Year: 1867

In june, 1854, Mr.. Simmonds, farmer
residing at Brookland Farm, Weybridge,
was dressing in order to attend the rent
audit at the Woborn House. Before put
ting on his coat, he perceived from his
window an unusually large swarm of bees.
filling the air with their cloud and noise.
Ii was in fact, as he afterward ascertaned
two swarms that had come out of two dis
tinct hives. and had united in the air. He
ran out in his shirt sleeves, and without
his hat to see where they would alight.
The bees after making some circles in the
air, led him Off the bank of the river Wey.
Thinking that the bees might cross the
river, and perhaps escape, he adopted a
plan not uncommon with bee-masters,
namely, that of throwing dust into the air
among the bees. This often makes them
settle quickly. They did settle quickly,
and this more so than he expected, for in a
short time the whole of one Of the largest
swarms he had ever seen, settled on his
head, face and breast. They hung
down in front like a great beard to the
bottom Of his waistcoat. Had he not been
well accustomed TO bees, and perfectly col
lecfed, his situation would have been
very dangerous one for, had he at all irri-
tated this mass Of armed insects, he would
4 M hav -


Der Of stings 10 have placed his life in
peril. He was obliged to close his ewes
slowly, and keep his mouth shut Then,
in order to prevent their entering his nos
trils, which they cndeavored to do, he
slowly thrust his hand through the mass,
and, with his two fore-firgers managed to
keep drawing and pushing them away
from his nostrils as they tried to enter, he


breathing all The while as softly as possible.
This was necessary, as bees are generally
/ irritated by being breathed upon.


He then began to consider what course


he should take. He was some distance


from his house and no one near him, or


within call. His first thought was to walk
slowly into the river Way, and gently sink


his head in:o the water, and then throw
off the swarm. But a moments consider
, alton dissnaded him from that attempte,.
remedy. He could not have disengase.


them all, for many were between his neck
n clotb opJ H.. o,l o,.l ,x...-
e down his back. He found that if Ii
: walked he could not help disturbing th
: hanging mass, and that every little agita
1 tion, however Slight, caused hum and
hiss from some thousands. He then re


membered the account given in Thorley'


work given on bees Of swarm settlin


on the face and neck of servant maie


who escaped unhurt by the care and az


vice of her master; he, without irritatin


the swarm, having hived it from off Ii,


with hive well smeare ed with honey. T


avoid agitating the swarm, Mr.. Simmond
slowly knelt down on the grass and re
mained perfectly still. He then found


number of bees were gathering in mas


under the waistband of his trowsers,


the hollow of his back, to which spot til


others were drawing Indicating that til
queen was there Fearing, therefore, tha


the tighiness of the waistband-ren
dered tighter whenever he brea he'd
might crush, or at any rate irritate thi
part of the swarm, he slowly unbuttone


the front of his trousers.


1t is not easy TO conceive more help


less condition than that to which Mr. Sim
monds 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
birthstone match, was now completely in
the power Of one detachment Of his own
army, and was reduced to the most sup
| plant position. Even to call for help
would have been dangerous, as the bees
near bis mouth would have been undoubt-
edly iriitated, and would have probably
entered his mouth. At this moment he
heard railway train on the Chertsey
Branch Railway, frsm which he was about
fifty yards. 1t fortunately happened that
the engine driver was known to him, and
bad little commission from him to sound
bis railway whistle if he saw anything
wrong among the cows and sheep.


This engine-driver seeing Mr.. Simmonds
on his knees, with one arm extended as for
help, and something odd hanging from his
face, sounded his whistle. This was heard
BY Mr.. Simmond's wife, who. supposing
that some COW was i'll, sent her son and a
farming man out into the fields. They
soon found Mr.. Simmonds in the predica-
ment above described. In addition TO the
hanging mass, there was cloud of bees
still flying around him. so that to approach
him was not SO agreeable an office. How
ever they came near enough to hear him
speak, which he did very gently merely
saying, "bring me bushel hive well
ru he'd with hnpav apA soma br;ct