The bee-hunter was not long in selecting a place to set up his
apparatus. In this particular, he was mainly governed by a lovely
expanse of sweet-scented flowers, among which bees in thousands were
humming, sipping of their precious gifts at will. Le Bourdon had a
care, also, not to go far from the forests which encircled the
prairies, for among its trees he knew he had to seek the habitations
of the insects. Instead of a stump, or a fallen tree, he had
prepared a light framework of lath, which the corporal bore to the
field for him, and on which he placed his different implements, as
soon as he had selected the scene of operations.
It will not be necessary for us to repeat the process, which has
already been described in our opening chapters; but we shall only
touch such parts of it as have a direct connection with the events
of the legend. As le Bourdon commenced his preparations, however,
the circle of chiefs closed around him, in mute but close attention
to every-thing that passed. Although every one of them had heard of
the bee-hunters of the pale-faces, and most of them had heard of
this particular individual of their number, not an Indian present
had ever seen one of these men practise his craft.
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