The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1867-05-17
A Swarm Of Bees on a Mans Face.


A correspondent of the London
Field gives the following interesting
narrative:
In June, 1854, Mr. Simmonds, a far
mer residing at Brookland Farm, Wey-
bridge, was dressing in order to at
tend the rent audit at Woborn House.
Before putting on his coat, he per-
ceived from his window an unusually
large swarm of bees filling the air with
their cloud and noise. 1t was, in fact,
as he afterward ascertained, 2 swarms
that had come out of two distinct hives,
and had united in the air He ran
out in his shirt sleeves, and without
his hat to see where they would alight.
The bees, after making some circles in
the air, led him off to the bank of the
river Wey. Thinking that the bees
might cross the river, and perhaps es-
cape, he adopted plan not uncommon
with bee masters, namely, that of
throwing dust into the air among the
bees This often makes them settle
quickly. They did settle quickly, and
this more so than he expected, for in
short time the whole Of one Of the
largest swarms he had ever seen set
tied upon his head face and breast
They hung down in front like a great
beard to the bottom of his waist-coat.
Had he not been we'll accustomed to
bees, and perfectly collected, his situa-
ton would have been a very dangerous
one, for mad lie at all irritated this
mass of armed insects, he would no
doubt have received a sufficient mum
Der of stings to have placed his life in
peril. He was obliged to close his
eyes slowly, and keep his mouth shut.
Then, in order to prevent their enter
ing his nostrils, which they endeavored
to do, he slowly thrust one hand
through the mass, and with two fin
gers managed to keep drawing and
pushing them away from his nostrils
as they tried to enter, he breathing all
the while as softly as possible. This
was necessary, as bees are generally ir-
ritated by being breathed upon.
He then began to consider what
course he should take. He was some
distance from his house, and no one
near him or within call. His first
thought was to walk gently into the
river Wey, and gently sink his head
under the water and then throw of
the swarm. But moments consider
alton disuaded him from that attempt
ed remedy He could not have olsen
gagged them all, for many were between
his neckcloth and his skin, and still
more were crawling down his back. He
found that if he walked he could not
help disturbing the hanging mass, and
that every little agitation, however
slight, caused a hum and hiss from
some thousands. He then remem-
bered the account given in Thorley's
work on bees of swarm settling Oh
the face and neck of servant maid
who escaped unhurt by the care and
advice of her master; he, without irrl-
tating the swarm, having hiyed it from
off her with hive well smeared witt
honey. Mr.. Simmonds slowly knel,
down on the grass and remained per
fectly still He then found number
of bees were gathering in a mass un
der the waistband Of his trousers, il
the hollow of his back, to which spot
the others were drawing, indicating
that the queen was there. Fearing
therefore, that the tightness of tho
waistband rendered tighter whenever
he breathed- might crush, or at any
rate irritate this part of the swarm, h,
slowly unbottoned the front of his
trousers.
1t is not easy to conceive NOR,
helpless condition than that to which
Mr. Simmonds was now reduced. III,
was the master of 40 hives, from which
he could usually levy what spoils h,
pleased, killing his thousands at hii
pleasure with birthstone match, We.
now completely in the power of on
detachment OF his own army, aid wa
reduced to most suppliant position
Even to call for help would have beel
dangerous, as the bees near the moutl
would have been undoubtedly irritated
and would have probably entered hi