‘34 
EASTERN ETHIOPIA 
XI 
he died in five hours. Near Ribi, in Ukamba, the same 
caravan was attacked by bees and two donkeys were 
stung to death. 
When spending an afternoon with a settler near 
Nakuru I noticed some bees buzzing around a corner of 
the dairy and drew his attention to their presence. He 
then expressed his dislike of the African bee, for he said 
that when disturbed they stung viciously and badly : 
they attacked the animals in the farm-yard and even 
stung fowls to death. He added, the honey is not 
worth eating. The Ndorobo do not share this opinion : 
when in want of honey they climb the tree, thrust their 
hands into the hive, pull out the comb and drop it down 
to their expectant companions. The man robbing the 
hive is unclothed, but he does not appear to mind being 
stung. Now and then, if a bee stings him very badly, he 
will desist for a moment to kill the bee and then con¬ 
tinue to rob the hive. This statement is made on the 
authority of an eye-witness. Inquiry, however, shows 
that some natives at least take the precaution to smoke 
the hive, and Major Powell-Cotton gives a careful de¬ 
scription of the preparation of a fire for the purpose of 
smoking out bees in the Mau Forest. 
Hollis in his account of the Nandi oives some curious 
O 
information in relation to these men and bees :— 
In March, 1908, he was on the point of encamping at 
the foot of the Nandi escarpment when his porters, 
pursued by bees, abandoned their loads. In the course 
of the afternoon three unsuccessful attempts were made 
to recover the loads and several porters were badly 
stung. At four o’clock in the afternoon a Nandi 
strolled into the camp and volunteered to quiet the bees, 
as he was of the “ bee totem,” and the bees belonged to 
him. The Nandi was stark naked and started off to the 
spot where the loads were, whistling loudly in the same 
way as these men whistle to their cattle. The bees 
swarmed round and on him, but beyond brushing them 
lightly from his arms he took no notice of them and. 
