INTRODUCTION. 



XIX 



the ^Khippoorwili: iK.th at coming evening and at early dawn; 

 and it was observed that they always first directed their flight 

 towards the river, undoubtedly to damp their mouse-hke snouts, 

 but not their spirits, for it was likewise observed that they re- 

 turned to play hide and seek, and indulge in all other imaginable 

 o-ambols: when, after gratifying their love of sport and satisfying 

 their voracious appetites (as the absence of mosquitos and gnats 

 testified) they would re-enter their habitation, again to emerge at 

 the first 'signal of their feathered trumpeter. I thus ascertained 

 one very important fact, namely, that the bat, or the species which 

 annoyed us, ate and drank twice in twenty-four hours. Such 

 appeared their habit, such therefore was their indispensable need. 

 Upon ascertaining this fact, after having tried suffocation by the 

 fumes of brimstone with only partial success, I concluded to adopt 

 a more efficient plan of warfare ; and for this purpose commenced 

 by causing all the holes, fissures in the wood-work, and apertures 

 in the slating to be hermetically sealed with cement : this put a 

 stop to their egress ; but to avoid their dying by starvation and 

 deprivation of water, which would manifold increase the annoy- 

 ance by adding their dead to their living stench, I ordered aper- 

 tures of about two feet square to be opened in the lathe and 

 plastered partition on each side of the garret windows, and also 

 in the ceiling of every garret room ; lastly, when the bats' revedle 

 was sounded by the bugle of the ichippoorwill, all the hands of 

 our establishment, men and boys, each armed with a wooden 

 implement (shaped like a cricket bat), marched to the third floor, 

 ' on murderous deeds with thoughts intent :' a lighted lantern was 

 placed in the middle of one of the rooms, divested of all furniture, 

 to allure the hidden foe from their strongholds. After closing the 

 window to prevent all escape into the open air, the assailants 

 distributed at regular distances to avoid clubbing each other, 

 awaited the appearance of the bats enticed into the room by 

 the artificial light and impelled by their own natural craving. 

 The slaughter commenced, and progressed with sanguinary vigor 

 for several hours, or until brought to a close by the weariness of 

 dealing the blows that made the enemy bite the dust, and over- 

 powered by the heat and closeness of the apartment. This plan 

 succeeded perfectly. After a few evenings of similar exercise, in 

 wliich the balfeurs became quite expert in the use of their weapon, 

 every wielding of the wooden bat bringing down an expiring name- 



