Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-12-29

over the very ground we are bound for But
what has our CalTre with him. he has a wal
let on his back, and in that hc has a number
Of wooden pegs and "A hammer. What can
these be forl We shall see Now we enter
the forest, not by beaten track made by
vehicles, or even by man, but we follow a
game path, track made by buffalo or ante
lope, when they leave the dark mazes Of the
forest to Craze for while on the open plains.
Up this path we walk with care, slowly and
stealthily, for the game we are in pursuit of
seeks to protect itself by means of watchful-
ness, and all bush animals have very delicate
organs of hearing.
An antelope is seen; it has heard some
thing that alarms it, but it is rs yet uncertain
Of the direction from which danger comes.
Its hesitation is fatal; bullet leaves the ri
ilc, and the buck falls dead. The CafTre
carefully cleans the animal, and then with a
knowing look, points to a distant tree and
says honey is there. Now, how does the
man know honey is there Well, CafTre's
eyes are everywhere, and as we walked
through the bush, the man saw a bee this
bee, on being alarmed, flew off in the drrc-
tion of the tree Soon after, another bee was
seen, and this also flew Off in the same drec-
ton; consequently the Calfre secs the direc-
tiOn taken by each bee, and finds these meet
at the tree that he sees in the distance He
then concludes that in that tree is the honey
Carrying the buck with us, we approach
the suspected tree, and soon perceive that the
Caffrc's suspicious were correct, for there,
high up, we notice large hollow, in and out
Of which the bees are rapidly flying. The
Caffrc having examined the tree, takes his
wallet off his back and selects peg, which
he drives into the stem of the trce-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, and
then he stands on the first peg, and holds on
to the second, whilst he drives in third,
about four feet above the second He thus
ascends the tree, on which there is no branch
for thirty feet, and gradually approaches the
bees nest. When within few feet of the
opening the Caffrc lights his pipe and COM
menccs smoking most furiously, sending
above and around him thick cloud, amidst
which he is scarcely visible. The bees now
alarmed by the approach Of an enemy, fly
round the Caifrc; but the cloud of smoke is
too much for them; they dare not enter it to
sting their assalant, but buzz round him, and
make a great noise. Slowly and steadily the
Caifrc asccnds, testing the strength of each
peg after he has driven il in, and at last reach
ing the opening in the tree. The smoke is
now pulled out from his pipe more furiously
than ever whilst the dsengaged 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,
and this operation is repeated until all the
honey is extracted, when the man slowly de
scends with mis- spoil, and feast of wild hon
ey is enjoyed in this wild and secluded spot
When taking honey bees nest it is nee
essary to act with the greatest caution; if a
bee or dozen bees settle on your hands or
your face, you must not attempt to knock or
brush them off; if you do they will make a
peculiar angry buzzing, and will at once at
tack you, and their buzz of alarm may bring
the whole hive on you. If you allow the bees
to crawl over you, they will rarely sting-at
least that is our own experience, and we have
taken some dozen or more wild bees nests,
and only once were stung Tile ChildrcH'8
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