The Arizona sentinel., 1889-12-14
INDIA'S WILD BEES.

One of the Greatest Dangers to Which
 Travellers in Asia are Exposed.
 Of all the many dangers to which the wandering sportsman and traveller in the wilds of India is exposed the most stung to death by legion of the large brown honey bee, called in the vernac- ular language ''Sarung." This fero ciouS insect needs no greater provoca' tion than the report of a gun, the smoke of a campfire, or even the fracture of his huge pendulous home by gust oi wind! He prefers the vicinity of water, and hangs his honey receptacle to the sides of steep cliffs, though inaccessible structures of masonry, such as the arches of city gates, bridges and palaces, in in habited places, are often selected for his stronghold.
 remember at one gateway of Luck now the heavy combs long existed with out any hurt to the passengers; they grew in size and weight till they were dislodged by a high wind; then the winged army assaulted every living thing it met. A proclamation was issued by beat of drum that no man or beast could pass that way, and this state of siege lasted three days, the shops being closed. Recently horde of this much dreaded insect has established itself on a railway viaduct in Central India. Printed notices are circulated that the passengers must close their windows before arrival at the spot, the noise and vibration rendering these bees very war like.
 have had many narrow escapes from the flying furies, and once had the sat isfaction of seeing them turn their rage from me, who had just fired heavy gun at close quarters into a big buffalo, to the animal himself as he rushed head long into the swarming masses crawling up the trunk of an ancient tree. Such a sight as 1 shall never see again was the dusky cloud of swift avengers descend ing on that bulls body, clad in sting proof hide. With tail in air and head lowered, the ponderous quadruped was galloping over the bowlder-spread arm of river, dashing heavy stones around his hOofs in nasty retreat to the dense forest. I, too, had betaken myself into leafy cOncealment, through which I speedily ran away. Many and unex- pected accidents Sometimes ending fla tally have l known, for these bees give no quarter. When their victim jumps into river, they hover over the sur face till he reappears, and then simul- taneOusly swarm on his head; hence men are often drowned.
 Here is a sample of the disasters the angry tenants of an old colony can in- fiict: A troop of horse artillery had ar rived in pleasant grove to encamp in course of march. The men were busily occupied in preparing for their rest, and had begun to picket their horses, when the smoke from cooks fire an noyed an unseen bee haunt; as usual, the irascible inmates swooped down on every intruder, biped and quadruped There was a general Skedaddle. Man and horse bolted across the plains, some of the horses throwing themselves down, and in their agonies smashing the sad dies on their backs, many of them not being caught for twentyfour hours.
 Yet the aDorlglnal men, called GhOOdS, in the Nerbuddah districts, possess the art of taking those great honeycombs hanging in such tempting profusion along the precipices along the rivers, singing themselves by rude ropes of twisted bark, which, to my eye, looked very hazardous. 1 did not venture to at tend as an eyewitness, but was in- formed that these men rub their naked bodies with the pounded leaves of Ocymum sanctum Sacred BasiD, and at the same time produce smoke from some pungent herbs, under the fumes of which they carry on their operations with impunity. The early dawn is the period chosen for the exploit The honey is of excellent quality, and this, with the wax, constitutes large article of trade for these wild men.-N. Y. Ledger.