound Of tho surf |
began 70 notice another noise 1t was some
thing thing Ike shuttle. as II some creature had
frnSs asain TT TIE bench WAS alive wiz
most sters disturbed mo a little. Tor was
n lmost sure to tread upon them.
sea and tho fresh Water p ~ "na oetween the
han 600 feet wide. | dipped up water IRON
the lagoon with my right hand and tastud i.
which imagined it had. but afterward found
that the flavor must have been wholly i'm
live in the water at all. and when thov got too
much IN my way got in tho haiti Of shovel
oil in haSd tb Ta
md was up before the sun: i swallowed tic
BIG lump in my throat, and was ready to
working alone on the island. But was glad
2 lo see TIE sun rise. | had never Eeep quite
ust MS the moon had done. soc!ncd to DO like
'o.m!GHbody coming to call;
Tho sun scnt y long shadow from tho rock
minded me that had plenty Of work TO do I |
,ouse. l rolled other stones along tho boacn
.nd laid up two walls. so that with tho big
,auln fastened DOWN by other rocks m"de eI nm
excellent root. and seaEeed thrown against |
he, walls on the outside Kept the winds ont |
Il had plenty % room in there Tor all the |
torres had. ana had everything nicely ar
ooE long wa k"thg sntie cnsth "' Of The
s!and. nine or ten miles and hacE-and that
light. crabs or no crabs went to sleep with
noon that night. and really didn't feel lone,
ono BIT. the crabs kept crawling around my
sas beginning 10 get used to them They
idnrt bite: they only crawled
snd ID hat OF vas sonf t. S0 ba2n
ny labor for my pains. On most Islands You
an an fttcrapo The stuT toiethCr with hoo and
slQnd tho rains had beaten It so hard that
ickaxo could hardly penetrate, IT,. 1t was like
neSf thnE S nS"E M: q w a what
q tho world was 70 do until the ship should
H!tG n1 mo didt even hayS PACK
eaiy e exhSt at the #"raS a dp But 'f i
ln short found another use for the crabs .' ~
nd crab salad. and all that sort of thing. may
Il taste well enough in their way. but when
ne comes t. having crabs three times n day.
nd such crabs as those wero it is almost too
luch of a good thing. presume it was the
reat amount of exercise these crabs took that
lade than 80 strong. At any rate they woro
Irong. yet they made fair eating as n sldo dish
hen learned how to cook .them. They aver,
god about Two 10y three inches In, size" unl
ore vcrnllion red even before tEoy wore
oiled. | also got to catching ~ funny looking
Sin that looked for all h" wor!d like II mattel
OK with y tail t. it,. These tlsa were only
bout three inches long and from une 10 two
,rhes SQUARE. as n chrpred out with anay.
hese and the crabs and some booty birds
mt I knocked over with u stick were about
i had In four long months to help out my |
apply OF provisions.
" used to keen count OF tho days ms they
lsaed by talying them on the sido OF my big
,ck. didn't expect the ship back unfit early
October. but when it got to be tho middle Of
lat month and had seen no sail IN sight |
sgan 70 boa little nnxi9Ha got in the habit
land and watching III" water all day long,
ne day saw sail away of to tn" south. butt
eyer got near enough to SEQ any sign made.
" Another time, n week or 40 after that, |
alt NJ n fire on tho rock and kept it burning ,
night 50 thut any passing vessel might san | ,