Year: 1867

mer, residingat BroOkIands Farm, Wey-
bridge, was dressing in order to attend
the rent audit at Woburn House. Be
fore putting on his coat be perceived


from his window an unusually large


swarm Of bees fIling the air with their


cloud and noise 1t was, in fact, as be


afterwards ascertained, two smarms that
had come out Of two distinct hives, and


united in the air. He ran out in his
shirt sleeves, and without his hat, to see


where they would alight. The bees, af-
/ ter making some circles in the air. led
him off to the bank of the River Wey.
Thinking that the bees might cross the
river, and perhaps escape, he adopted a
/ plan not uncommon with lee masters,
namely, that OF throwing dust into the


air among the bees. This often makes
them settle quickly. They did settle
| quickly, and more so then he expected
for in a short time the whole of one Of


the largest swarms he had ever seen set
( tied upon his head, face and breast


They hung down in front like a great
beard to the bottom of his waistc0at.-
Had he not been well accustomed to


bees, and perfectly collected, his situa-


ton would have Leen very dangerous
one for had be at all irritated this mass


of armed insects, he would no doubt re-
ceived a sufficient number of st;ngs to
placed his life in peril.


He was obliged 10 close his eyes slow


ly and to keep his eyes shut Then, in


order to prevent their entering his nos


trils, which they endeavored to do, he


slowly thrust one hand through the mass


and with his two forefngers managed to


keep drawing and pushing them away


from his nostriis as they tried to enter,


he breathing all the while as softly as


possible. This was necessary, as bees
are generally irritated by bcing braathed


upon. He then began to consider what


course he should take. He was some


distance from his house. and no one near


him nor within call. His first thought


was TO walk slowly into the River Wey,
and gently sink his head under the wat
er, and then throw of the swarm. But
a moments consideration dissuaded him
from that attempted remedy. He could
not have disengaged them at all, for


many were between his necEclOth and
skin, and still more were crawling down
his back. He found that if he walked
he could not help disturbing the hang
ing mass and that every little agitation,
however slight, caused a hum and q hiss
from some thousands. He then remem-


bcred the account given in Thorlcy'
work, on bees Of q swarm settling on the
face and neck of servant maid, who
escaped unhurt by the care and advice
Of her master, without irritating the
swarm, having hiyed itfrom off her with
q hive well smeared with honey.


To avoid agitating the swarm, Mr..
Simmonds slowly knelt down on the
grass and remained perfectly still. He
then found a number of bees were gath
ering in a mass under the waistband Of
his trowsers, in the hollow ef his back, .
to which spot the others were drawing,
indicating that the queen was there.
Fearing, therefore, that the tightness
Observation-Disclosures tighter when
ever he breathed-might crush, or at
any rate, irritate this part Of the swarm /
he slowly unbuttoned the front of his
trowscrs.


tits not easy to conceive 4 more help |
less condition than that to which Mr. /
was now reduced. He that
was the master of forty hives, from which /
he could usually levy what spoils he
pleased, killing his thousands at his .
pleasure with a birthstone match. was
now so completely in the power Of one
detachment of his own army, and was
reduced to the most supPliant position.
Even to call for help would have been .
dangerous, as the bees near his mouth .
would have been irritated, and would .
have probably entered his mouth. At
this moment he heard a railway train
on the Chertsey Branch Railway, from
which he was about fifty yards. 1t for
happened that the engive driver
was known to him, and had little com
mission from him to sound his railway
whistle if he saw anythingwrong among
his cows and sheep.


The engine-driyer seeing Mr.. Sim
monds on his knees, with one arm cz-
tended as if for help, and something odd /
hanging from his face, sounded his
whistle. This was heard by Mr.. Sim
mond's wife, who suPposing that some
cow was Ill, sent her son and farming
man out into the field. They soon found /,
Mr.. Simmond in the prodicament above
described. In addition the hanging
mass, there was a cloud Of bees still fly I
ing around him, SO that to approach
him was not the most agreeable office.
However, they came near enough to hear
him speak, which he did very gently. ,
merely saying, Bring a bushcl hive,
we'll rubbed with honey, and some
bricks" {


While they were going at the top Of {
heir speed for this, he remained per-
'ectly still. The tickling Of the bees
'cct ON his face was always unbearabIc, {
md the danger Of irritating those that {
we're down his neck and back was i'm t
nincnt


The most difficult part he had per-
'orm, however, was that bcforomoution- I
81, Of dissuading the bees, with the end
IF his two fore -frngcrs, from getting up ,
his nostrils. These bees were not in q
rood humor, as they were brcathcd up {
on, and also deferred from doineas iLcy {