Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-09-20


ant to follow us, and off for day in the
bush
we want meat our dogs are hungry
and ration beef, followed by ration beef
and again by beef, tires US. Now in yon
der long line of forest there are buck
beautiful graceful antelope are these buck
some species not larger than hare, and
very good eating, others as tall as don
kew, and dangerous when wounded. Ever
more noble game may be encountered there
for leopards prow about in this forest
buffalo Turk in the secluded glens, and ever
the monarch Of the forest, the lordly ele
plant, treads on his silent march at GER
tain periods of the year, over the very
ground we are bound for.
But what has our Caffre with him? he
has wallet on his bac<, and in that he
has a number Of wooden pegs and ham
mer.
What can these be for ?
We shall see.
Now we enter the forest, not by beat
en- track made by vehicles, or even by
man, bnt we follow a game path, track
made by buffalo or antelope, when they
leave the dark mazes of the forest to graze
for a while on the open plains.
Up this path we walk with care, slow
ly and stealthily, for the game we are in
pursuit of seeks to protect itself by means
Of watchfulness, aud all bush animals have
very delicate organs Of hearing.
An antelope is seen; it is heard some
thing that alarms it, but has as yet uncer-
tain of the direction from which danger
comes. Its hesitation is fatal bullet
leaves the rife, and the buck falls dead.
The Caffre carefully cleans the animal,
and then, with knowing look, points to a
distant tree, aud says L1yoSia koRa (honey
/ is the~e.l
Now how does the man know honey Is
there Well, Caffre's eyes are every
where, and as we walked through the bush
the man saw bee this bee, on being
alarmed, flew off in the direction of the
/ tree Soon after another bee was seen, and
/ thlsalso flew off in the same direction, conse-
! quently the Caffre sees the direction taken
by each bee, and finds these meet at the
tree that he sees in the distance. lie then
concludes that in that tree is the honey.
I Carrying the buck with Us, we approach
the suspected tree and soonperceive that the
Caffre'7 suspicious We're correct, for there,
/ high up, we notice a large hollow, in and
out Of which the bees are rapidly flying.
/ The C4ffre, having examined the tree,
takes his wallet off his back, and selects a
I peg which he drives into the stem of the
tree-for the wood IS soft and Juicy this
peg Is about four feet from the ground.
/ Another peg IS then driven in as high as
\ the man can reach, aud he then stands on
the first peg and holds on to the second,
whilst he drives in a third. about four feet
above the second. lie thus ascends the
tree on which there IS no branch for thir-
t feet, and gradually approaches the bees
nest.
When within few feet ofthe opening,
the Clifrc lights his pipe, and commences
smoking most turiously, sending above and
around him a thick cloud, amidst which he
Is scarcely visible.
The bees, now alarmed by the approach
Of an enemy, fly around the Cafco but
the cloud OF smoke is too much for them
they dare not enter it to sting their assaIl-
ant, but buzz round hun, aud make a great
noise
Slowly and steadily the Cltfre ascends,
testing the strength OF each PEG after he
has driven il iu and At length reaches
the opening in the tree. The smoke is
now putfei ont from MS pipe more furl-
ously than ever, whilst the disengaged
hand Is thrust slowly but steadily into the
hollow In the tree. \ large piece of honey
comb is grasped and carefully placed IN
the wallet, aud this operation Is repeated
until an the honey is extracted; when the
man slowly desccuds with his spoil, and a
feast Of wild honey is enjoyed in this wild
and secluded spot.
And what "A beautiful spot it is The
trees are fine solid looking specimens with
giant branches spreading far on either
side from these branches hang testoon.
of Wild vine, some of which nave formula,
h.e spikes, an inch or two long extending
their whole length Other vine is ike ivy
ana BIAS depending from il broad, brilliant
green leaves Then there is the wild las,
mine and musk plant, the Towering acacia
and the strengthening giant euphorbia
all OF them noticeable trees and here
growing in wl.d profusion Uutrodden ],
this forest, for as vet but few men have
had time or reason TO enter it; none bu
the naturalist or the hunter visit tae dan
( LeroUs bush, In which lurks the steaIthy
leopard, the formidable python. or the sui
~ cxiIed buffalo
Bat let us see wild honey under othel
conditions than IN the dense buSH
Now we are out in the open country
amidst cumps Of bushes aud large detach
led masses OF rock We near strong cry
ike Chjr rapidly uttered, and we know
that honey-bird Is calling This creatur,
, We see Tutoring about on a snail bush, a
J though to attract attention, and on walk
= ing towards IL we find it flies off towards
, bank of earth, and repeats It's cry NOR
auxiously than before. Upon approaching
= the bank of earth we Immediately see
J number Of bees crawling into hole in tn
2 bank, and there we know is honey-bees
! nest. Lighting iueifer match, we bur
r some grass, and make up bundle o
: smoking vegetation, which we place i
front of the hole, and proceed to enlarg
the opening, 50 as to get hand into tn
! inner chamber.
, When taking honey-bees' nest it is ne
4 cessary to act with the greatest caution
; a bee, or dozen bees, settle on your hand
e or on your face, you must not attempt t
e knock or brush them off; if you do the
Z will make a peculiar angry buzzing, an
2 will at once attack you, and their buzz q
5 alarm may bring the whole hive on you |
you allow the bees to crawl over you the
will rarely sting, at least that is our ow
/ experience, and we have taken some doze
, or more wild bees nests, and only one
: were we stung.
t 1t happened that we found wild bee,
o nest IN the forests near Natal it was in
t tree about FIVE feet from the ground, an
/ so large was the opening that the honey