Evening star., 1898-04-01
A NATURAL BEEHIVE,
California Cliff Where Millions Of
the Insects Make Their Homes.


the Insects Make Their Homes.
From the San Francisco Call.
Did you ever see a bee tree, with q swarm
of bees around it? Well, magnify this
about 10000 times, and you will have a
slight idea of a natural beehive in Men
docino county, California. 1t is rift in
the face of cliff, and tradition has 1t that
there is a large cave on the inside, where
the myriads Of busy insects make their
homes.
This great natural curiosity is known to
residents Of the adjacent country as Bee
Rock, and they have grown to look upon
1t as commonplace, when in reality, it is
the only beehive Of the kind in existence
There Is no danger OF a person getting
very near to this natural beehive without
knowing 1t. for at all hours of the day a
swarm of insects hover about several hun
dred feet in all directions. An incessant,
maddening buzz fills the air that can be
heard an eighth of a mile, and serves as a
warning not to venture too near. But men
do venture near after having first put On
suit of leather clothing. fastened mask
of wire screen around their hat brim ard
lighted a good big torch. These precau-
tions are absolutely necessary
1t takes nerve to approach close to the
opening in the rock, and the experience is
a never-to-be-forgotten one. Bees to the
number of millions of millions will Iigh- on
the intruder, humming fiendishly, and en-
deavor to sting him to death. They form a
perfect cloud, and the air is filed with a
feid smell and a fine dust that gets
through the wire screen and causes an rri-
tation to the eyes. The tiny insects really
show signs of viciousness, and fly into the
flames Of the torch in countless numbers,
though they intended to extingush it.
Round and round they fly with deafeEing
buzz, and strong indeed is the man who
can stand the onslaught Of the tiny foes
for more than few minutes.
1t is almost impossible to make out just
fhn ,frnrl tnfe
is. There Is sort Of cavern in the cliff
that seems to have a crack through the in
ner wall from top to bottom, but most of
the bees hover around a hole about Is
inches wide, and appear to make mat the
point Of ingress and egress. Many days it
is impossible to ever see ne cliff so thickly
covered Is it with the insects, and they
roll in and out of the opening like a stream
of molasseS.
During the summer dead birds can al.
ways be seen on the ground around the
mouth of the hive. They have been stung
to death while attempting to fly through
the swarm of insects. Four-footed crea-
lures never venture within half mile,
seeming to know that death turks there In
front Of the mouth of The hive there is a
pile Of dried honey that Las iown from
the interior. It looks like heap of molten
lava that has been hardened after being
discharged from al volcano.
A party of Smen living in the vicinity
claim to have, entered the beehiye several
years ago. They iselec.ed Il cold day in
winter, when the bees were half dormant,
and poured coat oil and benzns around
ard into the opening. Then they made a
big fire of wood SO that the whole cavern
was filled with flames. Then they poke.i
the red-hot embers down into the opening
and so killed every bee In It.
But there was not much see after the
men got inside. Only a large cave, with
the walls covered with wax and dried
honey. and enough of the sweetness In
pools in the bottom to last a big city for
several years. OF course. the honey was
unfit for use on account of being full of
dead bees and ashes from the fire. The
men, however, did not linger in the cave
any great length Of time. as Il was foul
smelling and sitting. Although countless
millions of bees must have been destroyed
on this occasion. the next summer they
were numerous as ever and just as
vicious.
Indians of the neighborhool say that In
good old days. the bad men of their tribe
were bound hand and foot and carried to
within a short distance of the beehive by
men wrapped in blankets There the help
less creatures were left TO suffer the awful
agony of Eeing stung 10 death.