THE BEE-HUNTER. 179 



they follow it, sometimes to the distance of half-a-r.iilc, 

 and rarely, if ever, fail in marking the very branch where 

 they saw the little bit of white down disappear at the 

 entrance of the hive. Here there is a halt, the prize is 

 found, and they sit down to regain their breath before 

 ascending the tree, and to light a pipe — to which old and 

 young, men, women, and children, are extremely partial. 

 When the rest and smoke are over, with one arm round 

 the tree and the tomahawk in the other, the black man 

 cuts notches in the bark, and, placing the big toe in the 

 notches, ascends this hastily constructed stair until he 

 •comes to where the branches commence; then, putting 

 the handle of the tomahawk between his teeth, he climbs 

 ■with the ease and agility of a monkey till he reaches the 

 branch where last he saw the white down disappear; he 

 then carefully sounds the branches with the back of his 

 tomahawk till the dull and distinct sound from the hollow 

 tells him where the hive is. 



A hole is then cut, and he puts his hand in and takes 

 the honey out. If alone, the savage eats v/hen up the 

 tree till he can eat no more and leaves the rest ; but, if 

 ■with others, he cuts a square piece of bark, and, after 

 having had the best part of the hive as a reward for !iis 

 •exertions, brings down a mass of honey and comb mixed 

 together, which, though not inviting, is greedily devoured 

 .by those below. 



In one of Cooper's novels, I think the " Oak Open- 

 ings," will be found a wonderful description of a bee-hunt, 

 similar in its mode to the above. 



THE BEE-HUNTER. 



Whether the honey-bee {Apis mellifica) is a native of 

 the New World, or whether it was carried there by forne 



N 7 



