THIRD JOURNEY. 



149 



sometimes a cluster of them may be seen in the forest 

 hanging head downwards from the branch of a tree. 



Goldsmith seems to have been aware that the vam- 

 pire hangs in clusters ; for in the " Deserted Yillage," 

 speaking of America, he says, — 



" And matted woods, where birds forget to sing, 

 But silent bats in drowsy clusters cling." 



The vampire has a curious membrane, which rises 

 from the nose, and gives it a very singular appearance. 

 It has been remarked before, that there are two species 

 of vampire in Guiana, a larger and a smaller. The 

 larger sucks men and other animals ; the smaller seems 

 to confine himself chiefly to birds. I learnt from a 

 gentleman, high up in the river Demerara, that he was 

 completely unsuccessful with his fowls, on account of 

 the small vampire. He showed me some that had been 

 sucked the night before, and they were scarcely able 

 to walk. 



Some years ago I went to the river Paumaron with a 

 Scotch gentleman, by name Tarbet. We 

 hung our hammocks in the thatched loft of a 

 planter's house. 'Next morning I heard this gentleman 

 muttering in his hammock, and now and then letting 

 fall an imprecation or two, just about the time he ought 

 to have been saying his morning prayers. What is 

 the matter. Sir,'' said I, softly; " is anything amiss 1 " 

 " What's the matter ! '' answered he, surlily ; " why, 

 the vampires have been sucking me to death." As soon 

 as there was light enough, I went to his hammock, and 

 saw it much stained with blood. " There," said he, 

 thrusting his foot out of the hammock, " see how these 

 infernal imps have been drawing my life's blood." On 



