Notes

The black land-crab is a much-esteemed delicacy. Formerly every property had its crabber, whose duty it was to provide crabs for the house. Since the introduction of the mongoose they have become scarcer.

form himself as, pretends to be.

stop in the night, stop in for the night.

put up, put away.

do the same, etc., live in the same way as the Crabs.

plat-card, placard; a rough written advertisement affixed to the trunk of a tree. When there is a public gathering the musicians play as they walk to the place of entertainment and again as they leave it.