868 



GLEANI^GS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Nov. 1.'). 



ed from the wound, and this was what the bees 

 were so busily at work upon. As it exuded 

 enough to drop upon the leaves, I suppose the 

 liquid must be called honey-dew, or something 

 akin to it. Mr. H. assured us that the bees 

 gathered much honey from this source, and 

 thatitv/as not of a bad quality. No civilized 

 bees were kept in the wild country through 

 which we were passing. The multitude of bees, 

 therefore, were from the trees and rocks. 



The canyon we soon entered, and through 

 which we wound our way, was wild and hem- 

 med in by tall mountains; but not more so. per- 

 haps, than what we had seen in other places, 

 and especially in the Sespe region. 



time, however, we reached our destination — 

 Zaca Lake — a fine sheet of water several acres^ 

 in extent, just under those three peaks, and 

 several thousand feet above the level of the sea> 

 This little lake, perched so high above the sur- 

 rounding country, is considered a great curiosi- 

 ty in the region, and is becoming quite a sum- 

 mer resort, in spite of the rugged climb to get 

 to it. We found here the lone cabin of a frog- 

 eating Frenchman. I do not say " frog-eating'" 

 out of any disrespect to the French, but because 

 Mr. H. said that this man did eat frogs : and 

 the remains of many of the succulent Silurian 

 monsters were visible around the cabin. It 

 seemed to be a healthful climate for frogs, ex- 



HII/rON AND WILDER BRINGING IN THE GAME. 



Our load weighed rather heavily upon our po- 

 nies; and when we came to the final two-mile 

 grade, about as steep as the roof of a gothic 

 house, we camped for the night. PYances was 

 tucked up warmly in one corner of the tent: 

 Mr. Wilder rolled himself in his blanket, under 

 a tree, whilt Mr. H. and I sought the remain- 

 ing corner? of the tent. 



The next morning, leaving our ponies tether- 

 ed in a little spot of wild oats, which are plenti- 

 ful here, we climbed the steep grade. Frances 

 partly climbed and partly clung to her papa ; 

 and, on account of the heat, we often rested. In 



cept when the Frenchman was around, for we 

 saw some of aldermanic size. A ramble around 

 the lake, a photograph or two. a sail on its pla- 

 cid waters, and a peep into its clear and un- 

 fathomed depths, and we were ready to return 

 to camp. Frances enjoyed a ride down on her 

 papa's shoulders, and, owing to the uncertain 

 foothold, we occasionally made ourselves into 

 sleds in an undignified way, much against our 

 wills, and that's the way we and Frances came 

 down. 



We found much honey flora that was new to 

 us, and plenty of bees at work. Mr. H. spent a 



