The Harrison times., 1901-02-09
Fireside Stories Of Early Days
In the 0zarks. <
Bill Clark, the Deer Slayer and Bee
Hunter.


Bill Clark was we'll known manv
miles along Wmte river; almost cv-
cry pioneer settler in Tanev and
Ozark counties, Mo. and Marion
county, Ark, knew him, or had
heard of him, for his tame as a hunt
er went far and wide. As a deer and
bee hunter he had but few rivals. 1t
is told of him that he never done but
few days work on a farm, entirely
depending on hunting for a living.
When he was hungry for bread he
would approach farmer and pur-
chase turn of corn on credit, prom
ising to pay for it with A fat buck.
L t might be month or year be-
fore he fulfilled his promise. But he
never failed to bring the deer accord
ing to contract.
Referring to Clark's renown as
bee hunter. a settler who lived on
White river sent for him one day to
ind bee tree that he and others
failed to locate When the hunter
arrived several men were sitting
around watching the bees sip the
bait Some timber prevented the
men from getting the proper direc-
ton the bees came and went Bill
seat himself to watch the bees for
few minutes; then he stationed him
self on the bank of the river. He
soon discovered that thev flew
across the river; his eyesight was
so good he could see the flight of
bee long distance.) After getting
the direction the bees flew he pre-
pared to locate their home. Every
man in the crowd had his eyes on
Clark, for he was acknowledged
to be great bee hunter. Soon he
noticed bee, heavily laden, which
flew very sIa--I-pIn watched 1t IN
tently and said to the men:
Look. boys. look, look. Look,
boys, look Into a tree it went, bv
Jacks"
His eyes had followed the bee into
face of bluff on the opposite side
of the river and saw it go into a
tree. The men crossed the river and
discovered the hive in the tree Bill
had named. He had located the tree
in less than half an hour. where 9TH
ers had hunted for days and failed to
find.
L remember seeing great mt nDer'
of wild bees visit our sprine5 ths
mouth OF Elbow creek. THIS was IN
1850. The I>-~e~I.on ,ney came and
/ went indicated that there was more
than one hive near by. Father sent
for Bill Clark. In a day -or two he
made his appearance, and father en-
ployed him to find bee trees that
day l was only six years old, but
L recollect how Clark coursed the
bees from the spring
The hunter seated himself near
where the bees were slipping the wa
ter, and watched those that flew east,
across the creek; then he ran and
followed one to the and halted,
and waited for another one In a
few seconds another one appeared,
which flew just over his head. Bill
began 20 repeat the words:
There it goesl There it goes
There itgoesl Over the hill it WENT
Then he climbed the hill and stop
Ped on top, where he saw the bee
pass In little while another bee
went buzzing just over him. His eve
quickly preceived it and l heard him
sing out:
'Yonder it goes, Yonder it goes,
Yonder 1t goes into post oak tree,
by Jacksl" The man had located it
in a few minutes. Returning to the
spring he proposed to find another
swarm in less than AN hour. Auoth-
er course was followed west from
the spring. Some timber interviewed
and so obstructed the course that