In the Moneth of May that sort of Crabs call’d Painted Crabs (for some have Violet-colour’d Shells, others yellow, full of purple Specks, and others tawny, with red Streaks) come creeping down the Hills in good order, eat up all the Herbs and Plants, and go four times one after another into the Water to wash themselves, which done they return to the Woods; but the Females at a set-time betake themselves to the Sea, in which they Lay their Eggs, which afterwards being cast on the sandy Shore, and warm’d by the Beams of the Sun, produce young Crabs in a short time, which no sooner come out of the Shell, but creep towards the Woods, when grown somewhat bigger they climb up the Rocks, where the old ones keep in vast multitudes, and stop up the Entrance of their Holes in such a manner, that they cannot be found out, whilest they cast off their Shell, creeping out backward through an opening at the Tail scarce discernable; thus for a certain time they lie bare, and stript of their Shells, being onely cover’d with a thin Skin, which growing harder and harder, becomes at last a firm Shell like the former.
These Crabs are a wholsom Meat, unless they feed under the Mancheneel-Trees, which commonly are poysonous.
Sect. III.
Las Virgines.
Situation of Las Virgines.
Near Sombrero, at eighteen Degrees, lie also the two Isles Las Virgines, surrounded by ten others (and flat Shelves), without Trees or fresh Water; but the Sea thereabouts abounds with Fish, and chiefly with the Perroket, which hath Scales like a Carp, but greenish; the Eyes surrounded with Silver Circles shine very bright; in stead of Teeth they have strong Jaw-bones, wherewith they Grind all manner of Shell-fish, which are their Prey. These Fish have an excellent Rellish, and weigh generally twenty Pound.
The Fish Dorade.
Here is likewise great plenty of the Dorade, which is a very large Fish, and about five Foot long, full of little Scales, with a prickly Back, two Fins at the parting of the Head, and as many under the Belly. This Fish swimming very swift, oftentimes follows the Ships that Sail that way.
Sect. IV.
Anguilla.
Situation of Anguilla.
Southward at eighteen Degrees and twenty Minutes, on this side of the Line, appears Anguilla, inhabited by the English, containing ten Leagues in length; It makes a pleasant Prospect, because of the many Junipa-Trees which grow upon the same, whose Boughs bend towards the Ground; the Leaves are not unlike those of an Oak; the Flowers both in smell and shape come near the Narcissus; the Wood firm and grey, may be neatly Plan’d; the Tree bears fresh Leaves every Moneth, and a Fruit like Apples, which generally crack in their fall from the Tree, because of their thin Shell, as hath been already describ’d.