THE :N"AEBADA valley. 43 



other species of bees common in Central India, both 

 much smaller than the Bonhra, and neither of them 

 inclined to act on the otfensive. The Bonhra is of very 

 common occurrence in many forest tracts ; and I have 

 myself several times been attacked by them. If attacked, 

 the only resource is to rush into the nearest thick bush, 

 break off a leafy branch, and lay about with it wherever 

 there is an opening. On one occasion, when marching 

 in the Mandla district, my baggage animals and servants 

 were attacked, and scattered in every direction. Many 

 of the men and animals were so severely stung as to be 

 laid up for several days ; and one of the baggage ponies, 

 who could not get rid of his load, was killed on the spot. 

 Our kit was Hung about all over the jungle, and was not 

 all collected for several days. On another occasion a 

 valuable elephant was attacked, and driven away into 

 the jungle ; and was so panic-stricken that she could not 

 be recovered for days. I have heard of a large force of 

 troops in the Mutiny days being routed, horse and foot, 

 by a swarm of these terrible insects, in the neighbourhood 

 of Lucknow. The honey and wax of this and the other 

 species of bee are regular articles of export from our 

 forests. The people who engage in the business of 

 taking them seem to possess not a little of the art of the 

 bee-master ; but they usually resort to more forcible 

 measures, and rob the combs after suffocating the tenants 

 at nioht with the smoke of torches. Their richest 

 harvests are got from cliffs like tliis on the Narbada ; 

 and some of their slender ladders of bamboo slips may 

 usually be seen at the Marble Rocks, hanging from 

 the edge of the cliffs over the abyss of water. The 

 honey is inferior in quality to that of the domesticated 

 bee of Europe ; and is sometimes even of a poisonous 



