DATS. 29 



noiseless and gentle are they in their flight and opera- 

 tions, that animals are not awakened out of their sleep 

 by their attacks. The teeth are so disposed that they 

 make a deep and triple puncture, and one was taken by 

 Mr. Darwin in the act of sucking blood from a horse. 

 This able naturalist and accurate observer is of opinion 

 that horses do not suffer from the quantity of blood 

 taken from them by the vampires, but from the in- 

 flammation of the wound which they make, and which is 

 increased if the saddle press on it. Horses, however, 

 turned out to grass at night, are frequently found the 

 next morning with their necks and haunches covered with 

 blood ; and it is known that the bat fills and disgorges 

 itself several times. Dr. Carpenter is of the same opinion 

 as Mr. Darwin, and also disbelieves that these creatures 

 soothe their victims by fanning them with their wings. 



Captain Stedman, who travelled in Guiana from 1772 

 to 1777, published an account of his adventures, and for 

 several years afterwards it was the fashion to doubt the 

 truth of his statements. In fact it was a general feeling, 

 up to a much later period than the above, that travellers 

 were not to be believed. As our knowledge, however, 

 has increased, and the works of God have been made more 

 manifest, the reputation of many a calumniated traveller 

 has been restored, and, among others, that of Captain 

 Stedman. I shall therefore unhesitatingly quote his ac- 

 count of the bite of the vampire : ' On waking, about 

 four o'clock this morning, in my hammock, I was ex- 

 tremely alarmed at finding myself weltering in congealed 

 blood, and without feeling any pain whatever. Having 

 started up and run to the surgeon, with a firebrand in 

 one hand, and all over besmeared with gore, the mystery 

 was found to be, that I had been bitten by the vampire, 



