THE BEE.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume 1, Issue 25, 6 December 1849, Page 4

THE BEE.

In summer, the number of the bees increase, and it becomes necessary for them to separate. When a swarm leaves the hive to seek for a new habitation for themselves, a royal bee, larger than the rest, is their leader. This l:e°is called the Queen, and wherever >l.e phases to there the swarm settles. '1 h. y Ivt- under Ik r government, and pay gie.-t ii'ti" tirni to nil he movements. Tlitre is one bee to kei-p watch nc;ir the mouth of the hive, and observe all which pass in and out. If one. is overloaded, some of the others go to help it, and if one has sud'ered ftom the weather, or any other accident, another goi-s to co:r.fort and cure it. They arc armed with stings to defend themselves, and tliey all fight together in a body, against nny enemy that may attack them. When beeß are left to themselves, they build their combs in the holes of rocks, or the hollows in old trees, but their wax and honey are so useful to man, that he makes hives for them. Some people kill bees when they take the honey, but this is not necessary, as hives may be made in such a way, that part of their " sweet store" may be taken from these industrious litt/e insects, without injuring them. In England, wild bees make but little honey, but in warmer climates they build combs of a good size, and fill them with excellent honey. Tims we read in the Go-pel of St. Matthew, that wild honey was a part of the food on which John the Baptist used to live whilst he was in the wilderness.

THE LION. " The day was exceedingly pleasant, and not a cloud «asto be seen, for a mile or two we travelled along the banks to the river, which in this part abounded in tall mat-rushes. The dogs seemed much to enjoy prowling about, and examined exery bushy place, and at last met with some object among the rushes, which caused then) to set up a most vehement and determined burking. We explored the spot with cniitioii, as we suspected that it was lions. Having encouraged the cloirs to diive them out, a task which they performed with grout willingness, we bad a" lull view of an enormous blacklmmed lion *"& " liontss. Tlu- lat'or was only sein fcr a minute, but tin: lion came steadily lorwaid. 1 bail gm-n up my horse to the hunters, and was on foot u\ sell; lm' there wu-i no time lor fear, and it was useless to attempt avoiding him. At ibis instant the d'igs boldly flew in between us and the lion, and surrounding him kept him at bay by their their violeut aud resolute buikiutr. The «ou-

rage of these fnithful animals was most admirable ; lliey advanced up to the side of the huge liea»t, anil stood, making the greatest clamour in his face, without the least appearance of fear, The lion, conscious of his strength, remained unmoved nt their noisy attempts, and kept his head turned towards us. At one moment, Ihe doss perceiving his eye 3 engaged, had advanced close to his feet, and seemed as if they would actually seize hold of him ; but they paid dearly for their imprudence; for, without discomposing the 'rnnjesiic and steady attitude in which he stood fixed, lie merely moved his paw, and at the next instant I beheld two of Hit in lying dia«). Of he time which we had pained by the interference "f the dogs, not a moment was iosl ; we fired upon him ; one of the balls went through his side, just bitween tin; short libs, and the blood immediately began to flow, hut the animul still remained standing in the iiime position. Wc hud now no doubt that he would spring upon us; but happily we were mistaken, and were nut sorry to see him move quietly away.

THE DEAD TIIA VK 1.1.EK. " Tlie fragrant branch above him hung Mcr tnsscls in the sky ; And many a vernal blossom sprung And nodded careless by. And long they looked, and fear'd, and wept, Within his distant hemic ; And dr. am'd, anil started, as tliey slept. For joy that lie was come. So long they look'd, but never spied His welcome step aunin, None knew the fearful death ho died, Far down that narrow glen."

THE I'OISONOUS VALT.ET. " This valley is distant only three miles from Ualur, in Java; and on the 4lh of Juiy, IU3I, Mr. Loudon, with a paity of friends set out to visit it. When a few yards from the valley, a strong nauseous and suffocating smell w.is experienced ; but on approaching the margin, this inconvenience was no longer found. The scene that now presented itself is described as of the most Bppalling nature. The valley is about half a mile in circumference, of an oval shape, and about thirty or thirty-live feel in depth. The bottom of it appeared to be flat, without any vegetation, and a few large stones scattered hero and there. The attention of the party was immediately Attracted to the number of skeletons of human beings, tigers, boars, deer, and all sorts of birds and wild animals which lay about in profusion. The ground on which they lay at the bottom of the valley) appeared to be a hard sandy substaucc ; tiul no vapour was perceived issuing Iron) it. It was now proposed to enter it, and each of the party having lit a cigar, managed to pet within twenty feet of the bottom, when n sickening nauseous smell was experienced without any difliculty of breathing. A dog was now fastened at the end of a bamboo, and thrust to the bottom of the valley, while some of the party with their watches in their hand?, observed the effects. At the expiration of fourteen seconds, the do;» /ell oil' his legs, without moving or looking around. And continued alive only eigi.tcen minutes. A fowl was now thrown in, which died in a minute, and a half; and another, which was thrown in after it, died in the space of a minute and a half. On the opposite side ot the valley to that which was visited, lay a hum in skeleton, the head resting on the right arm. The human skeleton are supposed to be thoso of rebels, who had been pursued from the main road, and. had taken refuge in the valley, without knowledge of the danger to which they were thus exposing themselves."