Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1890-05-15
VAMPIRES OF MEXICO.
The Horrible Things Not Myths -
Traveller Describes an Attack by
the BloOdthirsty Creatures.
A Story Of the Dangers OF Sleeping
Out of Doors i'm the Fair
Land of Mexico.

lL WI, III lHt early part ~ . AAlts 1000
says the Springfield Republican. ! was
travelling for a San Antonio paper and
printing house and was just returning from
a trip to the extreme southern portion OF
Mexico. ! was on my way from OaJaca to
Tuxtla and Vera Cruz, on the gulf coast,
intending to take train at the latter
place for the States 1t was one Of the
most uncomfortable journeys ! had ever
undertaken ! had ridden for the latter
part Of two days in a volaLCoche, vehicle
with two wheels and no seat. the bottom
being made of ropes holding up mattress.
on which ] could either recline or SIT Turk
fashion The motive power consisted Of
three little mules abreast, spurUed on by "a
worthy native. Jose, 10y name, who alter
nately rode the left-hand mule and ran
alongside Ieeling off a string Of Spanish
profanity that was positively shocking
whenever the little animals would not
90 exactly as he wished them &c. The
road was one of the toughest ] ever tav-
eled over. The rocking and pitching of
the volcano reminded me more than any
thing else of vessel in storm at sea,
only it was worse.
1t was nearing night when we drew up
at a small place called Oxitc. There had,
in times gone by, been quite collection
Of houses at OXite, but now. since the
pack trains no longer passed through
there the main road having been some
what changed, and running three leagues
TO the west, there was nothing there habit
able but the posara or hotel, which in its
day had been quite a large building The
walls Of a court with sheds and sleeping
apartments ON the inside showed its for
mer dimensions, but only four vi all the
rooms were in a fit condition for human
being TO live in. All In all, the building
had a deserted and forlorn appearance.
The regular inhabitants Of the place were
limited to three souls, Senior Don Tivurcio
Beltran. his wife and daughter.
After supper sat on the host veranda
with his family, chatting as much as my
limited powers as a linguist would permit
Miss Juanita entertained me singing sew
eral old Spanish and Mexican ballads in a
way that thrilled me She was very
piquant and what music the dilapi-
dated guitar lacked was made up by her
really fine voice and our romatic surround
ings, ! was charmed, and, though tired
from my days travel it was with regret
that heard Don TivurciO's polite offer
to show me NY quarters for the night.
Ny room was somewhat removed from
the others. and furnished as we'll as
remember. with Il broken STOOL a jar of
water and bulls hide; the latter. 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 rentilated, and there
seemed to be a thousand creeping things
on my body. bore this as long as pos
sibe, and then, selling my blanket rush
ed out into to the open air After walking
about for a while, | spread my blanket
under a stunted palm some distance from
the house, and. dlsrobing, ! gave each of
my garments a good shaking. and having
d0uned them. lay down, determined to
sleep us much Of the night as possible.
Here. | said, 1T is cool; | can sleep
now. The thousand voices of a tropic
night seemed to invite to sumber and my
feet were ON the threshold of dreamland
when there came a breezy, whistling sound
and what took TO be large night bird
swept pass me, actually brushing my face
must saw this was rather startling but
looking about me and seeing nothing lay
down again. Scarcely We're my eye 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 a decided GOODNESS to my face,
am not superstitious, but am ready to con-
fess that every wild story and legend Of
ill-omened birds that have ever heard or
read came back to me with remarkable
force, and for the moment | was as much
terrified as child listening to a blood
curdling ghost story ! lay still, however,
for what else was left mey 1T will never
do. ! said, ITO 90 back to the house; |
can never sleep in there, and those
wings again! They came as regularly as
the movement of "A clock. Yes, with even
fascinating precision. and fascinating is
the word, for those wings row had an in
terest for me akin to magnetism The
regularity with which they came and went
seemed analogous to the well-timed passes
of amesmerlst. Once more-thev are
here and gone ! was waiting anxiousy
now each time for their coming, and re-
member thinking that the failure of my
aerial visitor 90 put IN an appearance at
the proper moment would render me
wretehed. Now, said, Il can sleep,
and ! slept.
To my mind there is nothing well de-
fined as regards the remainder of that
night. / have a faint recollection Of plac-
ing my hand on my neck and being
startled when it came i'm contact with a
large, living something something that
struggled in my hand and was glued tony
throat There was another creature
fastened to my cheek. near the left temple,
and vet another was clingmg ton breast
rr-Nr /