Vermillion

[Robert Sixcones]

“…puts up a little fire; on a flat stone in this fire, he puts a little Bees wax, and on another stone hard by, he drops a little honey; around this honey he sprinkles vermilion; he then takes his stand at a little distance, and is sure if there are any Bees in the neighborhood, the smell of Burnt bees wax will attract them. As soon as they come, they begin to drink of the honey, and on their approach, they unavoidably tinge themselves with some particles of the vermilion, which adheres a long time to their bodies and wings. He next fixes his compass to find out their course, which they keep invariably straight when they are returning home loaded. By the assistance of his watch, he observes how long those who are marked with vermilion are of returning. Thus possessed of the course, and in some measure of the distance, which he can easily guess at, he then follows the first that comes, and seldom fails of coming to the tree where they are lodged; this he marks, and takes his own time to cut it down. It is astonishing what a quantity of honey some of those trees will contain.”

~ Patrick Campbell, Lower Canada, 1791-92