Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1915-07-22
INHABITANTS OF THE SHORES
OF THE ADRIATIc.
Are a Much Mixed. Backward and
Strangely Superstitious People.
Especial to The Bulletin

Washington, D, c., July 21-"A
much mixed, backward, and strangely
superstitious people are those who
dwell along the western shore of the
Adriatic Sea-" according to a bulletin
issued by the National Geographic
Society today, which sketches the
latest folk to be brought upon the
battle frontier in their pleasant hill
Triest to the southern tip of Dalmatia.
Continuing. the bulletin says:
Greek colonies and Roman NUM-
cipia; Byzantian officials and sick
Franks 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 Slovenian
and, later, of Ottoman invasion; all
these are the elements of the people
living along Austria-Hungary'S sea-
coast. Franks, Byzantians, Croats,
Bosniaks, Turks, Hungarians, Genoese,
Neapolitans, Germans, and, of first i'm
portance. Venetians have ruled various
parts of this coast at different times.
The heavy ground-tone of this shore
people is Slovenian, but there is be-
sides a tumble of almost every other
racial element under the sun.
From Triest, downward, the Slavon-
ians predominant. Latin writers noted
that these Slovenian tribes knew no
form of monarcha1 government, bit
that all matters of the tribe were
dealt with by a common national coun-
ell. And today the individual Dal-
matian and Istrian is one of sturdiest
shipped god of thunder, sacred
groves, nymphs, and genii, special
powered beings, of all descriptions; and
they still do many odd fetish services
though more Christian peoples, of more
simple and abundant faith, are not to
be found.
Vampires. diabo1ical ghosts, witches,
Vilen,' and vengefu1 spirits are held in
great respect througout this country,
and the folklore is rich in their doings
and in the common mortaPs philos-
opf1y of self representation in a world
filed 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
cannot, for some reason or other, sit
upon the sleeper's side, and so the true
Da1matian never thinks of sleeping in
any other way than on his side.
1.-THE vampire pursues his peculiar
Dalmatian orgies in the guise Of man
or woman. lately dead and of faulty
existence, and Is said to be merely a
human skin filled with blood and COW
cred with a shroud. This creature
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
vampire through is means of pro-
lection found adequate through exper-
fence. 1t Is. moreover, unusually dam
gerous to call to vampire.
Witches arc bad weather creatures;
their evil is unfettered only with the
storm and mist. I'll kill them, one
throws three grain of corn and a wax
candle at the lightning before the
thunder sounds. Thus, they are best
killed while the storm is yet a great
way off. Wien are maids, with horse s
hoofs. Mostly these Wien or wood
creatures, are good and tolerant of
human happiness, but they have a
newborn children. The newly arrived
baby, therefore, in DaImatian district
frequented by Wien is closely 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
cut off thy head This exhortation
is said to be very effective. To spill
wine on ones self Is great luck, and a
luck often 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
misfortunes."