"Do they never fall from the trees?" and hardly had he spoken, when a
large cocoa-nut fell at his feet, succeeded by a second, to my great
astonishment, for I saw no animal in the tree, and I was convinced the
nuts in the half-ripe state, as these were, could not fall of
themselves.
"It is exactly like a fairy tale," said Ernest; "I had only to speak,
and my wish was accomplished."
"And here comes the magician," said I, as, after a shower of nuts, I saw
a huge land-crab descending the tree quietly, and quite regardless of
our presence. Jack boldly struck a blow at him, but missed, and the
animal, opening its enormous claws, made up to its opponent, who fled in
terror. But the laughter of his brothers made him ashamed, and recalling
his courage, he pulled off his coat, and threw it over the back of the
crab; this checked its movements, and going to his assistance, I killed
it with a blow of my hatchet.
They all crowded round the frightful animal, anxious to know what it
was. I told them it was a land-crab--which we might call the _cocoa-nut
crab,_ as we owed such a store to it. Being unable to break the shell of
the nut, of which they are very fond, they climb the tree, and break
them off, in the unripe state. They then descend to enjoy their feast,
which they obtain by inserting their claw through the small holes in the
end, and abstracting the contents.
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