208 EDGE OF THE JUNGLE 



to be condoned; and this ignorance, in turn, is 

 due to that lack of desire for a knowledge of 

 new countries and new experiences, which lack 

 is to be deplored and openly mourned. Many 

 years ago, in Mexico, when I first entered the 

 vampire zone, I was apprised of the fact by the 

 clotted blood on my horse's neck in the early 

 morning. In actually seeing this evidence, I ex- 

 perienced the diverse emotions of the discoverer, 

 although as a matter of fact I had discovered 

 nothing more than the verification of a scientific 

 commonplace. It so happened that I had read, 

 at one time, many conflicting statements of the 

 workings of this aerial leech; therefore, finding 

 myself in his native habitat, I went to all sorts 

 of trouble to become a victim to his sorceries. 

 The great toe is the favorite and stereotyped 

 point of attack, we are told; so, in my ham- 

 mock, my great toes were conscientiously ex- 

 posed night after night, but not until a decade 

 later was my curiosity satisfied. 



I presume that this was a matter of ill luck, 

 rather than a personal matter between the vam- 

 pire and me. Therefore, as a direct result of 

 this and like experiences, I have learned to make 

 proper allowances for the whims of the Fates. 



