The new South-news., 1908-11-14

Mr n is one Of the most successful
mining men IN California. II seems
odd 10 some that a man Of his wealth
aud influence should look back 90 the
poverty and hafdshipf o., pro- . sciora
ilfe and say. sometimes little Wiai.
fully. Those we're good old days"
Like most men who have long roam
cd the mountains and deserts Do o.
an extremely interesting ialker. Some
years ago. when he came 10 visit Son
who was clnssmnie of mine at Sian
ford University. had the pleasure OF
meeting him Tho following ia hie
account Of an experience with bees
md bears.
haze what ~ sometimes called a
sweet tooth" About my only caifaYa-
yancc ia 20 buy n dimes worth OF choc-
olatca occasionally, and eat them al
one sitting This fondncss for sweets
once made bear family and colony
Of bees and me a great deal of trouble.
when was working a prospect In
Shasta county ! ran out OF sugar. Ono
day. after had lived several weeks on
the plaineet OF camp fare minus sweet
.ning. / discovered bee cave In a
canyon wall that oyefhangs PITT river
ut once lost all Interest In mining,
and hurrylnE TO my camp. worked all
afternoon and evening on bec-Hmok-
cr. The finished product was crude TO
look ut. but when | considered that II
was made OF n rubberboo, top. a piece
or "whang leather" couple OF shakes
and mn oyster can with a hole In the
bottom. and. moreover. that II worked
perfectly. | was very well satisfied.
Some people sulphur bees. thus de-
stru,inr every mcmb-. OF colony t'
v., their store. IN, had learned fro"
nm old aplarlpt that by means OF bee
smoker loaded with burning cloth, one
could render them too stupid to sunl
without doing them Injury.
early the next morning set out af
ter honey The cave opened about tci
feet from the top of the clin
stout iunipcr-trec afforded safe anchor
age for my rope. and made my descen
an easy matter The aperture, whicl
was large enough 20 admit me In
half upright position, went back Int
the clin about Ave feet. TO couple O
assures These flesures varied iron
n foot TO a foot and n halt In width
and must have contained tons of honey
being hung full of comb. aud 1udgin
from the hummlng that cnsued iron
the bowels OF the clin. of great depth
SO far thiags had worked out 80 wei
that already saw myself reuufnin
TO camp with q couple OF water bucket
full OF honey Then the tide turned
When | began pumping smoke Into on
nssurc the bees came boiling out ,
the other turned the bellows @
them. and unsmoked Reimbursement
came from the inner reccsses OF IN
mrs, fssurc.
They were little black rascals
the Wild variety. and to save myse
from being smotherod by their swarm
ing ON my veil. turned the below
upon myself. held my breath TIL
could g,s out of the tunnel, then elm
ed my rope.
popped up over the edge OF Il
clln. and found myself confronted by
big she grizzly. Evidently she had iu
emerged from the brush. We We
both greatly surprised
Heretofore NY experience with eea
had been limited 20 an occasion
glimpse OF one clawing M the ear
in frantic haste TO escape the see
and sound OF man. There were do
en- bees under my veil. as many mo
were hurrowlne In my hair and
awaited the bears plunge for the hru
With some impaticnec. Then a Il
sspcy cub came roilickng out from
brush. and the mother. with the ste
glin, OF maternal duty In her eye, ma
iunye forward.
retired | went back 10 the u
friendly bees. The smoker was lyi
where | had let it fall. and srahh
II up and worked the shake hand
back and forth until the punctur
oyster can emitted smoke in volum
The bees became the central fact nc
forgot that there were such thin
NJ bears.
might have died I'm that cave h
I not kept my wits about me But
fore the bees became too thick,
Thought to wrap my coat about my he
and throw myself ON the floor. |
there. working the bellows for all
vns worth. until nearly smother
when | could stand II no longer
vcntured to uncover my head, a
vas rcjciced to md that the e-es W
pretty well under the snnacneo.
that there was a lit''o stream oil 4
air at the bottom OF the cave
mmrut | got my breath. l re'cA'
nv rurnsiue with rags and puml