El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-06-12
WITCHES, Ghosts
AND VAMPIRES IN.
NEW AREA Of WAR
Queer Peoples Inhabit the
Western Shores of the
Adriatic Sea.
ARE GUIDED BY
SUPERSTITIoNS

yAShlNGION, II. - June L.
M "A much mixed, backward, and
strangely superstitiOus people
are those who dwell along the western
shores of the Adriatic sea, according to
a bulletin issued BY the National Geo
graphic society, which sketches the latest
folk to be brought upon the battle iron
tier in their pleasant hill-and-valley
homes, stretching from Triest TO the
southern tip of Dalmatia. Continuing
the bulletin SAYS:
tumble of Every Racial Element.
"Greek colonies and Roman municipal;
Byzantian officials and sick Franks
abandoned on the rocks Of lara by Cru
saders; Italians exiled during the CEN
turtles of strife among their petty states
or brought thither by trade ventures;
the flood of SlavOnian and, later, OF Of
toman invasion; all these are the ele-
Hungary's seacoast. Franks, Byzantians,
Croats, Bosniaks, Turks, Hungarians,
Genoese- NeapOlitans, Germans, and, of
first Importance, Nenetians have ruled.
various parts Of this coast at different
times. The heavy grOund-tone of this
shore people Is SlaYOnian, but there IS
besides a tumble Of almost every other
racial element under the sun.
From Triest, downward, the SlavOn-
ians predominant. These SlavOnians
worshipped a god of thunder, sacred
groves, nymphs, and genii. speeial-pow-
cred beings, of all descriptions; and they
still do many odd fetish services, though
more Christian people, of more simple
and abundant faith, are not to be found.
Is Land of Ghosts and Vampires
Vampires, diabOlieal ghosts, witches,
Wien and vengeful spirits are held in
great respect throughout this country,
and the folklore Is rich in their doings
and in the common mortaIs philosophy
of self-preseryatiOn in a world filled
with such discouraging things. The
Alp or nightmare, is a bitter old maid,
recognizable by her garb, who sits on
the back or breast of the sleeper and
tOrments him, mayhap fatally. She can
not, for some reason or other, sit upon
the sleeper's side, and so the true Dali
matian never thinks Of sleeping in any
other way than on his side.
The vampire pursues his peculiar Dali
matian orgies IN the guise of a man or
woman, lately dead and Of faulty exist
ence, and Is said TO be merely q human
skin filled with blood and covered with
a shrOud. This creature waits at night
along byways and graveyards for his
and, also, at times. rattles the
window shutters OF throws down tiles
from the roof. A thorn stick for
'thrusting the vampire through is
means of protection found adequate
through experience. It Is, moreover, I'M
USUALLY dangerous TO call to a vampire.
Killing Witches Is a Pastime
witches are bad weather creatures;
their evil Is unfettered only with the
storm and mist. To kill them, one
throws three grains Of corn and a wax
candle at the lightning before the thun-
der sounds. Thus, they are best killed
while the storm IS vet a great wav off
Wien are maids, with horses hoofs
Mostly these Wien OF wood creatures,
are good and tolerant Of human happi-
ness. but they have a fatal tendency for
stealing handsome, newborn children.
The newly arrived baby, therefore. in
Dalmatian district frequented bv fVilen'
S closely watched until baptism, when
the abductOrs are powerless.
To preserve their vineyards from
summer hail, the peasants throw salt
md shredded garlic at the black clouds.
IN order to force the vines to bear fruit
July, children are taken into the vine
Yards on 'lnnOeents' day. when they
switch the vines and sing: "Bear, bear
fruit. pretty vine, else viii I cut off
Thy head This exhortation Is said to
be very effective. To spill wine on ones /
self IS great luck, and luck often en-
'oyed along the rocky coast To meet |
1 viper in the house is also good luck:
while the birth of black lambs or the
entering of a house left foot first. on
he other hand. are sad misfortunes"