SOUTH AMERICA. 



179 



more at home in the Augean stable than in the planter's Third 



Journey, - 



house. 



I had often wished to have been once sucked by the 

 Vampire, in order that I might have it in my power 

 to say it had really happened to me. There can be no 

 pain in the operation, for the patient is always asleep 

 when theVampire is sucking him, and as for the loss of 

 a few ounces of blood, that would be a trifle in the long- 

 run. Many a night have I slept with my foot out of the 

 hammock to tempt this winged surgeon, expecting that he 

 would be there ; but it Avas all in vain ; the Vampire never 

 sucked me, and I could never account for his not doing so, 

 for we were inhabitants of the same loft for months together. 



The Armadillo is very common in these forests ; he The Arma- 

 burrows m the sand-mils nke a rabbit. As it often takes 

 a considerable time to dig him out of his hole, it would 

 be a long and laborious business to attack each hole 

 indiscriminately without knowing whether the animal 

 were there or not. To prevent disappointment, the 

 Indians carefully examine the mouth of the hole, and put 

 a short stick down it. Now if, on introducing the stick, 

 a number of Mosquitos come out, the Indians know to 

 a certainty that the Armadillo is in it : wherever there 

 are no Mosquitos in the hole, there is no Armadillo. The 

 Indian having satisfied himself that the Armadillo is 

 there, by the Mosquitos which come out, he immediately 

 cuts a long and slender stick, and introduces it into the 



2 a2 



