Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1820-12-05
EO&EAGN.
LONDON, SEPTEMBER 10

"lwas travelling" says Nj. Eulert, " on
the goth Of July, at seven O'Clock in the
morning, in my carriage, accompanied
by my wife, on my way from Written
bert to Berlin, between Kroppstradt and
the town of Schmogelosdorf, which is
contiguous to the high road; | observ-
ed one of my horses rubbing himself
with uneasiness against the other. | re-
marked to my wife that the animal was
no doubt stung by horse fly. Whilst
we were talking upon the subject, we
were suddenly surrounded by swarm
Of bees, SO thick, that our carriage,
horses, coachman, my wife, and myself,
were completely covered. The furious
insects attached themselves Immediately
to the nose, mouth, eyes and ears of each
horse; the two animals seemed 10 be
deprived of every sense, and as if over
whelmed with stupor, they lay down and
stretched themselves out an ,unresisting
prey TO the bees.
" AS soon as we perceived this cloud
OF insects to lessen around us, my wife
threw over her hat the hood of her night
cloak, got out of the carriage, went back
a little way on the road, and instinctively
He'd into the ditch, where She lay down
with her face to the earth. | exerted
myself in the mean time in endeavoring
TO get over this disaster; went also out
Of the carriage, and covering my neck
and face with my kandk erchief, l re-
assembled the carriage, and with all my
strength cried out for help.-Three
peasants, short distance off, had all the
while calmly observed my situation
Z but neither by the offer of reward, nor
by the most urgent entreaty, could |
prevail upon them to render US any as
distance; they turned their backs upon
US and pursued their way to the village.
In this unhappy plight walked on for
half an hour, when met the road keeper,
named Daniel Arndt, and carrier,
named David Henry, accompanied by
some laborers and driving cart with
three horses. Still tormented by the
bees and pursued by them with incon-
ceivable bitterness, l breathed at last and
was relieved by this rencontre, as these
good people had lighted tobacco pipes,
and the smoke dispersed my disagree
able guests.
d" The carrier being informed Of the
danger, in order not 10 expose himselfto
1t. would not stir one step further; and
as the bees began to surround us on all
sides, he embarrassed his team, left his
cart ladened with goods on the road, and
took by-way in order 10 place his |
horses under shelter in the village
Soon after the other people accompanied
me to where my horses were, and they
brought with them an abundance of hay
and straw. There we found my unfor-
tunate coachman stretched in the ditch,
his head and hands, all covered with
bees, SO that the road keeper was obliged
to use brush to get them off his face
his hair matted with blood, and as the in
Eects could not be extricated, they were
crushed to death. Whilst this operation
was going on, we set fire to the straw and |
succeeded in driving away the bees.
GAS soon as the carrier had placed |
his horses in safety he came back to US,
having fortified himself in every way
against the bees, and showed HIMSELF
anxious to give all the assistance in his
power to my horses. But one of them
was SO severely injured that he died the
same day. The other was conducted to
Schomge!sdorf; but though the veteri-
nary surgeon exhausted all his skill, the
animal persisted in "a hours after.
My coachman had brought his mis-
fortunes upon himself because, in en-
deavoring to succor the horses, he lost |
his hat. The bees fastened on his naked |
head, and deprived him of his senses,
and for 48 hours he remained in state
of suffering that threatened to terminate
IN his death. We were supplied with
horses, and had him conveyed to Treuen-
brletZen, where he recovered. He had |
at first cried out so vehemently for as
sistance, that the bees got into his mouth
and throat. | myself passed 81 hours in
extreme pain at the same place, and was
compelled to apply several pouItices to
my head, neck and ears, to appease the
Inflammation.
=" My wife, who, as if by inspiration,
threw herself into the ditch, came out
again perfectly safe; and in few days
after the,coachman and were at length
recovered.
81 attribute the Academic two causes.
In the first place, now believe that it
was not horsefly that stung the horses
as 1 first supposed: but rather the
Queen-Bee, which must have been the
animal rubbed against his companion.-I