The Warriors Were Now In The Water, And
Anon Out Of It, For The Battle Raged On Sea And Shore.
They struck
hard, they bit each other; until, becoming exhausted, they seized
each other by the jaws like two bull-dogs, then paused for breath,
and at it again as fiercely as before, until the combat ended by the
precipitate retreat of the invader.
The muddy ground under the mangrove-trees is covered with soldier-
crabs, which quickly slink into their holes on any symptom of danger.
When the ebbing tide retires, myriads of minute crabs emerge from
their underground quarters, and begin to work like so many busy bees.
Soon many miles of the smooth sand become rough with the results of
their labour. They are toiling for their daily bread: a round bit
of moist sand appears at the little labourer's mouth, and is quickly
brushed off by one of the claws; a second bit follows the first; and
another, and still another come as fast as they can be laid aside.
As these pellets accumulate, the crab moves sideways, and the work
continues. The first impression one receives is, that the little
creature has swallowed a great deal of sand, and is getting rid of it
as speedily as possible: a habit he indulges in of darting into his
hole at intervals, as if for fresh supplies, tends to strengthen this
idea; but the size of the heaps formed in a few seconds shows that
this cannot be the case, and leads to the impression that, although
not readily seen, at the distance at which he chooses to keep the
observer, yet that possibly he raises the sand to his mouth, where
whatever animalcule it may contain is sifted out of it, and the
remainder rejected in the manner described. At times the larger
species of crabs perform a sort of concert; and from each
subterranean abode strange sounds arise, as if, in imitation of the
songsters of the groves, for very joy they sang!
We found some natives pounding the woody stems of a poisonous
climbing-plant (Dirca palustris) called Busungu, or poison, which
grows abundantly in the swamps. When a good quantity was bruised, it
was tied up in bundles. The stream above and below was obstructed
with bushes, and with a sort of rinsing motion the poison was
diffused through the water. Many fish were soon affected, swain in
shore, and died, others were only stupefied. The plant has pink,
pea-shaped blossoms, and smooth, pointed, glossy leaves, and the
brown bark is covered with minute white points. The knowledge of it
might prove of use to a shipwrecked party by enabling them to catch
the fish.
The poison is said to be deleterious to man if the water is drunk;
but not when the fish is cooked. The Busungu is repulsive to some
insects, and is smeared round the shoots of the palm-trees to prevent
the ants from getting into the palm wine while it is dropping from
the tops of the palm-trees into the little pots suspended to collect
it.
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