288 BERTHA'S VISIT TO HER 



trouble, as the bees are easily driven off with a 

 switch. But the bee from which the greatest 

 quantity of Uoney is procured is large and fierce, 

 and builds under projecting ledges of rock, or in 

 caverns. The honey is gathered twice a year, 

 for which purpose the people kindle a fire at 

 the foot of the rock, and throw into it the leaves 

 of a species of cassia, which emit a smoke so acrid 

 that nothing can endure it even the bees are 

 forced to retire. As soon as the smoke subsides, 

 a man is quickly lowered by a rope from the 

 top of the rock ; he knocks off the nest, and is 

 immediately drawn up again, for were he to 

 make any delay the bees would return, and 

 their stinging is so dreadful as to endanger life. 



In a tour which Colonel Travers made through 

 a part of Ceylon, he found a species of bees 

 which might at first be mistaken for black 

 flies. Their heads, compared with their 

 bodies, are extremely large. The honey is very 

 liquid, and has a disagreeable flavour. I asked 

 him if he had ever seen the honey-bird or 

 Indicator, when he was at the Cape ? he did 

 see it, and heard its shrill note of cherr, cherr, 

 which announces the discovery of a bees' nest. 

 He followed this sagacious bird along with a 

 party of bee-hunters, and it soon pointed out a 

 bees' nest, by redoubling the frequency of its 

 cries, and by hovering over the place. Having 

 taken most pf the honey, they left only a small 



