The Meeker herald., 1896-12-05
MOUNTAIN LEAKS HONEY
= Natural Storehcuso of Sweet.
ne's in Pennsylvania
o. efn Days tho Rocks Drip with
- sEeets of the Great Beehive
Within = Stories Told by
Hunters.

kfanaoquillas gap is located in the
Iussey'F Seven mountain, raDge, and is
one g he many breaks through this
Wild ehsin of mountains leading fror,
pcnnf alley into Stone valley.
Ts9 Sven mountain range is per-
haIs xk widest rystem in the stale of
fena ENania. More than one ex.
perfatd hunter and wcolsnan has
lost ns way in these mountains, and |
spess weary days wandering arounl |
@D03fGs be- fs.se.A-a-.-- - .-----ll4si
~ 1n,sni some even failed to return
TO IT, al it is the general belief tha.
their honesl;e Ecal: and bare in some
dark ravipe 4 the Tussey range.
Years ;go cTrent report said that
in one of the leaat explored Of the man..
sastressesof these mountains there
was beehive in the rociis which cor
tnined enough honey to make n man
rich. The story WIS in effect as fol-
lows: Sorlc eight orten miles north of
ihe gap is one Of the deepest luv.nes in
| closing the widest spot in the entire
chain of mountains. rrccipitous cliff
10 the height of several hundred fCc'
completely covered with dense growth
of small shrubbery and trailing vines
while away down at the bottom. so deep
that the sun hardly pcneirates, own"
to. the narrowness of the gorge, triclilcs
a small stream or rivulct.
On the north side of this gorge, about
half way up the rock side of the cliff,
is fssure in the rock presenting M
opening perhaps 20 feet long andIary-
ing in width from two to five fee.
Though there is no accurat" WY of
knowing the depth of this fissure or
cave in the rock side, it has hsen cs-
t,mated at anywhere from 30 to -
ieet, perhaps even more, and possibly
with the dimensions of q large cham
Der.
In this rift in the rock a swarm OF
bees years ago made their home. and
there they have continued TO abide,
multiply and store up honey until three
years ago, when the last report of tlero.
as given by lost hunter. stated that
so numerous had they become thai
there was one perfect column or string
of bees fully u foot thick continually
going and coming frcm the stone hive.
Pnrt;c5 who claim to have seen it
aver that on n wnrm day the sweet
aah aHha in eltsa, ~ Ye NE ITS RGs rays penetrate
the opening, would trickle down the
side of the cliffs and fall in pools at
the bottom.
Several parties attempted to dis
lodge the bees and get Mt the hive of
honey, but owing to the difficulty in
getting at the opening thcy were never
successful, as the bees always drove
Them away.
a few days ago stranger, who
claimed to hail from the eastern part OF
The state, and who had been trudging
these mountains in quest of the outloo (
for game on several of the game rir-
serves located here, stopped q few MN
utes at the gap, and while here told of
seein2 the beehive in the rocks. The
man yggs so excited over the discovery
that he could hardly tell complete
story. but the facts related tv him re
60 closely allied 10 the current report OF
wears that there is TO doubt that he
found ti,c wonderful honey dcg?ossit.
The man averrcd that the bees 60
ing and coming locked like an iTilmnn*c
tnr roro at least two feet in diameter.
and SO constantly did they keep at ticir
work that in the hour or more he
watched them there was not one bea {:
in the flying string of bees.
To dislodge the bees and secure the
honey would, however, be an almost in;-
possible task, at the very least a Her
culean one. From the bottom of tic
ravine TO where the rift in the rock oc-
ours is fully rs feet. and from the ton
down to the rift is almost an equal d'F-
tance. The rocky side is very nearly
straight up and down, and the small
brush and wild vines with which tn"
side is almost entirely covered are not
embedded securely enough in the rocks
to admit of one climbing either up OF
lown them as u support.
There is only one way By which the
cavern could he reached, and then it
would be at the risk of destroying tn"
rich store therein. and that is to biof'
the mountain side up with dyuam +"
But even this mode of attack won't.
not rid the place of all the bees, anf
when oEcc their home was dest-oyc1
all interlorcrs would want TO seek som
secure retreat. The stranger averrc'
that he would find a way 10 Eat TN
becs out ard get ut the store of honeA
He declared his intention Of return
ing to make the attempt, at least, an'
what the results will be remain to n'
seen.
Five, four, or even two tons OF lone,
is large pile of the sweet stun, an'
the smaller amount, if it could he pn
on the market in anything Ike a goo
condition, at the present Price OF j.
cents per pound, would realize just SEQ
for the successful bee hunter. a ver'
clover sum to pull from a rift in TIN
mountain side.-Philadelphia Times.
Handbags and chatelains, small style
in the latest belts, can be seen at Hugh