The Turnbo Manuscripts
by Silas Claiborne Turnbo
1844-1925
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A DARING BEE HUNTER
By S. C. Turnbo
Capt. James H. Sallee related the following.
"Among the daring and fearless hunters of Ozark County, Mo., was William
Cowan, a noted bee hunter. He lived on Pond Fork where the Widow Wallace
land is. One day while Cowan was out in the wild forest hunting for bees
he discovered a colony of bees in the hollow of a limb of a big water oak
tree. This tree was four feet in diameter a few feet above the ground. The
limb that the bees were in hung 40 feet above the ground. Not withstanding
this and rather than take the trouble to fell the tree he climbed up the
tree with the ax strapped to him and on reaching the limb he pulled himself
up onto it and stood straight and walked carefully until he reached the
aperture where the bees passed in and out and cut a hole in the limb to
examine the amount of honey in the cavity of the limb. I have seen this
same tree on many occasions, said he.
Capt. Sallee also says that there is a whiteoak tree one mile southwest
of Igo Post Office that has been gnawed into years ago by a bear for honey.
The bees went into the tree ten feet above the ground. This tree was still
standing a short time ago."
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