The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-05-11
A SWARM OF BEES ON A MANS FACE.

AsWARM OF BEES ON A MANS FACE.
A correspondent of the London Field
gives the following interesting MARIA
tive:
In June, 1854, Mr.. Simmonds, a far
mer, yesiding at Brookland Farm, Wey-
bridge, was dressing in order to attend
the rent audit at Woburn House. Be-
fore putting ON his coat, he perceived
from his window an unusually large
swarm of bees, filling the air with their
cloud and noise. 1t was, in fact, as he
atterward ascertained, two swarms that
had come out of two distinct hives, and
had united in the air. He ran out in
his shirt sleeve, 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 escape, he adopted
a plan not umcomon 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 ex-
pected, for in q short time the whole Of
one of the largest swarms he had ever
seen, settled 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 accustom-
ed to bees, and perfectly collected, his
situation would have been a very dam
gerous one; for, had he at all irritated
this mass of armed insects, he would no
doubt have received sufficient number
Of stings to have placed his life in peril.
He was obliged to Gloss his eyes slowly,
and to keep his mouth shut. Then, in
order to prevent their entering his nos
trIls, which they endeavored to do, he
slowly thrust one hand through the
mass, and with his two tore-fngers ma
naged 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 neces.
sary, as bees are generally irritated 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 slowly into the River Way, and
gently sink his head under the water
and then throw off the swarm. But a
moments consideration dissuaded him
from that attempted remedy. He could
not have disengaged them all, for ma
ny were between his neckloth and his
skin, and still more were crawling down
his back. He found that if he walked
he could not help disturbing the hang
ing mass, and that every little agita-
ton, however slight, caused hum and |
a hiss from some thousands. He then
remembered the account given in Thor
ley's work on bees of a swarm settling
on the face and neck of servant maid, |
who escaped unhurt by the care and adj
vice of her master; he, without irrita-
ting the swarm, having hived it from off
her with hive well smeared with ho-
ney. To avoid agitating the swarm,
MIR. Simmonds slowly knelt down on
the grass and remained perfectly still.
He then found number of bees were
gathering in mass under the waist
band of his trousers, in the hollow of
his back, to which spot the others were
drawing, indicating that the queen was
there. Fearing, therefore, that the
VI CuS w dis UdHu- E6uuGr6Q
tighter whenever he breathed-might
crush, or at any rate irritate this part
Of the swarm, he slowly unbuttoned the
ront Of his trousers.
1t is not easy to conceive more help.
ess condition than that to which Mr.
'immonds was now reduced He that
vas the master Of 40 hives, from which
he could usually levy what spoils he
'leased, killing his thousands at his
pleasure with birthstone match, was
low completely in the power of one de-
achment of his own army, and was re-
uced to the most suppliant position
wen to call for help would have been
angerous, as the bees near his mouth
7ould have been undoubtedly lrritated.
nd would have probably entered his /
louth. AT this moment he heard a rail
'ay train ON the Chertsey Branch Rail I
,ay, from which he was about SO yards.
fortunately happened that the engine
river was known to him, and had a it, Il
e commission from him to sound his u
'llway whistle if he saw anytbino Il Il
rong among his COWS and sheep. al
Ihls engine-driver seeing Mr., Sim &C
onds on his knees, with one arm ex. W
nded as if for help, and sometime an an
"a hanging from his face, sounded his p'
nsfle. This was heard by Mr. Sim, ere
'nqs' wife, who supposed that some