lung out my arms
mechanically, and groped all over the spread broadcloth, and around the
edges of my lurking-place, expecting to lay them upon some _living
creature_!

Half asleep, I still believed it _was_ a crab; but as my senses became
clearer, I reasoned upon the improbability of there being one in such a
place. And yet, why not? A crab might very well find lodgment in the
hold of a ship: it might have been brought aboard in some strange way--
among the ballast--or possibly carried aboard by some of the sailors,
out of curiosity; it may have been abandoned to its fate, and left to
hide itself among the numerous corners and crevices which are found
among the timbers of a vessel's hold? It might procure sustenance in
the bilge-water, or in the ballast rubbish, or perhaps, like the
chameleon, crabs could exist on air?

I had such thoughts, but only for a few moments after awaking; and as I
reasoned further on the matter, I abandoned them. It could only be my
dream that had made me think of crabs at all. But for that, the thought
of such a creature would not have entered my mind. There could have
been no crab, else I should have laid my hands upon it; for I had lost
no time in groping over the surface of my cloth carpeting--every inch of
it--and I found nothing there. There were but two crevices leading out
of my cell, by which a crab of any considerable size could have entered
or escaped; and I had felt these places at the very first moment. So
slow a traveller could not have passed through either of them in so
short a time! No, there could have been no crab; and yet there _was
something_, certainly--something had crawled over me. I could not be
convinced of the contrary.

I lay for a long time pondering over the subject of my dream. The
unpleasant feeling which it had occasioned me soon passed away. It was
very natural I should have dreamt what I did, since it was almost the
same thing I had been thinking of during the continuance of the storm.

On examining my watch, I found that I had considerably overslept myself,
having been unconscious for nearly sixteen hours! This prolonged
slumber was the result of my having been kept so long awake by the
storm, and the sickness that it had occasioned me.

I now felt more hungry than I had done for days, and at once set about
satisfying that appetite. Strive as I would, I could not resist the
temptation of eating more than my allotted ration, and I did not l