280 Agricultural and Land produce of Shoa. [No. 148. 



within the range of agricultural pursuits, yet it appertains in general 

 to rural occupation, and in a country where vinous and spirituous li- 

 quors are not in use, much honey is expended in the fabrication of 

 hydromel, and forms a large item in the profits of the farmer. The 

 same customs prevail in this country which have been generally prac- 

 tised since the days of Virgil ; the whimsical one of making a confused 

 clamour to induce the swarm to settle, and that of rubbing the inte- 

 rior of the hive with sweet-scented herbs to induce the bees to remain. 



78. When the juwarree is ripe in November, long stout seeds cover- 

 ed with the leaves of the sweet smelling kuskus, mingled with the 

 bruised stocks of other savory herbs, are set in the fields near the ha- 

 bitations of the wild insect, and when the young swarms take their 

 flight from the parent nest, a loud shouting and noise is kept up until 

 a lodgment is made upon one of the lures. The swarm is then shak- 

 en into a hive, which is fashioned of long grass in the form of a cylin- 

 der, carried to the residency, and suspended from the eaves of the 

 house. 



" Hue tu jussos asperge sapores, 



Trita raelisphylla, et cerinthae ignobile gramen. 

 Tinnitusque cie, et Matris quate cymbala circum, 

 Ipsa? consident uaedicatis sedibus." — 



79. The hives are robbed of their treasures twice during the year, 

 once in June and again in November; but the queen bee is invariably 

 in the first instance extracted from her dominions, and carefully secur- 

 ed in a reed, and after the remnant of the family has been expelled by 

 means of smoke and the honeycomb despoiled, the hives are plentifully 

 besmeared with sweet herbs, and the queen being restored to her 

 dwelling place, her liege subjects never fail on the following day to re- 

 turn to their plundered homes. 



80. Mead formed the nectar of the northern nations, and was 

 celebrated in song by all their bards. It was the drink they expected 

 to quaff in heaven, out of the skulls of their enemies, and was liber- 

 ally patronized upon earth. In Shoa, it is considered as much too sump- 

 tuous for the lip of the common people, and his majesty alone possesses 

 the right and privilege of preparing the highly-prized liquor. Unless 

 brewed with the greatest care and attention, it has a sweet mawkish 

 flavour, particularly disagreeable to the palate, and few strangers can, 



