Feb. 1, 1896.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
91 
find a bee on a flower open your box and thrust it over 
him, immediately closing it. Turn your box glass up, 
pull out the slide and the bee will come to the light; close 
the slide and you have your first prisoner. Follow this 
up until you have the required number. Most "bee 
liners" catch only odd numbers — three, five or seven. 
Seven is usually the limit. It takes so nmch time to catch 
a larger number that the first bees caught grow restless 
and will not "line." 
One might think that trapping bees was unskilled work, 
and that the amateur could equal the expert, but this is 
not the fact. In any locality where wild bees abound 
tame ones will also be found. The amateur would not 
know one from the other, while the expert would seldom 
make a mistake. He would know the wild from the tame 
bees not by any distinguishing mark, but by their actions. 
The tame bee is acquainted with man, and when ap- 
proached will drop off the flower, swing to and fro before 
the intruder, as if scolding him for his intrusion, but 
finding he will not go away concludes to seek other 
flowers. The expert would not follow him, but the ama- 
teur would probably chase him till caught. The wild bee 
will usually cling to a flower till brushed off. The expert 
knows the bees apart because the tame bees are wild and 
the wild bees are tame. 
You will now take your bees to the stand. Put the 
comb in the lower part of the bee box and turn on the 
honey. Now close the box and pull out the slide. Ex- 
clude the light with your coat or a soft hat and the bees 
will floon find the honey. After the bees get to work 
gently open the box. The first bee to load will rise 1ft. 
or more above the box, swing to and fro, examining the 
whole outfit, until he is satisfied that he can find the spot 
when he shall return. He will then commence to fly in 
circles, the circles increasing in size as he rises higher and 
higher. The other bees will follow the same line of 
; action. 
The bee evidently finds the way to the hive through his 
keen sight. In the "bee lining" affair he is carried in a 
box until he is bewildered and lost. The only course open 
to him is to rise and circle, that he may see some familiar 
landmark by which he may. shape his course to the hive. 
The bee will circle the second and sometimes the third 
trip, after which he will drop off the box and go directly 
, to the hive. It would seem that a bee is very much like 
a human being, and must become familiar with a path to 
be assured of the right direction. 
It takes a bee anywhere from ten to thirty minutes to 
make a trip, owing not so much to the distance as to other 
things, one of which is a long crawl into and out of the 
tree. 
It will take three hours or more to get the bees to work 
in any great number. You need not wait so long, but 
can commence work so soon as some of the bees give you 
the course. Do not expect a "bee line." You will have 
to look in the books for that. While a bee keeps to a 
general course, he swings a good 50ft. each side of a 
straight line. 
You will now be guided by circumstances. If the line 
is to a narrow strip of woodland, and you know there are 
open fields beyond, you must imprison a few of your 
bees, pull up the staff, and with your whole outfit remove 
to the other side of the woodland. Set up your stand 
and handle the bees just as you did before. If you find 
the bees take the back track you know the hive is in that 
belt of woodland. If the bees go the other way you have 
saved yourself the useless work of searching the trees on 
or near your line in sard woodland. Some of Forest and 
Stream's correspondents claim that the bee will not re- 
turn if carried by the hive or tree. I have carried bees 
by the hive scores of times, and I can remember but one 
time when they refused to "line," and it was my fault 
then. I had let the bees have access to the honey while 
carrying them, and when loaded they made frantic efforts 
to escape, daubing themselves with honey meantime. 
When I released them they dropped into the grass and 
spent an hour or more cleaning up. Under such circum- 
stances bees will not "line." 
When you desire to take bees to a new spot turn your 
box cover over them before they have time to load. Shake 
or rap the box and they will fly up to the glass, when you 
can shove in the slide and keep them away from the 
honey. Bees so caught will "line" no matter where you 
carry them, if not over four miles. 
We will now suppose that your first line leads into the 
forest, with no fields beyond. In such case you must im- 
prison a few bees. Leave the honeycomb on the stand 
and take your box, with another piece of comb, one-half 
mile to the right or left of the first line. Place the box 
on a rock or stump and bait your bees as at first. Stay 
there until the bees "line." Then if you are on high land 
you may form an idea as to where in the forest the two 
lines intersect. Take your box and return to the first 
stand,- leaving some honey for the bees to work on. Place 
your compass on the stand and get the course of the first 
line. Follow this line into the woods, cutting enough 
brush so that you can use your compass. 
Do not make an extensive search for the bee tree. Con- 
tent yourself with examining the trees near your line. 
When you are satisfied that you are beyond the hive, 
leave this line and go to your second line and follow it 
into the woods. If your first line extends beyond the 
hive or bee tree the second line will intersect it, and you 
can feel assured that you have your bees corralled near 
where the lines intersect. 
Don't imagine that the bees swarm in and out of the 
tree and that you cannot miss them. If you will take 
notice of a hive of tame bees you will find that they come 
and go, while at work, singly. Wild bees follow the same 
law and you must search every tree with great care. An 
opera glass is an excellent aid when S6ai-ching lofty pine 
trees. If you fail to find the tree after a diligent search, 
go to the stand and trap a half dozen bees and take them 
into the woods and set up your stand where the two lines 
intersect. You will not have much trouble after this. 
The bees will be so near home that they will arouse the 
whole hive and you will have them all about your ears. 
Watch the loaded bees and they will direct you "to the bee 
tree. 
There are two methods of "taking up" the bees when 
found. One is to kill the bees with brimstone and the 
other to cut down the tree while the bees are very much 
alive. 
Most bee trees are hollow or rotten from the ground up. 
By cutting into the tree you can introduce the fumes of 
burning brimstone which will rise and kill the bees. The 
r§§ IS M t 8 f§W dayp so the honey may cool 0ff» The 
honey can be handled, when cool, much better and a sav- 
ing is made. The "bee liners" for revenue almost always 
follow this method. 
I did not ta,ke kindly to the brimstone method in my 
"bee lining" days. First, I did not care to add murder to 
robbery, and second, I rather enjoyed the excitement of 
"taking up" a hive of wild bees. 
The killing with brimstone must be done toward night, 
when the bees are all in the hive. If possible the hole 
used by the bees should be plugged. 
When "taking up" a live swarm you will need a hat 
with a wide stiff brim. A veil made of netting should be 
tied about the crown of the hat and buttoned under the 
coat. It is necessary to have this netting bee-proof, or 
you will want your life insured. Thick gloves that but- 
ton over your coat sleeves are also desirable. If the bees 
are in the top of a high tree you will not need the veil 
until the tree is down. Do not fell the tree on the bare 
ground. Chop down several small trees for "bedding." 
This will break the fall .of the tree and save the honey 
from being wrecked. After your tree is down put on 
your veil and gloves and chop out the honey. The first 
blow will bring two or three quarts of red hot bees onto 
your veil and hat. Tell about your buck fever. It never 
commenced with bee fever. The angry onslaught, the 
spiteful determination, will usually demoralize an ama- 
teur, and he will often drop his axe and run away. 
When the honey is uncovered a singular thing happens. 
The bees, realizing that they are to be robbed, cease fight- 
ing and commence to load themselves with honey. Now 
you may take off your veil and gloves, take off your coat 
and roll up your sleeves and work in comfort. The bees 
are harmless. The fierce warriors of a few minutes ago 
are now peaceful and earnest workers. 
A wasp, after his nest is destroyed , will chase you all 
over a ten-acre lot to get revenge. A bee is too wise to 
fight over a "lost cause." 
There are yet other ways to "line" bees. After you cap- 
ture your first swarm you will have on hand dark and 
broken comb. To get the honey from this you must re- 
sort to straining through a thin cloth. This strained comb 
can be used to "line" bees, A basketful (about four quarts) 
placed near your stand will soon attract the bees. You 
can carry the basket into the woods along the line, if you 
stop now and then to give the returning bees a chance to 
find the comb. I have carried a basket of comb, with not 
less than a quart of bees at work, directly to the tree. 
There is one other method, called "matching bees." 
This is never engaged in until the weather is too cold to 
allow the bees to work on flowers. 
To "match beeB" you go into the woods where you 
think there is a swarm and kindle a fire. Heat a flat rock 
and burn honeycomb on it, at the same time have your 
stand with honeycomb near by. If there are bees out- 
side the tree they will scent the burning comb and you 
will quickly have a "line." 
You must choose a sunny day. Do not try this method 
early, when the weather is warm. The bees will then 
seek the flowers and too you would "match" hornets, 
wasps and flies until you would be reminded of Egypt's 
plague. Hermit. 
Gloucester, Jan. 9. 
WITH A SURVEYING PARTY IN THE 
INDIAN TERRITORY, 
BY FRANK WINCHESTER, ONE OF ITS GUESTS. 
Part II. 
While enjoying for our supper the juicy roast pigs 
secured in the Judge's improved Russian style of hunting, 
he expressed his regrets that all the comforts of civilized 
life could not give such delight as it was our good luck to 
find encamped in the woods, 150 miles from any town or 
city; and while he had enjoyed canvasback and terrapin 
with champagne, etc., in some of the famous Eastern 
clubs, yet for a good supper he had never seen anything 
to equal ours of roasted pig, roasted venison, and fat quail 
spitted and broiled over the coals, and he did not believe 
anything known could better it. To this Cap replied by 
inquiring, "Judge, have you ever tried roasted possum or 
coon, stuffed with sweet potatoes?" 
"No," was the answer; "and I would as soon eat a musk- 
rat as eat a possum." 
Cap's reply was to turn to the darkies and ask, "Boys, 
how would roast possum and coon and sweet potatoes com- 
pare with this supper?" 
With staring eyes they looked at each other without 
replying. 
"Speak up, boys; don't lie about it," said the Judge. 
And the cook replied: 
"Oh, golly, Massa Judge, you and Son git me some 
coons and possums, and you'll say dis supper hain't no- 
where." 
The manner of the cook in saying this brought a 
hearty laugh from all the party, and the Judge, with 
shaking side, said: "Boys, I'm beat; but if we get the 
coons and posssums, where will you get your sweet taters, 
Jim?" 
"Oh, I'se been keeping half a bushel sweet taters for de 
coons and possums," said Jim, whose eyes fairly shone 
with the delight of expectation. 
"Well, King, I guess Son and I will have to get Jim the 
coons and possums, if you will tell us how it is done," said 
he Judge. 
"Find a good 'simmon grove and there'll be no trouble, 
and there are a good many close here; and I'll bet Son 
found one this afternoon and got three turkeys near it." 
"How do you know?" was my surprised reply. 
"Oh, I saw the turkeys' crops were full of 'simmons when 
Jim drawed them, and that you had your coat pockets 
full," was the reply. 
"Son, have you got a private 'simmon and turkey farm 
that you are hiding from me?" asked the Judge. 
"I have not been hiding it, for I only found it this 
afternoon, and intended to tell about it after I had my 
pipe lighted. All there is to it is that while out on the 
prairie after grouse and chickens this afternoon, about 
three miles from camp, I marked some chickens down 
near a grove in a large swale, and not knowing but I 
might start a deer out of it I put in some heavy shot, and 
when I got close to the grove a large flock of turkeys ran 
out to take wing and I dropped two on the ground with 
one barrel, and one on the wing with the other one, and 
on examination I found the grove was nearly all persim- 
mon trees, arid that it ran down to the timber land, and 
while the ground was littered with ripe fruit, the trees 
were still covered with bushels of perfect fruit, well 
ripened and frost cured," and emptying the pockets of 
my hunting coat, the persimmons were passed around for 
dessert. They were pronounced most excellent by every 
one, and Cap ordered Jim to be sure and keep a good sup- 
ply on hand for every meal as long as possible. 
When we had our pipes all lighted after supper the 
Judge asked King, "When will we go for possums and 
coons?" 
"There is a full moon and if you all ain't too tired we'll 
go to-night." 
Every one in camp volunteered to form a party and 
start at once, but the Judge said, "Boys, a possum hunt 
is a darky's private snap. They ought to go, and who will 
keep camp? It was finally settled that the two darkies, 
Sam and Jim, two axemen, King, Cap and the Judge and 
I should form the party, and at 8:30 we left camp with 
Carlo and the Indian dogs, King carrying his rifle, while 
Cap, the Judge and I carried our 10-gauge shotguns, as 
King had said, "We won't need our guns for possums and 
coons, but we are liable to run on to bigger game on a 
night trip like this one." Under my lead the three miles 
were quickly passed over, but as we approached the grove 
King took the lead and commanded perfect silence. When 
we reached the junction of the grove with the timber 
land, King by a wave of his hand started his two dogs 
into the grove, from which in a few minutes there came 
the sounds of snarling, growling and the yelps of the 
dogs. "More razorbacks," said the Judge. 
"No, bear," said King, as he hurried toward the sounds 
of the conflict, which suddenly ceased except some short 
barks from the dogs. "Treed," said King, as he ran to 
the foot of a large pecan tree, which the dogs were trying 
to run up. Some large animal could easily be seen near 
the upper portion of the tree in a fork of the tree. 
"Put in your heaviest loads," said King, as he walked 
from the tree toward the moon for a short distance; then 
turning he took careful aim with his rifle and fired ; seem- 
ingly without having any effect. 
"You've missed him," said the Judge. 
"No, I've killed him, and he won't move as long as he 
can hang on to the tree, but when he drops he'll drop 
dead," said King, and in a minute or so a dead body fell 
from the tree, which proved to be that of a young black 
bear "about 3 years old," as King said, "and fat as but- 
ter." 
Sending the axemen back to camp for a team and 
wagon we started up the grove, when King called our 
attention to some balls upon the limbs of the persimmon 
trees and said, "Possum." Cutting a green pole while 
Jim climbed the tree, he handed it up to him, and a 
smart blow upon each ball caused it to fall to the ground, 
where a shake from one of the dogs converted each ball 
into a dead possum. 
When one tree had been cleared of five the Judge said, 
"Enough," but Jim, the cook, said, "No, no, Massa Judge, 
we'se about out of lard, and hog fat hain't in it with pos- 
sum fat for short'nin'," which statement King said was 
true, and he and the whites filled their pipes and sat 
down for a quiet smoke, while the darkies and dogs 
continued the war upon the possums, moving up the 
grove. 
' 'Are there any more large trees in the grove?" asked 
King, and the Judge asked before I could reply, "Where 
will we get our coons?" 
King's answer was: "If there is another large tree up 
the grove the noise made by the dogs and bear will have 
every coon in the grove treed in it, and that's why I 
a3ked Son if there were any more big trees?" 
"There is one more big pecan tree near the upper end," 
was my reply, and King led the way up the grove. 
When we came up to the darkies Cap inquired, "Boys, 
how many possums?" 
Jim's reply was, "Nearly a hundred, but we hain't 
warmed up yet," and they followed up to the foot of a 
large pecan tree near the upper end of the grove. 
"Coons!" said King, as Judge, Cap and I each aimed 
and fired our guns, each bringing one to the ground. 
"Stop that shooting; it's no fun for the dogs, and a coon 
fight always does dogs lots of good," said King. Sam 
then volunteered to climb the tree and knock the coons 
down. "No, no knocking, down, stamp limbs and coons 
will come down in fighting shape," said King. 
Two good fights were the result of Sam's stamping upon 
the limbs, in which the dogs were easy victors, but when 
Sam had stepped upon the third limb and stamped once 
he called out: "Oh, Massa King! dis coon's eyes shine like 
de debble!" when to our surprise the creature made a 
spring and Sam and it came tumbling down among the 
limbs, Sam catching upon a lower limb. The animal 
struck the ground upon its feet near one of King's dogs, 
which it whipped in an instant, and then sprang at the 
other dog, which turned and ran. "Shoot! shoot! wild- 
cat!" yelled King, and Cap's gun and mine instantly 
spoke, putting a quietus upon it, and upon examination it 
proved to be a bobcat, or a short-tailed wildcat as large as 
a good-sized pointer dog, but very thin in flesh. On ex- 
amining the dog's ears we found them cut with its claws, 
as if cut with a sharp knife. Sam came down to the 
ground, and although badly scared was uninjured in 
everything but his courage, which was badly shocked, as 
he said, "When dat debbil jumped I done forgot whar I 
is and fell ober backwards just as he landed on my breast, 
but de fust limb knocked him off; but dis chile don't clime 
no mo' trees for coons in dese woods." 
We then returned to our bear, gathering possums as we 
went along, and found ourselves possessed of nineteen 
possums, five coons, one bobcat and one bear. While 
waiting for the team King asked Cap, "Will the three 
turkeys Sam brought in to-day be enough for all of us for 
one meai?" To which Cap replied, "Not if the Judge's 
appetite keeps on growing, for he told me to-day if it kept 
on he would yet be able to eat a whole deer for one meal." 
After the laugh was over, in which the Judge joined 
loudest, King said: "While we are waiting for the team 
we can go to a big roost about a mile from here that I 
found the other day, and get three or four more turkeys, 
if you fellows will be satisfied to shoot one apiece and quit 
at that, as it is no use to kill more than we want to eat." 
Each promising to be satisfied with one shot, we had 
to start a fire and leave King's dogs with the scared 
darkies before we could leave them, and then King silently 
led us to the head of a ravine, in which many large oak, 
sycamore, walnut, pecan and cottonwood trees were 
standing, and conducting us in the shadows of the trees he 
fed W b§Reath & large pecan tree and pointing up to wl>< 
t 
