Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-06-18
A BACKWARD PEOPLE

Folks Living on Adriatie Have Not
Progressed Like Those of Other
Chimes.
"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
Geographic society, which sketches
the latest folk to be brought upon the
battle frontier in their pleasant hill
and-valley homes, stretching from
Triest to the southern tip Of Dalma-
tia. Continuing, the bulletin says:
Greek colonies and Roman munic-
ipia; Byzantian officials and sick
Frank abandoned on the rocks of lara
by Crusaders; Italians exiled during
the centuries of strife among their
petty states or brought thither by
trade ventures; the flood of Slavo-
nian and, later, Of Ottoman invasion;
all these are the elements Of the peo-
Pile living along Austria -Hungary's
seacoast. Franks, ByZantians, Croats,
Bosniaks, Turks, Hungarioas, Gene
ese, Neapolitans, Germans, and, Of
first importance, Venetians have ruled
| various parts of this coast at different
times. The heavy ground-tone Of this
shore people is Slavonian, but there
is besides a tumble Of almost every
other racial element under the sun.
From Triest, downward, the Sla-
vonians predominant. Latin writer's
noted that these Slavonian tribes knew
no form Of monarchial government,
but that all matters Of the tribe were
dealt with by q common national
council. And today the individual
diest independence. These Slavonians
worshipped a god Of thunder, sacred
groves, nymphs, and genii, special
powered beings, Of all descriptions;
and they still do many odd fetish SER
vices, though more Christian peoples,
Of more simple and abundant faith,
are not to be found.
vampires, diabolical ghosts, witch
es, 'Vilen,' and vengeful spirits are
held in great respect throughout this
country, and the folklore Is rich in
their doings and in the common NOR
| tails philosophy Of self-preservation in
a world filled with such discouraging
things. The Alp or nightmare, is
bitter old maid, recognizable by her
garb, who sits on the back or breast
of the sleeper and torments him, may
hap fatally. She cannot, for some
reason or other, sit upon the sleeper's
side, and so the true Dalmatian never
thinks of sleeping in any other way
than on his side.
Dalmatian orgies in the guise of
man or woman, lately dead and Of
faulty existence, and is said to be
merely human skin filled with blood
and covered with shroud. This crea-
ture waits at night along byways and
graveyards for his victims, and, also,
at times, rattles the window shutters
or throws down tiles from the roof.
A thorn-stick for thrusting the vam-
pire"
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 wax
candle at the lightning before the
thunder sounds. Thus, they are best
killed while the storm is yet a great
way off, 'Vilen' are maids, with horses
hoofs. Mostly these 'Vilen,' or wood
creatures, are good and tolerant Of
human happiness. but they have ia
tai tendency for stealing handsome,
newborn children. The newly arriv-
ed baby, therefore, in a Dalmatian
district frequented by 'Vilen' is close
ly watched until baptism, when the
abductors are powerless.
ITO preserve their vineyards from
summer hail, the peasants throw salt
and shredded garlic at the black
clouds. In order to force the vines to
bear fruitfully, children are taken into
the vineyards on Innocents' day, when
| they switch the vines and sing: Bear,
bear fruit, pretty vine. else will 1 cut
thy head This exhortation is said to
be very effective. To spill wine on
ones self is great luck, and luck Oft
en- enjoyed along the rocky coast. To
meet viper in the house is also good
luck; while the birth of black lambs
or the entering of a house left foot
first, on the other hand, are sad mis-
fortunes"