The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1867-08-17
Bees a Dangerous situation.
4 swAna or THE Ixsgc1s SETTLES oxA Mass
FAcE.

4 correspondent Of the London Field
gives the following interesting narrative ::
Ia June, 1854, Mr. Simmonds, far
mcr residing at Brooklands Farm, Wcy.
bridge, was dressing in order TO attend
the rent audit at Woburn House BE.
fore putting on his ccat. be perceived an
unusually large swarm Of bees, filling the
air with their cloud aud noise. 1t was,
rs he afterwards aseertained, two swarms
that had come out OF two distinct hives.
and united in the air. lie 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 70 the bank of the river Wey. Think
ing the bees might cross the river aud so
escape, he adopted plan not uncommon
with bee masters, namely, that of throw
ing dust into the air among them. This
often makes them settle quickly. They
did settle quickly, and this more so than
he expected, for in a short time the whole
of one of the largest swarms he had ever
seen, settled upon his head, face aud
breast. They hung down in front like u
great beard to thesbottom of his waistcoat
Had he not been we'll accustomed to bees
and perfectly collected, his situation would
have been very dangerous one; for, had
he at all irritated this mass of armed In
sects, he would no dotbt have received .
sufficient number Of Eings to have placed
his life in peril. He was obliged to close
his eyes slowly and to keep his mouth
shut. Then. in order to prevent their en-
tering his nostrils. which they endeayor
cd to do, he slowly thrust one hand through
the mass and with his two fore6ngers ht
managed to keep drawing and pushing
them away from his nostrils as they trieC
to enter, he breathing all the while al
softly as possible. This was necessary
as bees are generally irritated by being
breathed upon. He then began to con
slider what course he should take. III,
/. was some distance from his house, aud nj
one near hip, OF within call. His frs
/ thought vas to walk slowly into the Riv
er Wey, and gently sink his head ppde
the water and thep throw off the swarm
But moments consideration dissuadet
him from that attempted remedy. III
could not have disengaged them all, 70
many were between his neekcloth and hi
skin, and still more were crawling dowl
his back. He found that if he walket
he could not help disturbing the hanging
mass, and that every little agitation, how
ever slight, caused hum aud hiss iron
some thousands. He then Remembered
the account given in Thorley's work o.
bees, of swarm settling on the face an
neck of d servant maid, who escaped TN
hurt by her masters care and advice. H
not irritating the swarm, having hived
off her with ahive we'll smeared with hon
|hey To avoid agitating the swarm, Nh
hpmonds slowly knelt down on the gras
Remained perfectly still. He then foun
number of the bees were gathering in
.lnassnanaer the waistband of his trouser
in the hollow Of his back, indicating tha
the qliaen was,there. Fearing, therefor
J that the tightuess of the waistband-ren
J dered tighter whenever he breathed-
might crush. or at any rate irritate tn
, part ofsthe swarm, he slowly unbuttone
the front of his trousers.
It is not easy to conceive more he'll
: less condition than that to which Mr.. Sin
: monds was now reduced. He that WI
g the master of forty hives, from which /
el could usually levy what spoils he please