FOREIGN BEES. 147 



Mr. Stedman in his work on Surinam relates the fol- 

 lowing characteristic anecdote about bees: — 



" On the 1 6th I was visited by a neighbouring gentle- 

 man, whom I conducted up my ladder; but he had no 

 sooner entered my aerial dwelling than he leaped dov/n 

 from the top to the ground, roaring like a madman with 

 agony, after which he instantly plunged his head into tlie 

 river ; but, looking up, I soon discovered the cause of his 

 distress to be an immense nest of wild bees, or wassee, in 

 the thatch directly above my head, as I stood within my 

 door ; when I immediately took to my heels as he had 

 done, and ordered them to be destroyed by my slaves 

 without delay. A tar mop was now brought and the 

 devastation just going to commence, when an old negro 

 stepped up, and offered to receive any punishment I 

 should decree if even one of these bees should sting me 

 in person. ' Massa,' said he, * they would have stung 

 you long ere now had you been a stranger to them ; but 

 they being your tenants, that is, gradually allowed to baild 

 upon your premises, they assuredly know both you and 

 yours, and will never hurt either you or them.' I 

 instantly assented to the proposition, and, tying the old 

 man to a tree, ordered my boy Quaco to ascend the ladder 

 quite naked, which he did, and was not stung. I then 

 ventured to follow, and declare, upon my honour, that 

 even after shaking the nest, which made the inhabitants 

 buzz about my ears, not a single one attempted to sting 

 :me. I next released the old negro, and rewarded him 

 -with a gallon of rum and four shillings for the discovery. 

 This swarm of bees I kept unhurt, as my body guard, and 

 they have made many overseers take a desperate leap for 

 my amusement, as I generally sent them up my laddei 

 upon some frivolous message, when I wished to punish 

 them for injustite and cruelty, which was not seldom. 



" The above negro assured me that on his master's 

 estate was a tree, in which had been lodged ever since he 



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