Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1886-05-14
HUNTING FOR HONEY.
Following Florida Expert Through Marsh
and Thicket.


mornings, when nature seems too indo-
lent to rouse herself to the ordinary rou-
tine work, but lies like a sluggard for an
other nap ere she encounters the fatigues
of the day
capt. Sterne, having risen and pulled
himself into his clothes, came out on the
long piazza, doused his face in basin of
fresh water, scrubbed himself vigorously
with coarse towel, and made few half
hearted passes at his sloggy locks. tugged
at his brown beard. and with a squint at
the sun remarked: It's a pretty fine
morning, and I think it's mighty good
thing TO look after my bee bait. Wouldn't
you like to go loug with me and help me
course some bees? -
'-Of course 1 answered. '.it would af-
ford me great pleasure
We gulped our breakfast of brown
bread, dried venison and black coffee, and
set off across stretch of pine barren to-
ward the dark line of wood. that marked
the confines of Cedar hammock.
In the twilight gloom of the hammock
the stiffness was oppressive. The whole
world was mass of wild and bewildering
beauty.
Thar they aire, shore 'nough," ex-
claimed the captain as we emerged from
the shadowy forest into the edge of
green glade, where the shadows still Law
on the green grass.
On the half-rotten stump was piece of
pine bark, in the hollow of which was a
chunk of honeycomb, and swarms of
buzzing yellowiackets and busy brown
bees were feasting on this generous free
lunch so conveniently placed before them.
Yes, jest as l expected; they're a-tak-
ing the bait like good fellers. Now. if
you'll jist watch me, I'll show you how to
foller bee by his course. You see. when
one gets his mess he flies in a straight
direction for his home. That's what
makes people say bee line" when they
mean to take a straight course from one
place to t'other. You kin allus tell eff its
near by or far ways off by the way the
bee flies. Eff he goes straight up ards, you
may know his home amt far off: but eff
he kinder rises gradually in a slow, I'M
| sartln sort o way, you will understan' that
its mile or two off. Now, watch me
course this one. He's most got bait. an
when he is satisfied he'll be off like a
bullet
Carefully we watched the banqueter as
he rose from the feast poised himself for
moment, and was off so swsftIy that |
failed to see him start. The captain 5
more experienced eye, however, followed
the brown speck as it disappeared III the
| distance, shading his eye with his hand
as he gazed long and earnestly in the
direction of the cypress swamp that lay
| beyond the little glade on whose margin
| we stood
"1'yi!' exclaimed ne, TN bet two bits
l find that tree. It's on o. them big cy-
| presses yonder in the swamp. Come on;
| they're aplayin' out this time o'day' an,
eff we kin keep the course we're dead
shore to find the tree"
! Away we went, splashing through a
marshy savanna, and tearing our way
! through the tangled thicket beyond.
| Quite through the swamp we passed, and
as we emerged on the pine level beyond,
covered with dwarf palmetto and COLL
! berry bushes, the captain stopped short
| again and remarked: well, I'll be shot
| if | couldn't swear them bees were in that
| swamp, but-hello! Here they aire agin.
l thought that last course was not straigt
enough up for the swamp. Hol on a
mint. I'll git a fresh course f'om one O
| these critters asuckin' these ere golherry
| blossoms Most intently he watched
| the one selected for the experiment. The
! greedy little epicure buzzed from one
| little white flower to the other until he
was so full he could hardly fly. Then with
| trembling hesitation he arose with evident
regret, being poised for an instant so as
| to recover his equilibrium. then plump
| into the air he went, disappearing among
the interlacing pine boughs.
"AhaT calculated the captain, Il knOwed
| it: [ tell you l knowed it. The tree cant
| be fur off now, and I'll find ii in no time
! [ had become deeply interested in the
| proceedings now, and / wached the cap
! tain with increasing anxiety as he care
| fully examined every likely -looking tree.
Suddenly, with an admonitory "Sh-hr' he
| stopped and assumed listening attitude.
| The suspense was painful, but | could hear
a sort of low, distant roar, like the muir
muir of many voices. That's them. Hear
| emp said the hunter, with his eyes beam
| ing with pleasure. That's them. Hear
emf said the hunter. with his eyes beam
ing with pleasure. "Them's drOnes playin'
! out. The workers don't have no time to
| play lessn they're agwine to swarm.
| Them dandy fellers are out for a frolic
and a'ter'ards the1l go in an flatter the
| silly old queen. Let's go, we've as good
as got 'em now"
! Very cautiously and carefully we made
'Ni "og 1'i "CiiN" NJ lhoI INC Cd DItiIli
stopped and GREED earnestly at tall pine
tree some yards in front. 1t leaned
slightly, and about forty feet above the
ground there was a well-worn knot-hole,
at which the captain kept gazing.
'Ii, yi!' he said at last. Il knowed it.
That's the tree. Don't you see 'em? Come
roun' this may where the sun won't blind
you. The drOnes is done gone in, but l
kin see the workers winin' in an out
Them bees is bees, shores you're borned.
But l reckon l better brand that ere tree.
SOS the mex Teller that comes along will
know that it aire done located by Capting
| Jeames Sterne."
So he whipped out his pocket-knife and
began cutting his monogram in a smooth
place in the bark. After much pain and
labor the job was completed, and a cranky
looking ~ and an 81 that was rather
tOp-heavy stood out in bold relief The
captain eyed his hand work with evident
pleasure, and then we sat down in the
shade to rest.
when it gets alittle later in the season,
an we're certain of gitten' a good chance
O honey, we'll take the ole oman and
cyart, an ak in some q the settlement
an well all come out here an have bee
cuttin'. From looks % that ERE tree Their
must be a sight o sweet stuff hid away in
that ere holler.'