300 IN THE WILDS OF SOUTH AMERICA 



by far, however, were our mules. As soon as the sun set 

 our peons brought the animals to the corral and strapped 

 canvas covers over them ; this precaution was of little avail, 

 for the bats attacked all exposed parts, causing the mules 

 to kick and roll, with the result that their covers were soon 

 torn off. We went out frequently to watch these obnoxious 

 creatures at work; after circling above their prospective 

 victim a few times, they dropped suddenly, usually upon 

 the neck or flanks, and at once began to bite and suck, 

 making a grating sound with the teeth all the while. They 

 paid no attention to us, although we stood but a few feet 

 away, but clung with folded wings to their prey, perfectly 

 motionless and in an upright position; if we moved they 

 uttered a few squeaks, but made no attempt to fly until we 

 reached for them and came to within a few inches, when 

 they reluctantly fluttered up, but almost immediately set- 

 tled on the other side of the animal. Desiring specimens 

 of them for our collection, we went one night to the corral 

 armed with a butterfly-net and, approaching one of the 

 mules on whose back were a dozen or more bats, made a 

 hurried sweep with the net; as the large, white bag of net- 

 ting scraped the back of the nervous animal he sank to his 

 knees with a groan of despair, wondering, no doubt, what 

 new monster had swooped down upon him to add fresh 

 suffering to his already unbearable existence. 



In the morning the mules were in a pathetic condition; 

 blood continued to flow from the wounds made by the 

 bats' sharp teeth, so that the ground was red and the ani- 

 mals were covered from head to foot. It was always nec- 

 essary to take them to the river and wash them, then dis- 

 infect the numerous punctures; if this is not done flies 

 attack the sore spots, infesting them with their larvae, and 

 the animals die of blood-poison. After three nights we 

 were compelled to start the mules back to Cochabamba, as 

 they were on the verge of exhaustion. 



While at Todos Santos we learned of a mission among 

 the Yuracare Indians about twelve miles distant, and near 



