Year: 1876

MN WHO ARE INSENSIBLE TO The sPlNos Oh
BEES.


one saw the natives take bees nest,
and very interesting sight it was. In the
valley where | used to collec: insects | one
day saw three or four Timorese men and boys
under high tree, and looking up saw on a
yery lofty horizontal branch, three large bees
combs. The tree was was straight and
smooth -barked and without branch till at
20 or so feet from the ground it gave out the
limb which the bees had chosen for their
home As the men were evidently looking
after the bees | waited to watch their
operations. One of them first produced a
long piece of wood, apparently the stem of a
small tree or creeper, which he had brought
with him, and began splitting it through in
several directions, which showed that it was
very tough and stringy.


He then wrapped it in palm leaves, which
were secured by twisting slender creeper
around them. He then fastened his cloth
lightly round his Ions, and producing an
other cloth wrapped 1t round his head, neck, ,
and body, and tied it firmly round his neck,
leaving his face, arms and legs completely
bare. Slung to his girdle he carried long
thin coil Of cord and while he had been
making preparations one of his companions
had cut strong creeper or brush-rose eight
or ten yards long, TO one end of which the
wood-torch was fastened and lighted at the
bottom, emitting steady stream of smoke.
just above the torch a chopping- was
fastened by short cord.


The bee hunter now took hold of the
brush-rope lust above the torch, and passed
ba 4 10 trtt-l- pf ba
holding one end in each hand. Jerking il
up the tree little above his head, he set
his foot against the trunk, and leaning back
began walking up it. 1t was wonderful to
see the SIX i'll with which he took advantage
Of the slightest Irregularities ofrhe bark or
obliquity of the stem TO aid his ascent, Jerk
ing the stiff creeper few feet higher when
he had found a firm hold for his bare foot.
1t almost made me giddy to look at him as
be rapidly got up-30, 40, 50 feet above the
ground, and | kept wondering how he could
possibly mount the next few feet of straight,
smooth trunk Still, however he kept on
with a. much c0oness and certainty, as it he
were going up ladder till he got within
10 or ) feet of the bess Then he stopped
q moment, and took care to swing the torch
which hung ust at his teet-a little to-
ward these dangerous insects, so as to send
up the stream of smoke between him and
them. Still going on, in minute more he
brought himself under the limb, and in q
manner quite unintelliglble to me, seeing
that both hands were occupied in support
ing the creeper, managed to get upon IT.


By this time the bees began to be alarmed
and formed dense buzzing swarm just
over him, but he brought the torch mp closer
to him, and coollly brushed away those that
settled on his arms and legs Then stretch
ing himself along the limb, be crept toward
| the nearest comb and swung the torch Just
under. The moment the smoke touched it
its color changed in a most curious manner
| from black to white, the myriads of bees
that had covered it fying off and forming q
dense cloud above and around. The mar
then lay at full length along the limb, anC
| brushed off the remaining bees with li,
| hand, and drawing his knife cut of the cemi
at one slice close to the tree, and attaching
thin cords TO to it, let it down to his com
ranions below. lie was all this time en-
| yeloped in a crowd of angry bees, and how
! he bore their stings so coolly, and went OIL
with his work at that height 50 deliberately
was more than could understand. Tb,
bees were evidently stupefed bY the smoke
or driven away far by 1t, but it was impcs
sible that the small stream from the torch
| could protect his whole body when at work
There were three other combs on the SAINT
tree. and all were successfully taken, ant
furnished the whole party with luscious
feast of honey and Young bees, a. well as {
/ valuable lot of wax.


After two of the combs had been let down
the bees became rather numerous below
flying about wildly and singing yiciously
| Several got about me, and was soon stung
and had to run away, beating them of witt
my net and capturing them for specimens
Several of them followed me for at leas
half a mile, getting into my hair and perse
cutting me most tpertenaciously, 50 that | wa.
more astonished than ever at the immunity
Of the natives. am inclined TO think thai
slow and deliberate motion, and DO attemp
at escape are perhaps the best safeguards
A bee sitting on passive native probably
behaves a. il would on tree or inanimatt
substance, which it does not attempt =
sting. Still they must often suffer, but the
are used to pain, and learn to bear it impass
lively, as without doing 50 no man could be {
bee-hunter- Wallace.