This island is also remarkable for land-crabs, of which there are three sorts, white, black, and red. The first are distinguishable only for their poisonous quality, which they acquire by feeding on the blossoms and leaves of the mahaut, a tree which gives name to a part of the island where it grows especially, and of which it is necessary to give first a description. This tree is of the cork kind, and grows spontaneously in watery places, or at the sides of rivers, and renders the water and air near them very unwholesome. They are about the size in common of the English oak-trees, and are almost continually in blossom; which is of a sickly yellow colour, and has much the appearance of the poppy blossom, but is rather larger. The body, branches, leaves, and blossoms of the mahaut-tree, contain a milky juice, which is a most subtle poison to every creature but the crabs who taste it; and to them it gives the same deadly quality if eaten, as has been fatally experienced by several persons. Yet notwithstanding their bad qualities, these trees are very serviceable, as the bark of them stripped off makes good ropes, nearly as strong as those made of hemp; and the body and branches make floats for seins, or fishing-nets, equal to any made of cork, and as durable. The black crabs are excellent, and safe eating, if caught in places where the Mahaut tree does not grow; particularly those brought from a part of the island, called “Souffriér;” where they are to be had nearly as large as sea crabs, and in great plenty. They are extremely fat when in season; and the females are full of a rich glutinous substance, called the eggs, which is perfectly delicious. The red crabs are as small as the common sort of crabs in England, but are by far preferable to them; the females being full of the same rich glutinous substance as the black sort, when in season; at which time, the red crabs make their appearance in astonishing numbers: so that it is common for a person on horseback, to trample them under his horse’s feet; and it is diverting to hear the rustling they make among the leaves on the ground, to get out of the way. Of these, and the black sort, is made a favourite dish, called there, pepper pot; which is made of crabs picked from the shells, stewed with Indian cale, and pods of Guinea pepper, and eat with a pudding made of Indian corn flour, or rice; this dish is esteemed by most of the inhabitants. Some people have crab pens, or places made like fowl coops, for the purpose of keeping them alive, for some time after they are caught; feeding them with potatoe vines, Indian corn, herbage and water. This method is certainly the best to prevent the danger to be apprehended from eating them; as, notwithstanding the greatest caution in procuring them from particular places only, they have proved fatal, by being imprudently eaten as soon as they were caught.