"In or about the year 1717, one of my swarms settling among the
close-twisted branches of some codling-trees, and not to be got into
an hive without more help, my maid-servant, hired into the family
the Michaelmas before, very officiously offered her assistance, so
far as to hold the hive while I dislodged the bees, she being little
apprehensive of what followed.
"Having never been acquainted with bees, and likewise afraid, she put
a linen cloth over her head and shoulders, concluding that would be a
sufficient guard, and secure her from their swords. A few of the bees
fell into the hive; some upon the ground; but the main body of them
upon the cloth which covered her upper garments.
"No sooner had I taken the hive out of her hands, but, in a terrible
fright and surprise, she cried out the bees were got under the
covering, crowding up towards her breast and face, which immediately
put her into a trembling posture. When I perceived the veil was of
no further service, she at last gave me leave to remove it. This
done, a most affecting spectacle presented itself to the view of all
the company, filling me with the deepest distress and concern, as I
thought myself the unhappy instrument of drawing her into so great
and imminent hazard of her life, which now so manifestly lay at stake.
"It is not in my power to tell the confusion and distress of mind I
was in, from the awful apprehensions it raised; and her dread and
terror in such circumstances may reasonably be supposed to be much
more. Every moment she was at the point of retiring with all the bees
about her. Vain thought! to escape by flight. She might have left the
place, indeed, but could not the company, and the remedy would have
been much worse than the disease. Had she enraged them, all resistance
had been vain, and nothing less than her life would have atoned for
the offence. And now to have had that life (in so much jeopardy)
insured, what would I not have given!
"To prevent, therefore, a flight which must have been attended with so
fatal a consequence, I spared not to urge all the arguments I could
think of, and use the most affectionate entreaties, begging her, with
all the earnestness in my power, to stand her ground, and keep her
present posture; in order to which, I gave encouragement to hope, in a
little space, for a full discharge from her disagreeable companions;
on the other hand, assuring her she had no other chance for her life.
I was, through necessity, constantly reasoning with her, or else
beseeching and encouraging her.
"I began to search among them for the queen, now got in a great body
upon her breast, about her neck, and up to her chin. I presently saw
her, and immediately seized her, taking her from the crowd, with some
of the commons in company with her, and put them together into the
hive. Here I watched her for some time, and as I did not observe that
she came out, I conceived an expectation of seeing the whole body
quickly abandon their settlement; but instead of that, I soon observed
them, to my greater sorrow and surprise, gathering closer together
without the least signal for departing. Upon this I immediately
reflected, that either there must be another sovereign, or that the
same was returned. I directly commenced a second search, and in a
short time, with a most agreeable surprise, found a second or the
same; she strove, by entering further into the crowd, to escape me,
which I was fully determined against; and apprehending her without
any further ceremony, or the least apology, I reconducted her, with a
great number of the populace, into the hive. And now the melancholy
scene began to change, and give way to one infinitely more agreeable
and pleasant.
"The bees, presently missing their queen, began to dislodge and repair
to the hive, crowding into it in multitudes, and in the greatest hurry
imaginable. And in the space of two or three minutes the maid had not
a single bee about her, neither had she so much as one sting, a small
number of which would have quickly stopped her breath.
"How inexpressible the pleasure which succeeded her past fear! What
joy appeared in every countenance upon so signal a deliverance! and
what mutual congratulations were heard! I never call to mind the
wonderful escape without a secret and very sensible pleasure. I hope
never to see such another sight, though I triumph in this most noble
and glorious victory."
[Illustration]
[Illustration]