The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-04-25
SUCKED a1s BLOOD.
4 Traveller Tells Why He Believes
This Horrible Bat is No Myth.
FToss the Springfield Republican.


rsturalists, believe they style themselves
Who argue that there is no such thing as a
xsrnnire. or bloodsucking bat. Gentlemen,
/ am humble and unknown, except in my
o~n narrow sphere of life, and, compared
with yourselves, stand as candle 10 the
,,oonday sun; vet l venture TO contradict
--ou and state that if you had passed
.bronrh a little experience. of mine you
.-onld undoubtedly change your views.
Lsrs not only seen these vampires, but l
80 ne,rly lost my life by them. An alb
hrayiafed account was published at the
ti,na in a few obscure Mexican papers as a
.--atter of news; TRANSACTIONS may have ap-
, ,lse,d in English papers, but l think not
r. - thew must have been incomplete, and
= reroains for me to present the facts Of the
case 10 an English-reading public.
II was in the early part of June, 1889.
- +revaliug for a San Antonio paper and
whiting house, and was just returning
-, 1riu to the extreme southern portion
81 Mexico. was on my way from Oajaca
- Tuxtla and Vera Cruz, on the Gulf
Last intending to take a train at the latter
..Iaca for the states. 1t was one of the most
uncomfortable journeys l had ever under
+atan | had ridden for the better part of
80 davs in UoIancoche, a vehicle wit
tro wheels and no seat, the bottom being
made of ropes holding up a mattress, on
which | could either recline or cit Turk
fashion. The motive power cons stsd of
three little mules abreast, spurred on by a
syarthy native, Jose by name, who alter
natelv rode the left-hand mule and ran
alongside reeling off a string of Spanish
profanity that was positively shocking
whenever the little animals would not go
exactly as he wished them to. The road
was one Of the toughest l ever Travelled
over. The rocking and pitching of the
volancoche reminded me more than any
thing else of vessel in a storm at sea- only
it was worse.
1t was nearing night when we drew up at
a small place called Oxite. There had, in
times gone by. been quite a collection of
houses at Oxite, but now since the pack
trains no longer passed through there, the
main road having been somewhat changed
and running about three leagues to the
west, there was nothing there habltable but
the posada, or hotel, which, in its day, had
beel quite a large building. The walls of a
court, with sheds and sleeping apartments
on the inside, showed its former dimensions,
but only four of all the rooms were in fit
condition for human being to dwell in.
All in all, the building had a deserted and
forlorn appearance. The regular inhablt-
Senior Don Tivurcio Beltran, his wife, and
daughter.
After supper sat on the hosts veranda
with his family, chatting as much as my
limited powers as a linguist would permit.
Miss Juanita entertained me by singing
several old Spanish and Mexican BALLADS
in way that thrilled me. She was very
piquant, aud what of music the dilapidated
guitar lacked was made up by her really
fine voice and our romantic surroundings
! was charmed, and. though tired from my
days travel, it was with regret that heard
Don Tivurcio's polite offer to show me my
quarters for the night. My room was one
somewhat removed from the others, and fur
nished as well as | remember, with a
broken stool, jar of water and bulls
hide; the latter, I knew from experience,
was my bed, so, spreading my blanket
upon it, lay down, but sleep | could not
The night was sultry the apartment poorly
ventilated, and there seemed to be thou
sand creeping things on my body. l bore
this as long as possible. and then. Selling my
blanket, rushed out into the open air. After
walking about for while, | spread my
blanket under stunted palm some distance
from the house, and, disrobing. gave each
of my garments good shaking, and, hav-
ing donned them, l lay down, determined
to sleep as much of the night as possible.
Here" l said, sit is cool: can sleep
now" The thousand voices Of a tropic
night, seemed to invite to slumber, and my
feet were already on the threshold of
dreamland when there came a breezy,
whistliug sound, aud what | took to be
large night bird swept pass me, actually
brushing my facs. | must say this was
rather startlingS but looking about me and
seeing nothing, | lay down again. Scarcely
were my ewes closed before the rustling
noise was heard again. Though this time
its wings did not touch me, the creature
passed quite near enough to bring decided
GOODNESS to my face. l am not supersti-
tious, but am ready to confess that Just
then every wild story and legend Of ill
omened birds that l have ever heard or
read about came back to me with
remarkable force, and for the mo-
ment | was as much terrified as
q child listening to a blood-curdling ghost
was left me2 at will never do" said,
$40 go back to the house; l can never sleep
in there and" those wings again. They
came as regularly as the movements of a
clock. Yes, with even fascinating precision
and fascinating is the word, for those wings
now had an interest for me akin to mag
netism. The regularity with which they
came and went seemed analogous to the
well-time passes of a mesmerist. Once
nlore-they are here and gone! l was wait
ing anxiously now each time for their COM
ing, and l remember thinking that the
failure of my aerial visitor to put in an ap-
pearance at the proper moment would
render me wretched. Now" / said. II
can sleep" and ! slept.
To my mind there is nothing we'll defined
as regards the remainder of that night. |
have faint recollection of placing my hand
on my neck, and being startled when it
came in contact with large, living some
thing--a something that struggled in my
hand and was glued to my throat. There
was another creature fastened to my cheek.
near the left temple, and yet another was
clinging to my breast, which had left
barred, owing to the warmth of the night
Even in my semi-conscious state | WAS
aware that these creatures were drawing the
life tide from my veins, but had neither
the strength nor inclination to rid
myself OF them. An utter Indifference to
all things came over me. My mind was
troubled by no regrets as to things past or
misgivings in regard to the things of the
future; for once in my life, at least, l ex-
perienced sense of absolute rest. Another
moment and sleep was upon me. Not
dreamless sleep, though. 1t seemed that /
Tas prone at noon-tide within some shady
grove, while the air was heavy with the
breath of countless rare and beautiful
lowers. Strange. shadowy forms, borne
IN huge plnions, circled about me, but their
sver-restiess wings cooled my fevered frame,
and l felt no dread of them whatever.
But at last awoke. | was aroused by
he frightened cries of Juanita. She was
folding my head in her arms, and remem-