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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..414f3e4 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #62873 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/62873) diff --git a/old/62873-0.txt b/old/62873-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 4d77a8c..0000000 --- a/old/62873-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,4264 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Vampires and Vampirism, by Dudley Wright - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Vampires and Vampirism - -Author: Dudley Wright - -Release Date: August 7, 2020 [EBook #62873] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VAMPIRES AND VAMPIRISM *** - - - - -Produced by deaurider and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive) - - - - - - - - - - -VAMPIRES AND VAMPIRISM - - - - - VAMPIRES AND - VAMPIRISM - - BY - DUDLEY WRIGHT - - LONDON - WILLIAM RIDER AND SON, LIMITED - 1914 - - - - -PREFACE - - -The awakened interest in supernormal phenomena which has taken place in -recent years has included in its wake the absorbing subject of Vampirism. -Yet there has not been any collection published of vampire stories which -are common to all the five continents of the globe. The subject of -vampirism is regarded more seriously to-day than it was even a decade -since, and an attempt has been made in this volume to supply as far as -possible all the instances which could be collected from the various -countries. How far a certain amount of scientific truth may underlie even -what may be regarded as the most extravagant stories must necessarily be, -for the present, at any rate, an open question; but he would indeed be a -bold man who would permit his scepticism as to the objective existence -of vampires in the past or the possibility of vampirism in the future to -extend to a categorical denial. If this collection of stories helps, even -in a slight degree, to the elucidation of the problem, the book will not -have been written in vain. - - DUDLEY WRIGHT. - -AUTHORS’ CLUB, 2 WHITEHALL COURT, S.W., _1st September, 1914_. - - - - -CONTENTS - - - CHAP. PAGE - - I. INTRODUCTORY 1 - - II. EXCOMMUNICATION AND ITS POWER 20 - - III. THE VAMPIRE IN BABYLONIA, ASSYRIA, AND GREECE 35 - - IV. VAMPIRISM IN GREAT AND GREATER BRITAIN 48 - - V. VAMPIRISM IN GERMANY AND SURROUNDING COUNTRIES 66 - - VI. VAMPIRISM IN HUNGARY, BAVARIA, AND SILESIA 79 - - VII. VAMPIRISM IN SERVIA AND BULGARIA 95 - - VIII. VAMPIRE BELIEF IN RUSSIA 109 - - IX. MISCELLANEA 130 - - X. LIVING VAMPIRES 142 - - XI. THE VAMPIRE IN LITERATURE 150 - - XII. FACT OR FICTION? 161 - - BIBLIOGRAPHY 175 - - - - -VAMPIRES AND VAMPIRISM - - - - -CHAPTER I - -INTRODUCTORY - - -What is a vampire? The definition given in Webster’s _International -Dictionary_ is: “A blood-sucking ghost or re-animated body of a dead -person; a soul or re-animated body of a dead person believed to come from -the grave and wander about by night sucking the blood of persons asleep, -causing their death.” - -Whitney’s _Century Dictionary_ says that a vampire is: “A kind of -spectral body which, according to a superstition existing among the -Slavic and other races on the Lower Danube, leaves the grave during the -night and maintains a semblance of life by sucking the warm blood of -living men and women while they are asleep. Dead wizards, werwolves, -heretics, and other outcasts become vampires, as do also the illegitimate -offspring of parents themselves illegitimate, and anyone killed by a -vampire.” - -According to the _Encyclopædia Britannica_: “The persons who turn -vampires are generally wizards, suicides, and those who come to a violent -end or have been cursed by their parents or by the Church. But anyone may -become a vampire if an animal (especially a cat) leaps over the corpse or -a bird flies over it.” - -Among the specialists, the writers upon vampire lore and legend, two -definitions may be quoted:—Hurst, who says that: “A vampyr is a dead -body which continues to live in the grave; which it leaves, however, by -night, for the purpose of sucking the blood of the living, whereby it is -nourished and preserved in good condition, instead of becoming decomposed -like other dead bodies”; and Scoffern, who wrote: “The best definition I -can give of a vampire is a living mischievous and murderous dead body. A -living dead body! The words are idle, contradictory, incomprehensible, -but so are vampires.” - -“Vampires,” says the learned Zopfius, “come out of their graves in the -night time, rush upon people sleeping in their beds, suck out all their -blood and destroy them. They attack men, women, and children, sparing -neither age nor sex. Those who are under the malignity of their influence -complain of suffocation and a total deficiency of spirits, after which -they soon expire. Some of them being asked at the point of death what is -the matter with them, their answer is that such persons lately dead rise -to torment them.” - -Not all vampires, however, are, or were, suckers of blood. Some, -according to the records, despatched their victims by inflicting upon -them contagious diseases, or strangling them without drawing blood, or -causing their speedy or retarded death by various other means. - -Messrs Skeat and Blagden, in _Pagan Races of the Malay Peninsula_ (vol. -i. p. 473), state that “a vampire, according to the view of Sakai of -Perak, is not a demon—even though it is incidentally so-called—but a -being of flesh and blood,” and support this view by the statement that -the vampire cannot pass through walls and hedges. - -The word _vampire_ (Dutch, _vampyr_; Polish, _wampior_ or _upior_; -Slownik, _upir_; Ukraine, _upeer_) is held by Skeat to be derived from -the Servian _wampira_. The Russians, Morlacchians, inhabitants of -Montenegro, Bohemians, Servians, Arnauts, both of Hydra and Albania, know -the vampire under the name of _wukodalak_, _vurkulaka_, or _vrykolaka_, -a word which means “wolf-fairy,” and is thought by some to be derived -from the Greek. In Crete, where Slavonic influence has not been felt, the -vampire is known by the name of _katakhaná_. Vampire lore is, in general, -confined to stories of resuscitated corpses of male human beings, though -amongst the Malays a _penangglan_, or vampire, is a living witch, who can -be killed if she can be caught in the act of witchery. She is especially -feared in houses where a birth has taken place, and it is the custom to -hang up a bunch of thistle in order to catch her. She is said to keep -vinegar at home to aid her in re-entering her own body. In the Malay -Peninsula, parts of Polynesia and the neighbouring districts, the vampire -is conceived as a head with entrails attached, which comes forth to suck -the blood of living human beings. In Transylvania, the belief prevails -that every person killed by a _nosferatu_ (vampire) becomes in turn a -vampire, and will continue to suck the blood of other innocent people -until the evil spirit has been exorcised, either by opening the grave of -the suspected person and driving a stake through the corpse, or firing -a pistol-shot into the coffin. In very obstinate cases it is further -recommended to cut off the head, fill the mouth with garlic, and then -replace the head in its proper place in the coffin; or else to extract -the heart and burn it, and strew the ashes over the grave. - -The _murony_ of the Wallachians not only sucks blood, but also possesses -the power of assuming a variety of shapes, as, for instance, those of a -cat, dog, flea, or spider; in consequence of which the ordinary evidence -of death caused by the attack of a vampire, viz. the mark of a bite in -the back of the neck, is not considered indispensable. The Wallachians -have a very great fear of sudden death, greater perhaps than any other -people, for they attribute sudden death to the attack of a vampire, and -believe that anyone destroyed by a vampire must become a vampire, and -that no power can save him from this fate. A similar belief obtains in -Northern Albania, where it is also held that a wandering spirit has power -to enter the body of any individual guilty of undetected crime, and that -such obsession forms part of his punishment. - -Some writers have ascribed the origin of the belief in vampires to Greek -Christianity, but there are traces of the superstition and belief at a -considerably earlier date than this. In the opinion of the anthropologist -Tylor, “the shortest way of treating the belief is to refer it directly -to the principles of savage animism. We shall see that most of its -details fall into their places at once, and that vampires are not mere -creations of groundless fancy, but causes conceived in spiritual form -to account for specific facts of wasting disease.” It is more than -probable that the practice of offering up living animals as sacrifices to -satisfy the thirst of departed human beings, combined with the ideas of -the Platonist and the teachings of the learned Jew, Isaac Arbanel, who -maintained that before the soul can be loosed from the fetters of the -flesh it must lie some months with it in the grave, may have influenced -the belief and assisted its development. Vampirism found a place in -Babylonian belief and in the folk-lore and traditions of many countries -of the Near East. The belief was quite common in Arabia, although there -is no trace of it there in pre-Christian times. The earliest references -to vampires are found in Chaldean and Assyrian tablets. Later, the pagan -Romans gave their adherence to the belief that the dead bodies of certain -people could be allured from their graves by sorcerers, unless the -bodies had actually undergone decomposition, and that the only means of -effectually preventing such “resurrections” was by cremating the remains. -In Grecian lore there are many wonderful stories of the dead rising from -their graves and feasting upon the blood of the young and beautiful. From -Greece and Rome the superstition spread throughout Austria, Hungary, -Lorraine, Poland, Roumania, Iceland, and even to the British Isles, -reaching its height in the period from 1723 to 1735, when a vampire -fever or epidemic broke out in the south-east of Europe, particularly in -Hungary and Servia. The belief in vampires even spread to Africa, where -the Kaffirs held that bad men alone live a second time and try to kill -the living by night. According to a local superstition of the Lesbians, -the unquiet ghost of the Virgin Gello used to haunt their island, and was -supposed to cause the deaths of young children. - -Various devices have been resorted to in different countries at the time -of burial, in the belief that the dead could thus be prevented from -returning to earth-life. In some instances, _e.g._ among the Wallachians, -a long nail was driven through the skull of the corpse, and the thorny -stem of a wild rose-bush laid upon the body, in order that its shroud -might become entangled with it, should it attempt to rise. The Kroats -and Slavonians burned the straw upon which the suspected body lay. They -then locked up all the cats and dogs, for if these animals stepped over -the corpse it would assuredly return as a vampire and suck the blood of -the village folk. Many held that to drive a white thorn stake through the -dead body rendered the vampire harmless, and the peasants of Bukowina -still retain the practice of driving an ash stake through the breasts -of suicides and supposed vampires—a practice common in England, so far -as suicides were concerned, until 1823, when there was passed “An Act -to alter and amend the law relating to the interment of the remains of -any person found _felo de se_,” in which it was enacted that the coroner -or other officer “shall give directions for the private interment of -the remains of such person _felo de se_ without any stake being driven -through the body of such person.” It was also ordained that the burial -was only to take place between nine and twelve o’clock at night. - -The driving of a stake through the body does not seem to have had always -the desired effect. De Schartz, in his _Magia Postuma_, published at -Olmutz in 1706, tells of a shepherd in the village of Blow, near Kadam, -in Bohemia, who made several appearances after his death and called -certain persons, who never failed to die within eight days of such call. -The peasants of Blow took up the body and fixed it to the ground by means -of a stake driven through the corpse. The man, when in that condition, -told them that they were very good to give him a stick with which he -could defend himself against the dogs which worried him. Notwithstanding -the stake, he got up again that same night, alarmed many people, and, -presumably out of revenge, strangled more people in that one night than -he had ever done on a single occasion before. It was decided to hand -over his body to the public executioner, who was ordered to see that the -remains were burned outside the village. When the executioner and his -assistants attempted to move the corpse for that purpose, it howled like -a madman, and moved its feet and hands as though it were alive. They -then pierced the body through with stakes, but he again uttered loud -cries and a great quantity of bright vermilion blood flowed from him. -The cremation, however, put an end to the apparition and haunting of the -spectre. De Schartz says that the only remedy for these apparitions is -to cut off the heads and burn the bodies of those who come back to haunt -their former abodes. It was, however, customary to hold a public inquiry -and examination of witnesses before proceeding to the burning of a body, -and if, upon examination of the body, it was found that the corpse had -begun to decompose, that the limbs were not supple and mobile, and the -blood not fluidic, then burning was not commanded. Even in the case of -suspected persons an interval of six to seven weeks was always allowed -to lapse before the grave was opened in order to ascertain whether the -flesh had decayed and the limbs lost their suppleness and mobility. A -Strigon or Indian vampire, who was transfixed with a sharp thorn cudgel, -near Larbach, in 1672, pulled it out of his body and flung it back -contemptuously. - -Bartholin, in _de Causa contemptûs mortis_, tells the story of a man, -named Harpye, who ordered his wife to bury him exactly at the kitchen -door, in order that he might see what went on in the house. The woman -executed her commission, and soon after his death he appeared to several -people in the neighbourhood, killed people while they were engaged -in their occupations, and played so many mischievous pranks that the -inhabitants began to move away from the village. At last a man named -Olaus Pa took courage and ran at the spectre with a lance, which he drove -into the apparition. The spectre instantly vanished, taking the spear -with it. Next morning Olaus had the grave of Harpye opened, when he -found the lance in the dead body, which had not become corrupted. The -corpse was then taken from the grave, burned, and the ashes thrown into -the sea, and the spectre did not afterwards trouble the inhabitants. - -To cross the arms of the corpse, or to place a cross or crucifix upon the -grave, or to bury a suspected corpse at the junction of four cross-roads, -was, in some parts, regarded as an efficacious preventive of vampirism. -It will be remembered that it was at one time the practice in England -to bury suicides at the four cross-roads. If a vampire should make its -appearance, it could be prevented from ever appearing again by forcing it -to take the oath not to do so, if the words “by my winding-sheet” were -incorporated in the oath. - -One charm employed by the Wallachians to prevent a person becoming a -vampire was to rub the body in certain parts with the lard of a pig -killed on St Ignatius’s Day. - -In Poland and Russia, vampires make their appearance from noon to -midnight instead of between nightfall and dawn, the rule that generally -prevails. They come and suck the blood of living men and animals in such -abundance that sometimes it flows from them at the nose and ears, and -occasionally in such profusion that the corpse swims in the blood thus -oozing from it as it lies in the coffin. One may become immune from the -attacks of vampires by mixing this blood with flour and making bread from -the mixture, a portion of which must be eaten; otherwise the charm will -not work. The Californians held that the mere breaking of the spine of -the corpse was sufficient to prevent its return as a vampire. Sometimes -heavy stones were piled on the grave to keep the ghost within, a practice -to which Frazer traces the origin of funeral cairns and tombstones. Two -resolutions of the Sorbonne, passed between 1700 and 1710, prohibited -the cutting off of the heads and the maiming of the bodies of persons -supposed to be vampires. - -In the German folk-tale known as _Faithful John_, the statue said to -the king: “If you, with your own hand, cut off the heads of both your -children and sprinkle me with their blood, I shall be brought to life -again.” According to primitive ideas, blood is life, and to receive -blood is to receive life: the soul of the dead wants to live, and, -consequently, loves blood. The shades in Hades are eager to drink the -blood of Odysseus’s sacrifice, that their life may be renewed for a -time. It is of the greatest importance that the soul should get what it -desires, as, if not satisfied, it might come and attack the living. It is -possible that the bodily mutilations which to this day accompany funerals -among some peoples have their origin in the belief that the departed -spirit is refreshed by the blood thus spilt. The Samoans called it an -“offering of blood” for the dead when the mourners beat their heads till -the blood ran. - -The Australian native sorcerers are said to acquire their magical -influence by eating human flesh, but this is done once only in a -lifetime. According to Nider’s _Formicarius_, part of the ceremony of -initiation into wizardry and witchcraft consisted in drinking in a -church, before the commencement of Mass, from a flask filled with blood -taken from the corpses of murdered infants. - -The methods employed for the detection of vampires have varied according -to the countries in which the belief in their existence was maintained. -In some places it was held that, if there were discovered in a grave two -or three or more holes about the size of a man’s finger, it would almost -certainly follow that a body with all the marks of vampirism would be -discovered within the grave. The Wallachians employed a rather elaborate -method of divination. They were in the habit of choosing a boy young -enough to make it certain that he was innocent of any impurity. He was -then placed on an absolutely black and unmutilated horse which had never -stumbled. The horse was then made to ride about the cemetery and pass -over all the graves. If the horse refused to pass over any grave, even in -spite of repeated blows, that grave was believed to shelter a vampire. -Their records state that when such a grave was opened it was generally -found to contain a corpse as fat and handsome as that of a full-blooded -man quietly sleeping. The finest vermilion blood would flow from the -throat when cut, and this was held to be the blood he had sucked from -the veins of living people. It is said that the attacks of the vampire -generally ceased on this being done. - -In the town of Perlepe, between Monastru and Kiuprili, there existed -the extraordinary phenomenon of a number of families who were regarded -as being the offspring of _vrykolakas_, and as possessing the power of -laying the wandering spirits to which they were related. They are said -to have kept their art very dark and to have practised it in secret, but -their fame was so widely spread that persons in need of such deliverance -were accustomed to send for them from other cities. In ordinary life and -intercourse they were avoided by all the inhabitants. - -Although some writers have contended that no vampire has yet been caught -in the act of vampirism, and that, as no museum of natural history has -secured a specimen, the whole of the stories concerning vampires may -be regarded as mythical, others have held firmly to a belief in their -existence and inimical power. Dr Pierart, in _La Revue Spiritualiste_ -(vol. iv. p. 104), wrote: “After a crowd of facts of vampirism so often -proved, shall we say that there are no more to be had, and that these -never had a foundation? Nothing comes of nothing. Every belief, every -custom, springs from facts and causes which give it birth. If one had -never seen appear in the bosom of their families, in various countries, -beings clothed in the appearance of departed ones known to them, sucking -the blood of one or more persons, and if the deaths of the victims had -not followed after such apparitions, the disinterment of corpses would -not have taken place, and there would never have been the attestation of -the otherwise incredible fact of persons buried for several years being -found with the body soft and flexible, the eyes wide open, the complexion -rosy, the mouth and nose full of blood, and the blood flowing fully when -the body was struck or wounded or the head cut off.” - -Bishop d’Avranches Huet wrote: “I will not examine whether the facts of -vampirism, which are constantly being reported, are true, or the fruit of -a popular error; but it is beyond doubt that they are testified to by so -many able and trustworthy authors, and by so many _eye-witnesses_, that -no one ought to decide the question without a good deal of caution.” - -Dr Pierart gave the following explanation of their existence: “Poor, -dead cataleptics, buried as if really dead in cold and dry spots where -morbid causes are incapable of effecting the destruction of their bodies, -the astral spirit, enveloping itself with a fluidic ethereal body, is -prompted to quit the precincts of its tomb and to exercise on living -bodies acts peculiar to physical life, especially that of nutrition, -the result of which, by a mysterious link between soul and body which -spiritualistic science will some day explain, is forwarded to the -material body lying still within its tomb, and the latter is thus helped -to perpetuate its vital existence.” - -Apart from the spectre vampire there is, of course, the vampire bat in -the world of natural history, which is said to suck blood from a sleeping -person, insinuating its tongue into a vein, but without inflicting -pain. Captain Steadman, during his expedition to Surinam, awoke early -one morning and was alarmed to find his hammock steeped almost through -and himself weltering in blood, although he was without pain. It was -discovered that he had been bitten by a vampire bat. Pennant says that -in some parts of America they destroyed all the cattle introduced by the -missionaries. - - - - -CHAPTER II - -EXCOMMUNICATION AND ITS POWER - - -The Greek Church at one time taught that the bodies of persons upon whom -the ban of excommunication had been passed did not undergo decomposition -after death until such sentence had been revoked by the pronouncement -of absolution over the remains, and that, while the bodies remained in -this uncorrupted condition, the spirits of the individuals wandered up -and down the earth seeking sustenance from the blood of the living. The -non-corruption of a body, however, was also held to be one of the proofs -of sanctity; but, in this case, the body preserved its natural colour -and gave an agreeable odour, whereas the bodies of the excommunicated -generally turned black, swelled out like a drum, and emitted an offensive -smell. Very frequently, however, when the graves of suspected vampires -were opened, the faces were found to be of ruddy complexion and the veins -distended with blood, which, when opened with a lancet, yielded a supply -of blood as plentiful, fresh, and free as that found in the veins of -young and healthy living human beings. For many centuries in the history -of Greek Christianity there was scarcely a village that had not its own -local vampire stories which were related by the inhabitants and vouched -for by them as having either occurred within their own knowledge or been -related to them by their parents or relatives as having come within their -personal observation or been verified by them. - -The bodies of murderers and suicides were also held to be exempt from -the law of dissolution of the mortal remains until the Church granted -release from the curse entailed upon them by such act. The priests, by -this assumption of power over the body as well as over the soul, made -profitable use of this superstitious belief by preying upon the fears and -credulity of the living. They also included in this ecclesiastical law of -exemption from corruption after death those who in their lives had been -guilty of heinous sins, those who had tampered with the magic arts, and -all who had been cursed during life by their parents. These were all said -to become vampires. This belief spread to other branches of the Christian -Church, and the story is related that St Libentius, Archbishop of Bremen, -who died 4th January 1013, once excommunicated a gang of pirates, one -of whom died shortly afterwards and was buried in Norway. Seventy years -afterwards his body was found quite entire and uncorrupted, nor did it -fall to ashes until it had received absolution from the Bishop Alvareda. - -Leo Allatius, a Roman Catholic, describes a corpse which he found in -an undecomposed condition. He implies that the Greeks connected the -circumstance with the power invested in them by the text: “Whatsoever -thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven,” and by which they -hold that the soul is excluded from all hope of participation in future -bliss so long as the body remains undecomposed. Poqueville, another -writer, also states that whenever a bishop or priest excommunicated a -person he added to the general sentence of excommunication the words: -“After death, let not thy body have power to dissolve.” - -A manuscript was discovered many years ago in the Church of St Sophia at -Thessalonica, which is an interesting commentary upon the power claimed -by the Church over excommunicated bodies. The manuscript states that: - -(1) Whoever has been laid under any curse or received any injunction -from his deceased parents that he has not fulfilled, after his death the -forepart of his body remains entire; - -(2) Whoever has been the object of any anathema appears yellow after -death, and the fingers are shrivelled; - -(3) Whoever appears white has been excommunicated by the divine laws; - -(4) Whoever appears black has been excommunicated by a bishop. - -It was held possible to discover, by means of these signs, the crime for -which, as well as the person on whom, the judgment had been pronounced. -One horrible result of this ghastly superstition was the custom which -was at one time prevalent among the Greeks of Salonica, as well as the -Bulgarians in the centre of European Turkey, and other nations, of -disinterring indiscriminately the bodies of the dead after they had been -buried for twelve months, in order to ascertain from the condition of the -remains whether the souls were in heaven or hell, or perambulating the -neighbourhood as vampires. - -This assumed ecclesiastical power acted occasionally, however, -injuriously on the clergy themselves. There is on record one instance -where a priest was killed in revenge for the death of a man whose illness -was attributed to the sentence of excommunication that had been passed -upon him. On another occasion a bishop of some diocese in Morea was -robbed by a band of brigands as he was passing through a portion of the -Maniate territory. When the deed was done the mountaineers bethought -themselves that the bishop would, in all probability, excommunicate them -as soon as he reached a place of safety. They saw no means of averting -this, to them, dreadful calamity, except by the committal of a further -and more heinous crime; and so they set out in pursuit of the unfortunate -bishop, whom they eventually overtook and murdered. - -Many years ago a Greek of Keramia complained to the Pasha of Khania that -the papás of his village had excommunicated him and so been the indirect -cause of his having been bewitched. The Pasha sent for the priest, threw -him into prison, and only released him upon payment of a fine of 300 -piastres. - -During a local war a native of Theriso was taken ill: the cry went up: -“It is an aphorismos.” The papás was accused, reviled, and threatened -with murder unless the curse was removed; but the man continued to get -worse, and eventually died. So firm was the belief of everyone in the -neighbourhood that the ban had caused the man’s death that some of his -companions regarded it as a duty to avenge his fate, and, in consequence, -they sought out the priest and shot him. - -At the beginning of the nineteenth century the Metropolitan of Larissa -was informed that a papás had disinterred two bodies and thrown them into -the Haliæmon on pretence of their being vrukólakas. Upon being summoned -before the bishop the priest admitted the truth of the accusation, and -justified his act by saying that a report had been current that a large -animal, accompanied with flames, had been seen to issue from the grave -in which these two bodies had been buried. The bishop fined the priest -250 piastres, and sent a proclamation throughout the diocese that, in -future, similar offences would be punished with double that fine and be -accompanied with loss of position. - -Martin Crusius tells the following curious story. There were about -the court of Mahomet II. a number of men learned in Greek and Arabic -literature, who had investigated a variety of points connected with the -Christian faith. They informed the Sultan that the bodies of persons -excommunicated by the Greek clergy did not decompose, and when he -inquired whether the effect of absolution was to dissolve them, he was -answered in the affirmative. Upon this, he sent orders to Maximus, the -Patriarch of that period, to produce a case by which the truth of the -statement might be tested. The Patriarch convened his clergy in great -trepidation, and after long deliberation they ascertained that a woman -had been excommunicated by the previous Patriarch for the commission of -grievous sins. They ascertained the whereabouts of her grave, and when -they had opened it they found that the corpse was entire, but swollen out -like a drum. When the news of this reached the Sultan, he despatched some -of his officers to possess themselves of the body, which they did, and -deposited it in a safe place. On an appointed day the liturgy was said -over it and the Patriarch recited the absolution in the presence of the -officials. As this was being done—wonderful to relate!—the bones were -heard to rattle as they fell apart in the coffin, and at the same time, -the narrator adds, the woman’s soul was also freed from the punishment to -which it had been condemned. The courtiers at once ran and informed the -Sultan, who was astonished at the miracle, and exclaimed: “Of a surety -the Christian religion is true.” Calmet also relates this story, and -adds that the body was found to be entirely black and much swollen; that -it was placed in a chest under the Emperor’s seal, which chest was not -opened until three days after the absolution had been pronounced, when -the body was seen to be reduced to ashes. - -During the long war between the Christians and Mohammedans in the -island of Crete, it became a matter of astonishment that ravages caused -by vampires were no longer the subject of conversation. “How can it be, -when the number of deaths is so great, that none of those that die become -katakhanás?” was the question asked, to be met with the answer: “No one -ever becomes a katakhaná if he dies in time of war.” - -Leo Allatius also relates that he was told by Athanasius, Metropolitan of -Imbros, that, on one occasion, being earnestly entreated to pronounce the -absolution over a number of corpses that had long remained undecomposed, -he consented to do so, and before the recitation was concluded they all -fell away into ashes. - -Rycaut relates a similar occurrence, to which he appends the following -remark: “This story I should not have judged worth relating, but that I -heard it from the mouth of a grave person who says that his own eyes were -witnesses thereof.” - -The Hydhræans (or Hydhrioks) say there used to be a great number of -vampires in Hydhra, and that their present freedom is to be attributed -solely to the exertions of their bishop, who banished them all to -Santoréhe, where, on the desert isle, they now exist in great numbers, -wandering about, rolling stones down the slope towards the sea, “as may -be heard by anyone who passes near, in a kaík, during the night.” - -At the second Council of Limoges, held in 1031, the Bishop of Cahors -made the following statement: “A knight of my diocese being killed in a -state of excommunication, I refused to comply with the request of his -friends, who solicited me earnestly to give him absolution. My resolution -was to make an example of him, in order to strike terror into others. -Notwithstanding this, he was buried in a church dedicated to St Peter by -some soldiers or knights without any ecclesiastical ceremony, without -any leave, and without the assistance of any priest. The next morning -his body was found out of the grave, perfectly entire, and without any -token of its having been touched. The soldiers who buried him opened the -grave and found nothing but the linen which had been wrapped about his -body. They then buried him afresh and covered the grave with an enormous -quantity of earth and stones. The next day the corpse was found out of -the grave again, and there were no symptoms of anyone having been at -work. The same thing was repeated five times, and at last they buried -him in unconsecrated ground, at a distance from the churchyard, when no -further incident occurred.” - -Rycaut states that the following story was related to him with many -asseverations of truth by a grave _Candive Kalois_ called Sofronio, a -preacher, and a person of no mean repute and learning at Smyrna. - -“I knew,” he said, “a certain person who, for some misdemeanours -committed in the Morea, fled over to the Isle of Milo, where, though -he escaped the hand of justice, he could not avoid the sentence of -excommunication, from which he could no more fly than from the conviction -of his own conscience, or the guilt which ever attended him; for the -fatal hour of his death being come, and the sentence of the Church -not revoked, the body was carelessly and without solemnity interred -in some retired and unfrequented place. In the meantime the relatives -of the deceased were much afflicted and anxious for the sad estate of -their dead friend, whilst the peasants and islanders were every night -affrighted and disturbed with strange and unusual apparitions, which they -immediately concluded arose from the grave of the accursed excommunicant, -which, according to their custom, they immediately opened, when they -found the body uncorrupted, ruddy, and the veins replete with blood. The -coffin was furnished with grapes, apples, and nuts, and such fruits as -the season afforded. Whereupon, consultation being taken, the Kaloires -resolved to make use of the common remedy in those cases, which was to -cut and dismember the body into several parts and to boil it in wine, as -the approved means of dislodging the evil spirit and disposing the body -to a dissolution. But the friends of the deceased, being willing and -desirous that the corpse should rest in peace and some ease given to the -departed soul, obtained a reprieve from the clergy, and hoped that for a -sum of money (they being persons of a competent estate) a release might -be purchased from the excommunication under the hand of the Patriarch. -In this manner the corpse was for a little while freed from dissection, -and letters thereupon sent to Constantinople with this direction, That -in case the Patriarch should condescend to take off the excommunication, -that the day, hour, and minute that he signed the remission should be -inserted in the document. And now the corpse was taken into the church -(the country people not being willing it should remain in the field), and -prayers and masses were daily said for its dissolution and the pardon -of the offender; when one day, after many prayers, supplications, and -offerings (as this Sofrino attested to me with many protestations), and -whilst he himself was heard performing divine service, on a sudden was -heard a rumbling noise in the coffin of the dead party, to the fear and -astonishment of all persons then present; which when they had opened they -found the body consumed and dissolved as far into its first principles -of earth as if it had been several years interred. The hour and minute -of this dissolution was immediately noted and precisely observed, which -being compared with the date of the Patriarch’s release when it was -signed at Constantinople, it was found exactly to agree with that moment -in which the body returned to its ashes.” - -In most countries the vampire was regarded as a night-wanderer, but -resting in its grave on Friday night, so that the ceremony of absolution -had to be performed on that night or during Saturday, because, if the -spirit was out on its rambles when the ceremony took place, it was -unavailing. - -The Sfakians generally believe that the ravages committed by these -night-wanderers used in former times to be far more frequent than they -are at the present day, and that they have become comparatively rare -solely in consequence of the increased zeal and skill possessed by -members of the sacerdotal order. - -Tournefort relates an entertaining story of a vampire that woefully -annoyed the inhabitants of Myconi. Prayers, processions, stabbing with -swords, sprinklings of holy water, and even pouring the latter in large -quantities down the throat of the refractory _vroucolaca_ were all tried -in vain. An Albanian who chanced to be at Myconi objected to two of these -remedies. It was no wonder the devil continued in, he said, for how -could he possibly come through the holy water? And as to swords, they -were equally effectual in preventing his exit, for their handles being -crosses, he was so much terrified that he dare not pass them. To obviate -the latter objection, he recommended that Turkish scymetars should -be used. The scymetars were accordingly put in requisition, but the -pertinacious devil still retained his hold of the corpse and played his -pranks with as much vigour as ever. At length, when all the respectable -inhabitants were packing up to take flight to Syra or Tinos, an effectual -method of ousting the _vroucolaca_ was fortunately suggested. The body -was committed to the flames on January 1st, 1701, and the spirit being -thus forcibly ejected from its abode, was rendered incapable of doing -further mischief. - -There is a story told of St Stanislaus raising to life a man who had been -dead for three years, whom he called to life in order that he might give -evidence on the saint’s behalf in a court of justice. After having given -his evidence, the resuscitated man returned quietly to his grave. - - - - -CHAPTER III - -THE VAMPIRE IN BABYLONIA, ASSYRIA, AND GREECE - - -The belief in the vampire and ghoul was prevalent even in Babylon and -Assyria, where it was maintained that the dead could appear again -upon earth and seek sustenance from the living. The belief is, in all -probability, linked up with the almost universal theory that transfused -blood is necessary for revivification. Baths of human blood were -anciently prescribed as a possible remedy for leprosy. - -Mr R. Campbell Thompson, in his work _The Devils and Evil Spirits of -Babylonia_, states that the _Ekimmu_ or departed spirit was the soul of -the dead person unable to rest, which wandered as a spectre over the -earth. “If it found a luckless man who had wandered far from his fellows -into haunted places, it fastened upon him, plaguing and tormenting him -until such time as a priest should drive it away with exorcisms.” - -Mr Thompson also gives the translation of the following two tablets, -which, it will be seen, contain references to this belief:— - - The gods which seize (upon man) - Have come forth from the grave; - The evil wind-gusts - Have come forth from the grave. - - To demand the payment of rites and the pouring out of libations, - They have come forth from the grave; - All that is evil in their hosts, like a whirlwind, - Hath come forth from the grave. - - The evil Spirit, the evil Demon, the evil Ghost, the evil Devil, - From the earth have come forth; - From the underworld unto the land they have come forth; - In heaven they are unknown, - On earth they are not understood. - They neither stand nor sit - Nor eat nor drink. - -INCANTATION - - Spirits that minish heaven and earth, - That minish the land, - Spirits that minish the land, - Of giant strength, - Of giant strength and giant tread, - Demons (like) raging bulls, great ghosts, - Ghosts that break through all houses, - Demons that have no shame, - Seven are they! - Knowing no care, - They grind the land like corn; - Knowing no mercy, - They rage against mankind: - They spill their blood like rain, - Devouring their flesh (and) sucking their veins. - Where the images of the gods are, there they quake - In the temple of Nabu, who fertiliseth the shoots of wheat. - They are demons full of violence - Ceaselessly devouring blood. - Invoke the ban against them, - That they no more return to this neighbourhood. - By Heaven be ye exorcised! By Earth be ye exorcised! - -Greek Christianity, as already stated, has been credited by many with the -origin of the vampire belief, but this contention is hardly borne out by -facts. The belief was undoubtedly developed greatly under the influence -of the Greek Church, and utilised by the Greek priests as an additional -power which they possessed over the people. It did not become prominent -in Greece until after the establishment of Christianity, and there are -many remarkable stories told of vampire apparitions among the Slavonic -races bordering on Greece, as well as among the Arabians. In later times, -Father Richard, a French Jesuit of the seventeenth century, went as a -missionary to the Archipelago, and has left an account of the islands -of Santerini in which he discourses at length upon the _bucolacs_ or -vampires of that district. - -Some Greeks believe that the spectre which appears is not really the -soul of the deceased, but an evil spirit which enters his body after the -soul of the owner has been withdrawn. Thus Leo Allatius, in describing -the belief, says: “The corpse is entered by a demon which is the source -of ruin to unhappy men. For frequently emerging from the tomb in the -form of that body and roaming about the city and other inhabited places, -especially by night it betakes itself to any house it fancies, and, after -knocking at the door, addresses one of the inmates in a loud tone. If -the person answers he is done for: two days after that he dies. If he -does not answer he is safe. In consequence of this, all the people in -Chios, if anyone calls to them by night, never reply the first time; for -if a second call is given they know that it does not proceed from the -_vrykolaka_ but from someone else.” - -In the _Menées des Grecs_ it is recorded that an ecclesiastic of Scheti, -being excommunicated by his superior for some act of disobedience, -quitted the desert and came to Alexandria, where he was apprehended by -the governor of the city, stripped of his religious habit, and strongly -solicited to sacrifice to the idols of the place. The man bravely -resisted the temptation, and was tortured in several ways, till at last -they cut off his head, and threw his body out of the city to be devoured -by dogs. The next night it was carried away by the Christians, who, -having embalmed it and wrapped it up in fine linen, interred it in an -honourable part of the church with all the respect due to the remains -of a martyr. But at the next celebration of the Mass, upon the deacons -crying out aloud as usual, “Let the catechumens and all who do not -communicate retire,” his grave instantly opened and the martyr retired -into the church porch. When Mass was over he came again of his own accord -into the grave. Not long afterwards it was revealed by an angel to a -holy person, who had continued three days in prayer, that the deceased -ecclesiastic had been excommunicated by his superior, and would continue -bound till that same superior had reversed the sentence. Upon this a -messenger was despatched to the desert after the holy anchorite, who -ordered the grave to be opened and absolved the deceased, who, after -this, continued in his grave in peace. - -Pitton de Tournefort, in his _Voyage into the Levant_, gives the -following interesting account: “We were present at a very different scene -and one very barbarous at Myconi. The man, whose story we are going to -relate, was a peasant of Myconi, naturally ill-natured and quarrelsome; -this is a circumstance to be taken notice of in such a case: he was -murdered in the fields, nobody knew how or by whom. Two days after his -being buried in a chapel in the town it was noised about that he was -seen to walk about in the night with great haste, that he tumbled about -other people’s goods, put out their lamps, gripped them behind, and -played a dozen other monkey tricks. At first the story was received with -laughter, but the thing was looked upon seriously when the better sort -of people began to complain of it: the papás themselves gave credit to -the fact, and no doubt had their reasons for so doing; masses were duly -said; but for all this the peasant drove his old trade and heeded nothing -they could do. After divers meetings of the chief people of the city, -of priests and monks, it was gravely concluded that it was necessary in -consequence of some musty ceremonial to wait till the ninth day after the -interment should be expired. - -“On the tenth day they said one Mass in the chapel where the body was -laid in order to drive out the demon which they imagined was got into it. -After Mass they took up his body and got everything ready for blowing -out his heart.... The corpse stunk so abominably that they were obliged -to burn frankincense, but the smoke mixing with the exhalations from the -carcase increased the stench; every person averred that the blood of -the corpse was extremely red. The butcher swore that the body was still -warm....” - -Pitton concludes the story by ridiculing the theory that this was the -body of a vampire or _vroucolaca_. - -The practice of burning the body of a suspected or proved vampire does -not appear to have found general favour in Greece, doubtless by reason of -the fact that the Greeks possessed a religious horror of burning a body -on which holy oil had been poured by the priest when performing the last -rites upon the dying man. - -Leake, whose _Travels in Northern Greece_ were published in 1835, says -in the fourth volume of that work: “It would be difficult now to meet -with an example of the most barbarous of all these superstitions, -the Vrukólaka. The name being Illyric, seems to acquit the Greeks of -the invention, which was probably introduced into the country by the -barbarians of Sclavonic race. Tournefort’s description is admitted to be -correct. The Devil is supposed to enter the Vrukólaka, who, rising from -his grave, torments first his nearest relatives and then others, causing -their death or loss of health. The remedy is to dig up the body and if, -after it has been exorcised by the priest, the demon still persists in -annoying the living, to cut it into small pieces, or, if that be not -sufficient, to burn it.” - -In Crete the belief in vampires—or katalkanás, as the Cretans call -them—and their existence and ill-deeds forms a general article of -popular belief throughout the island, but is particularly strong in the -mountains, and if anyone ventures to doubt it, undeniable facts are -brought forward to silence the incredulous. - -One of the stories told by the Cretans is as follows: “Once upon a time -the village of Kalikráti, in the district of Sfakia, was haunted by a -Katakhanás, and the people did not know what man he was or from what part -he came. This Katakhanás destroyed both children and full-grown men, and -desolated both that village and many others. They had buried him at the -church of St George at Kalikráti, and in those times he was regarded as -a man of note, and they had built an arch over his grave. Now a certain -shepherd, believed to be his mutual Sýnteknos,[1] was tending his sheep -and goats near the church, and, on being caught in a shower, he went -to the sepulchre that he might be protected from the rain. Afterwards -he determined to sleep and pass the night there, and, after taking off -his arms, he placed them by the stone which served him as his pillow, -crosswise. And people might say that it was on this account that the -Katakhanás was not permitted to leave his tomb. During the night, then, -as he wished to go out again, that he might destroy men, he said to the -shepherd: ‘Gossip, get up hence, for I have some business that requires -me to come out.’ The shepherd answered him not, either the first time, -or the second, or the third; further, he knew that the man had become -a Katakhanás, and that it was he who had done all those evil deeds. On -this account he said to him on the fourth time of his speaking: ‘I shall -not get up hence, gossip, for I fear you are no better than you should -be and may do me some mischief; but if I must get up, swear to me by -your winding-sheet that you will not hurt me, and on that I will get -up.’ And he did not pronounce the proposed words, but said other things; -nevertheless, when the shepherd did not suffer him to get up, he swore -to him as he wished. On this he got up, and, taking his arms, removed -them away from the monument, and the Katakhanás came forth, and, after -greeting the shepherd, said to him: ‘Gossip, you must not go away, but -sit down here; for I have some business which I must go after; but I -shall return within the hour, for I have something to say to you.’ So the -shepherd waited for him. - -“And the Katakhanás went a distance of about ten miles, where there was a -couple recently married, and he destroyed them. On his return the gossip -saw that he was carrying some liver, his hands being moistened with -blood; and, as he carried it, he blew into it, just as the butcher does, -to increase the size of the liver. And he showed his gossip that it was -cooked, as if it had been done on the fire. After this he said: ‘Let us -sit down, gossip, that we may eat.’ And the shepherd pretended to eat it, -but only swallowed dry bread, and kept dropping the liver into his bosom. -Therefore, when the hour for their separation arrived, the Katakhanás -said to the shepherd: ‘Gossip, this which you have seen, you must not -mention, for if you do, my twenty nails will be fixed in your children -and yourself.’ Yet the shepherd lost no time, but gave information to the -priests and others, and they went to the tomb, and there they found the -Katakhanás, just as he had been buried. And all people became satisfied -that it was he who had done all the evil deeds. On this account they -collected a great deal of wood, and they cast him on it, and burnt -him. His gossip was not present, but when the Katakhanás was already -half-consumed, he, too, came forward in order that he might enjoy the -ceremony. And the Katakhanás cast, as it were, a single spot of blood, -and it fell on his foot, which wasted away, as if it had been roasted on -a fire. On this account they sifted even the ashes, and found the little -finger nail of the Katakhanás unburnt, and burnt it too.” - -The 22nd formula of the _Cuneiform Inscriptions of Western Asia_, -published by Sir Henry Rawlinson and Mr Edwin Norris in 1866, reads:— - - The phantom, child of heaven, - which the gods remember, - the _Innin_ (kind of hobgoblin) prince - of the lords - the ... - which produces painful fever, - the vampyre which attacks man, - the _Uruku_ multifold - upon humanity, - may they never seize him! - -[1] That is, related to each other through god-parents. In Crete, those -whose god-parents were the same or were connected by ties of kinship were -regarded as being in consanguineous relationship, and therefore were -unable to contract marriages with each other. - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -VAMPIRISM IN GREAT AND GREATER BRITAIN - - -William of Newbury, who flourished about the middle of the twelfth -century, relates that in his time a man appeared corporeally in the -county of Buckingham for three nights together, to his wife and, -afterwards, to his other relatives. The way they took to defend -themselves against his frightful visits was to stay up all night and make -a noise when they observed that he was coming. Upon this he appeared to -several people in broad day. Hereupon the Bishop of Lincoln summoned his -council, and was informed that the thing was common in England, and that -the only way to stop it which they knew of was to burn the spectre. The -bishop did not relish this advice, as he thought the expedient a cruel -one; but he wrote out a form of absolution on a scrap of paper and -ordered it to be laid on the body of the deceased, which was found to be -as fresh and entire as if it had been dead only a day; and from that time -the apparition was no more heard of. The author adds that these stories -would be thought incredible if several instances of them had not happened -in his time, attested by persons of undoubted credit. - -The same author mentions a similar story, the _locale_ of which was -Berwick-on-Tweed, where the body was cut in pieces and burnt. Another -vampire was burnt at Melrose Abbey. It was that of a very worldly priest -who had been in his lifetime so fond of hunting that he was commonly -called a _hundeprest_. A still more remarkable case occurred at a castle -in the north of England, where the vampire so frightened all the people -that no one ever ventured out of doors between sunset and sunrise. The -sons of one of his supposed victims at length opened his grave and -pierced his body, from which a great quantity of blood immediately -flowed, which plainly proved that a large number of persons had been his -victims. - -At Waterford, in Ireland, there is a little graveyard under a ruined -church near Strongbow’s Tower. Legend has it that underneath the ground -at this spot there lies a beautiful female vampire still ready to kill -those she can lure thither by her beauty. - -A vampire story is also related concerning an old Cumberland farmhouse, -the victim being a girl whose screams were heard as she was bitten, -and who only escaped with her life by thus screaming. In this case the -monster was tracked to a vault in the churchyard, where forty or fifty -coffins were found open, their contents mutilated and scattered around. -One coffin only was untouched, and on the lid being taken off the form -was recognised as being that of the apparition which had been seen, and -the body was accordingly burnt, when the manifestations ceased. - -In vol. iii. of _Borderland_ Dr Franz Hartmann gave particulars of some -vampire cases which had come under his observation. - -“A young lady of G—— had an admirer, who asked her in marriage; but as -he was a drunkard she refused and married another. Thereupon the lover -shot himself, and soon after that event a vampire, assuming his form, -visited her frequently at night, especially when her husband was absent. -She could not see him, but felt his presence in a way that could leave -no room for doubt. The medical faculty did not know what to make of the -case; they called it ‘hysterics,’ and tried in vain every remedy in the -pharmacopœia, until she at last had the spirit exorcised by a man of -strong faith.” - -Another case is that of a miller at D—— who had a healthy servant boy, -who soon after entering his service began to fail in health. He had -a ravenous appetite, but nevertheless grew daily more feeble. Being -interrogated, he at last confessed that a thing which he could not see, -but which he could plainly feel, came to him every night and sat upon his -stomach, drawing all the life out of him, so that he became paralysed for -the time being and could neither move nor cry out. Thereupon the miller -agreed to share the bed with the boy, and proposed to him that he should -give him a certain sign when the vampire arrived. This was done, and when -the sign was given the miller grasped the invisible but very tangible -substance that rested upon the boy’s stomach, and although it struggled -to escape, he grasped it firmly and threw it into the fire. After that -the boy recovered his health and there was no repetition of the vampire’s -visits. - -Dr Hartmann adds to this last account: “Those who, like myself, have on -innumerable occasions removed astral tumours and thereby cured physical -tumours will find the above not incredible nor inexplicable. Moreover, -the above accounts do not refer to events of the past, but to persons -still living in this country.” - -The following account is taken from the _Gentleman’s Magazine_ of July -1851:— - - -“_Singular Instance of Superstition_, A.D. 1629 - -“The Case, or, rather, History of a Case that happened in the County of -Hereford in the fourth Year of the Reign of King Charles the First, which -was taken from a MS. of Serjeant Mainard, who writes thus: - -“‘I write the evidence which was given, which I and many others heard, -and I write it exactly according to what was deposed at the Trial at the -Bar in the King’s Bench. Johan Norkot, the wife of Arthur Norkot, being -murdered, the question arose how she came by her death. The coroner’s -inquest on view of the body and deposition of Mary Norkot, John Okeman -and Agnes, his wife, inclined to find Joan Norkot _felo de se_: for they -(_i.e._ the witnesses before mentioned) informed the coroner and the jury -that she was found dead in the bed and her throat cut, the knife sticking -in the floor of the room; that the night before she was so found she -went to bed with her child (now plaintiff in this appeal), her husband -being absent, and that no other person after such time as she was gone -to bed came into the house, the examinants lying in the outer room, and -they must needs have seen if any stranger had come in. Whereupon the -jury gave up to the coroner their verdict that she was _felo de se_. -But afterwards upon rumour in the neighbourhood, and the observation of -divers circumstances that manifested she did not, nor according to these -circumstances, possibly could, murder herself, thereupon the jury, whose -verdict was not drawn into form by the coroner, desired the coroner that -the body which was buried might be taken up out of the grave, which the -coroner assented to, and thirty days after her death she was taken up, in -the presence of the jury and a great number of the people, whereupon the -jury changed their verdict. The persons being tried at Hertford Assizes -were acquitted, but so much against the evidence that the judge (Harvy) -let fall his opinion that it were better an appeal were brought than so -foul a murder should escape unpunished. - -“‘_Anno, paschæ termino, quarto Caroli_, they were tried on the appeal -which was brought by the young child against his father, the grandfather -and aunt, and her husband Okeman. And because the evidence was so strange -I took exact and particular notes of it, which was as followeth, of the -matters above mentioned and related, an ancient and grave person, the -minister of the parish where the fact was committed, being sworn to give -evidence according to custom, deposed, that the body being taken out of -the grave thirty days after the party’s death and lying on the grave and -the four defendants present, they were required each of them to touch the -dead body. O.’s wife fell on her knees and prayed God to show token of -their innocency, or to some such purpose, but her very words I forget. -The appellers did touch the dead body, whereupon the brow of the dead, -which was all a livid or carrion colour (that was the verbal expression -in the terms of the witness) began to have a dew or gentle sweat, which -reached down in drops on the face, and the brow turned and changed to a -lively and fresh colour, and the dead opened one of her eyes and shut -it again, and this opening the eye was done three several times. She -likewise thrust out the ring or marriage finger three times and pulled it -in again, and the finger dropt blood from it on the grass. - -“‘Hyde (Nicholas), Chief Justice, seeming to doubt the evidence, asked -the witness: “Who saw this beside yourself?” - -“‘Witness: “I cannot swear that others saw it; but, my lord,” said he, -“I believe the whole company saw it, and if it had been thought a doubt, -proof would have been made of it, and many would have attested with me.” - -“‘Then the witness observing some admiration in the auditors, he spoke -further, “My lord, I am minister of the parish, long knew all the -parties, but never had any occasion of displeasure against any of them, -nor had to do with them, or they with me, but as their minister. The -thing was wonderful to me, but I have no interest in the matter, but am -called upon to testify the truth and that I have done.” - -“‘This witness was a reverend person as I guess about seventy years of -age. His testimony was delivered gravely and temperately, but to the good -admiration of the auditor. Whereupon, applying himself to the Lord Chief -Justice, he said, “My lord, my brother here present is minister of the -next parish adjacent, and I am assured saw all done as I have affirmed,” -whereupon that person was also sworn to give evidence, and he deposed -the same in every point, viz., the sweat of the brow, the changes of -its colour, the opening of the eye, the thrice motion of the finger and -drawing it in again; only the first witness deposed that a man dipped -his finger in the blood to examine it, and swore he believed it was real -blood. I conferred afterwards with Sir Edmund Vowel, barrister at law, -and others who concurred in this observation, and for myself, if I were -upon my oath, can depose that these depositions, especially of the first -witness, are truly here reported in substance. - -“‘The other evidence was given against the prisoners, viz., against the -grandmother of the plaintiff and against Okeman and his wife, that they -lay in the next room to the dead person that night, and that none came -into the house till they found her dead next morning, therefore if she -did not murther herself, they must be the murtherers, and to that end -further proof was made. First she lay in a composed manner in her bed, -the bed cloaths nothing at all disturbed, and her child by her in the -bed. Secondly, her throat was cut from ear to ear and her neck broken, -and if she first cut her throat, she could not break her neck in the -bed, nor _e contra_. Thirdly, there was no blood in the bed, saving that -there was a tincture of blood upon the bolster whereupon her head lay, -but no other substance of blood at all. Fourthly, from the bed’s head on -there was a stream of blood on the floor, till it ponded on the bending -of the floor to a very great quantity and there was also another stream -of blood on the floor at the bed’s feet, which ponded also on the floor -to another great quantity but no other communication of blood on either -of these places, the one from the other, neither upon the bed, so that -she bled in two places severely, and it was deposed that turning up the -matte of the bed, there were clotes of congealed blood in the straw of -the matte underneath. Fifthly, the bloody knife in the morning was found -clinging in the floor a good distance from the bed, but the point of the -knife as it stuck in the floor was towards the bed and the haft towards -the door. Sixthly, lastly, there was the brand of a thumb and four -fingers of a left hand on the dead person’s left hand. - -“‘Hyde, Chief Justice: “How can you know the print of a left hand from -the print of a right hand in such a case?” - -“‘Witness: “My lord, it is hard to describe it, but if it please the -honourable judge (_i.e._ the judge sitting on the bench beside the Chief -Justice) to put his left hand on your left hand, you cannot possibly -place your right hand in the same posture.” - -“‘It being done, and appearing so, the defendants had time to make their -defence, but gave no evidence to that purpose. - -“‘The jury departing from the bar and returning, acquitted Okeman and -found the other three guilty; who, being severally demanded why judgment -should not be pronounced, sayd nothing, but each of them said, “I did not -do it.” “I did not do it.” Judgment was made and the grandmother and the -husband executed, but the aunt had the privilege to be spared execution, -being with child. I enquired if they confessed anything at execution, but -did not as I was told.’ - -“Thus far the serjeant, afterwards Sir John Mainard, a person of great -note and judgment in the law. The paper, of which this is a copy, was -found amongst his papers since his death (1690) fair written with his own -hand. Mr Hunt of the Temple took a copy of it, gave it me, which I have -hereby transcribed.—H. S.” - -It has been asserted by some writers that the vampire is not to be found -in Indian lore and legend, and an attempt has been made to connect this -supposititious absence of the blood-sucking demon with the Brahminical -and Buddhistic vegetarian and cremation customs. The Indian belief, -however, in the existence of vampire spectres is as prevalent as it is -in any other country, although the folk-lore and legends concerning them -may, perhaps, be more scarce. - -Fornari, in his _History of Sorcerers_, relates the following story: “In -the beginning of the fifteenth century there lived at Bagdad an aged -merchant who had grown wealthy in his business and who had an only son to -whom he was tenderly attached. He resolved to marry him to the daughter -of another merchant, a girl of considerable fortune, but without any -personal attractions. Abul-Hassan, the merchant’s son, on being shown -the portrait of the lady, requested his father to delay the marriage -till he could reconcile his mind to it. Instead, however, of doing this -he fell in love with another girl, the daughter of a sage, and he gave -his father no peace till he consented to the marriage with the object of -his affections. The old man stood out as long as he could, but finding -that his son was bent on acquiring the hand of the fair Nadilla, and was -equally resolute not to accept the rich and ugly lady, he did what most -fathers under such circumstances would do—he acquiesced. - -“The wedding took place with great pomp and ceremony, and a happy -honeymoon ensued, which might have been happier but for one little -circumstance which led to very serious consequences. - -“Abul-Hassan noticed that his bride quitted the nuptial couch as soon as -she thought her husband was asleep, and did not return to it till an hour -before dawn. - -“Filled with curiosity, Hassan one night, feigning sleep, saw his wife -rise and leave the room. He rose, followed cautiously, and saw her enter -the cemetery. By the straggling moonbeams he saw her go into a tomb: he -stepped in after her. - -“The scene within was horrible. A party of ghouls were assembled with the -spoils of the graves they had violated and were feasting on the flesh of -the long-buried corpses. His own wife, who, by the way, never touched -supper at home, played a no inconsiderable part in the hideous banquet. - -“As soon as he could safely escape Abul-Hassan stole back to his bed. - -“He said nothing to his bride till next evening when supper was laid, -and she declined to eat; then he insisted on her partaking, and when she -positively refused he exclaimed roughly: ‘Oh yes, you keep your appetite -for your feasts with the ghouls.’ Nadilla was silent; she turned pale and -trembled, and without a word sought her bed. At midnight she rose, fell -on her husband with her nails and teeth, tore his throat, and, having -opened a vein, attempted to suck his blood; but Abul-Hassan, springing -to his feet, threw her down and, with a blow, killed her. She was buried -next day. - -“Three days after at midnight she reappeared, attacked her husband again, -and again attempted to suck his blood. He fled from her and on the morrow -opened her tomb, burnt her to ashes and cast the ashes into the Tigris.” - -There is a monstrous vampire which is said to delight in sucking the -blood of children, and is known as a Pănangglan. It has also a liking for -sucking the blood of women at childbirth; but, as it is also credited -with a dread of thorns, the custom has arisen of placing thorns about the -rooms of Indian houses on the occasions of births. - -One of the Northern Indian witches—the Jigar-Khor or Liver-eater—is -believed to be possessed of the power of being able to steal the liver of -another by looks and incantations. A class of witches known as Bhúts are -said to have an extraordinary fondness for fish, but also eat rice and -all kinds of human food. - -Hugh Clifford, in his interesting work _In Court and Kampong_, refers -to the “Pĕnangal, that horrible wraith of a woman who has died in -childbirth, and who comes to torment small children in the guise of a -fearful face and bust with many feet of bloody, trailing entrails in her -wake,” also of that “weird little white animal, the _Mati-ânak_, that -makes beast noises round the graves of children; and of the familiar -spirits that men raise up from the corpses of babes who have never seen -the light, the tips of whose tongues they bite off and swallow, after the -child has been brought back to life by magic agencies.” - -In the Tamil dream of Harichándra, the frenzied Sandramáti says to the -king: “I belong to the race of elves, for I killed thy child in order -that I might feed on its delicate flesh.” The Vetala is said to feed -chiefly on corpses. The Bhúts and other dismal ravenous ghosts, who are -dreaded at the moon-wane of the month Katik (October-November), were not -supposed to devour men, but only their food. - -Then there is the Hántu Sàburo, which chases men into the forest by -means of his dogs, and if they are run down he drinks their blood. The -Hántu Dondong resides in caves and crevices in rocks. He kills dogs and -wild hogs with the sumpitan, and then drinks their blood. The Hántu Parl -fastens on to the wound of an injured person and sucks the blood. - -Barth, in his _History of Religions_ (Hinduism), says that “Siva is -identified with _Mrityu_, Death, and his old name _Pacupati_, Lord of -herds, acquires the ominous meaning of Master of human cattle. He is -chief of the mischievous spirits, of ghouls and vampires that frequent -places of execution and those where the dead are buried, and he prowls -about with them at nightfall.” - -Other classes of demons are also known as the _Rakshasas_ or the -_Pisâchâs_, a word which literally means “flesh-eaters,” which -Delongchamps has translated as “bloodthirsty savages,” but other -etymologists actually as “vampires.” - -The vampire demon is no stranger to Australia. Bonwick, in his _Daily -Life of the Tasmanians_, tells us that: “During the whole of the first -night after the death of one of their tribe they will sit round the body, -using rapidly a low, continuous recitative to prevent the evil spirit -from taking it away. This evil spirit was the ghost of an enemy. Fires at -night kept off these mischievous beings, which were like the vampires of -Europe.” - - - - -CHAPTER V - -VAMPIRISM IN GERMANY AND SURROUNDING COUNTRIES - - -Germany, the home of modern philosophy, is not free from the belief -in the reality of the vampire apparition, although the more horrible -forms of the superstition are not frequently encountered. Crosses are, -however, frequently erected at the head, or by the side, of graves, even -in Protestant cemeteries, in order that their presence may prevent the -occupants from being controlled by any demon that might, but for the -presence of such charm, take possession of a body; and the _Nachzehrer_ -is as much dreaded in many parts of Germany as the _Vrykolaka_ is in -Russia. In some parts of the Kaiser’s dominions, food is still buried -with the corpse in order to assuage any pangs of hunger that may arise; -and even when this is not done, a few grains of corn or rice are -scattered upon the grave as a survival of the ancient custom. In Diesdorf -it is believed that if money is not placed in the mouth of a dead -person at burial, or his name not cut from his shirt, he will, in all -probability, become a Nachzehrer, and his ghost issue from the grave in -the form of a pig. Another sure preventive of such a calamity is to break -the neck of a dead body. - -The following story was contributed by Dr Franz Hartmann to the _Occult -Review_ for September 1909, under the title of “An Authenticated Vampire -Story”:— - -“On June 10th, 1909, there appeared in a prominent Vienna paper (the -_Neues Wiener Journal_) a notice saying that the castle of B—— had been -burned by the populace, because there was a great mortality among the -peasant children, and it was generally believed that this was due to the -invasion of a vampire, supposed to be the last Count B——, who died and -acquired that reputation. The castle was situated in a wild and desolate -part of the Carpathian Mountains, and was formerly a fortification -against the Turks. It was not inhabited, owing to its being believed to -be in the possession of ghosts; only a wing of it was used as a dwelling -for the caretaker and his wife. - -“Now it so happened that, when I read the above notice, I was sitting -in a coffee-house at Vienna in company with an old friend of mine who -is an experienced occultist and editor of a well-known journal, and who -had spent several months in the neighbourhood of the castle. From him -I obtained the following account, and it appears that the vampire in -question was probably not the old Count, but his beautiful daughter, the -Countess Elga, whose photograph, taken from the original painting, I -obtained. My friend said: ‘Two years ago I was living at Hermannstadt, -and being engaged in engineering a road through the hills, I often came -within the vicinity of the old castle, where I made the acquaintance of -the old castellan, or caretaker, and his wife, who occupied a part of the -wing of the house, almost separate from the main body of the building. -They were a quiet old couple and rather reticent in giving information -or expressing an opinion in regard to the strange noises which were -often heard at night in the deserted halls, or of the apparitions which -the Wallachian peasants claimed to have seen when they loitered in the -surroundings after dark. All I could gather was that the old Count was a -widower and had a beautiful daughter, who was one day killed by a fall -from her horse, and that soon after the old man died in some mysterious -manner, and the bodies were buried in a solitary graveyard belonging to -a neighbouring village. Not long after their death an unusual mortality -was noticed among the inhabitants of the village: several children and -even some grown people died without any apparent illness; they merely -wasted away; and thus a rumour was started that the old Count had become -a vampire after his death. There is no doubt that he was not a saint, as -he was addicted to drinking, and some shocking tales were in circulation -about his conduct and that of his daughter; but whether there was any -truth in them, I am not in a position to say. - -“‘Afterwards the property came into the possession of ——, a distant -relative of the family, who is a young man and officer in a cavalry -regiment at Vienna. It appears that the heir enjoyed his life at the -capital and did not trouble himself much about the old castle in the -wilderness; he did not even come to look at it, but gave his directions -by letter to the janitor, telling him merely to keep things in order -and to attend to repairs, if any were necessary. Thus the castellan was -actually master of the house, and offered its hospitality to me and my -friends. - -“One evening I and my two assistants, Dr E——, a young lawyer, and Mr -W——, a literary man, went to inspect the premises. First we went to the -stables. There were no horses, as they had been sold; but what attracted -our special attention was an old, queer-fashioned coach with gilded -ornaments and bearing the emblems of the family. We then inspected the -rooms, passing through some halls and gloomy corridors, such as may -be found in any old castle. There was nothing remarkable about the -furniture; but in one of the halls there hung in a frame an oil-painting, -a portrait, representing a lady with a large hat and wearing a fur coat. -We were all involuntarily startled on beholding this picture—not so much -on account of the beauty of the lady, but on account of the uncanny -expression of her eyes; and Dr E——, after looking at the picture for a -short time, suddenly exclaimed: ‘How strange! The picture closes its eyes -and opens them again, and now it begins to smile!’ - -“Now Dr E—— is a very sensitive person, and has more than once had some -experience in spiritism, and we made up our minds to form a circle for -the purpose of investigating this phenomenon. Accordingly, on the same -evening we sat around a table in an adjoining room, forming a magnetic -chain with our hands. Soon the table began to move and the name _Elga_ -was spelled. We asked who this Elga was, and the answer was rapped out: -‘The lady whose picture you have seen.’ - -“‘Is the lady living?’ asked Mr W——. This question was not answered; -but instead it was rapped out: ‘If W—— desires it, I will appear to him -bodily to-night at two o’clock.’ W—— consented, and now the table seemed -to be endowed with life and manifested a great affection for W——; it rose -on two legs and pressed against his breast, as if it intended to embrace -him. - -“We inquired of the castellan whom the picture represented; but to our -surprise he did not know. He said that it was the copy of a picture -painted by the celebrated painter Hans Markart of Vienna, and had been -bought by the old Count because its demoniacal look pleased him so much. - -“We left the castle, and W—— retired to his room at an inn a half-hour’s -journey distant from that place. He was of a somewhat sceptical turn of -mind, being neither a firm believer in ghosts and apparitions nor ready -to deny their possibility. He was not afraid, but anxious to see what -would come of his agreement, and for the purpose of keeping himself awake -he sat down and began to write an article for a journal. - -“Towards two o’clock he heard steps on the stairs and the door of the -hall opened; there was the rustling of a silk dress and the sound of the -feet of a lady walking to and fro in the corridor. - -“It may be imagined that he was somewhat startled; but taking courage, -he said to himself: ‘If this is Elga, let her come in.’ Then the door -of the room opened and Elga entered. She was most elegantly dressed, -and appeared still more youthful and seductive than the picture. There -was a lounge on the other side of the table where W—— was writing, and -there she silently posted herself. She did not speak, but her looks and -gestures left no doubt in regard to her desires and intentions. - -“Mr W—— resisted the temptation and remained firm. It is not known -whether he did so out of principle or timidity or fear. Be this as it -may, he kept on writing, looking from time to time at his visitor and -silently wishing that she would leave. At last, after half an hour, which -seemed to him much longer, the lady departed in the same manner in which -she came. - -“This adventure left W—— no peace, and we consequently arranged several -sittings at the old castle, where a variety of uncanny phenomena took -place. Thus, for instance, once the servant-girl was about to light a -fire in the stove, when the door of the apartment opened and Elga stood -there. The girl, frightened out of her wits, rushed from the room, -tumbling down the stairs in terror with the lamp in her hand, which -broke, and came very near to setting her clothes on fire. Lighted lamps -and candles went out when brought near the picture, and many other -‘manifestations’ took place which it would be tedious to describe; but -the following incident ought not to be omitted. - -“Mr W—— was at that time desirous of obtaining the position as co-editor -of a certain journal, and a few days after the above-narrated adventure -he received a letter in which a noble lady of high position offered him -her patronage for that purpose. The writer requested him to come to a -certain place the same evening, where he would meet a gentleman who -would give him further particulars. He went, and was met by an unknown -stranger, who told him that he was requested by the Countess Elga to -invite Mr W—— to a carriage drive, and that she would await him at -midnight at a certain crossing of two roads, not far from the village. -The stranger then suddenly disappeared. - -“Now it seems that Mr W—— had some misgivings about the meeting and -drive, and he hired a policeman as detective to go at midnight to the -appointed place, to see what would happen. The policeman went and -reported next morning that he had seen nothing but the well-known, -old-fashioned carriage from the castle, with two black horses, standing -there as if waiting for somebody, and that as he had no occasion to -interfere, he merely waited until the carriage moved on. When the -castellan of the castle was asked, he swore that the carriage had not -been out that night, and in fact it could not have been out, as there -were no horses to draw it. - -“But that is not all, for on the following day I met a friend who is a -great sceptic and disbeliever in ghosts, and always used to laugh at such -things. Now, however, he seemed to be very serious and said: ‘Last night -something very strange happened to me. At about one o’clock this morning -I returned from a late visit, and as I happened to pass the graveyard -of the village, I saw a carriage with gilded ornaments standing at the -entrance. I wondered about this taking place at such an unusual hour, -and being curious to see what would happen, I waited. Two elegantly -dressed ladies issued from the carriage. One of these was young and -pretty, but threw at me a devilish and scornful look as they both passed -by and entered the cemetery. There they were met by a well-dressed man, -who saluted the ladies and spoke to the younger one, saying: “Why, Miss -Elga! Are you returned so soon?” Such a queer feeling came over me that I -abruptly left and hurried home.’ - -“This matter has not been explained; but certain experiments which we -subsequently made with the picture of Elga brought out some curious facts. - -“To look at the picture for a certain time caused me to feel a very -disagreeable sensation in the region of the solar plexus. I began to -dislike the portrait and proposed to destroy it. We held a sitting in the -adjoining room; the table manifested a great aversion to my presence. -It was rapped out that I should leave the circle, and that the picture -must not be destroyed. I ordered a Bible to be brought in, and read the -beginning of the first chapter of St John, whereupon the above-mentioned -Mr E—— (the medium) and another man present claimed that they saw the -picture distorting its face. I turned the frame and pricked the back of -the picture with my penknife in different places, and Mr E——, as well as -the other man, felt all the pricks, although they had retired to the -corridor. - -“I made the sign of the pentagram over the picture, and again the two -gentlemen claimed that the picture was horribly distorting its face. - -“Soon afterwards we were called away and left that country. Of Elga I -heard nothing more.” - -Thus far goes the account of my friend the editor. - -Siegbert’s _Chronicle_ for the year 858 has the following story: “There -appeared this year in the diocese of Mentz a spirit which discovered -himself at first by throwing stones and beating against the walls of -houses, as if it had been with a great mallet. He then proceeded to speak -and reveal secrets, and discovered the authors of several thefts and -other matters likely to breed disturbances in the neighbourhood. At last -he vented his malice upon one particular person, whom he was industrious -in persecuting and making odious to all the neighbours by representing -him as the cause of God’s anger against the whole village. The spirit -never forsook the poor man, but tormented him without intermission, -burnt all his corn in the barns, and set every place on fire where he -came. The priests attempted to frighten him away by exorcisms, prayers, -and holy water; but the spectre answered them with a volley of stones -which wounded several of them. When the priests were gone he was heard to -bemoan himself and say that he was forced to take refuge in the cowl of -one of the priests, who had injured the daughter of a man of consequence -in the village. He continued in this manner to infest the village for -three years together, and never gave over till he had set every house in -it on fire.” - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -VAMPIRISM IN HUNGARY, BAVARIA, AND SILESIA - - -The Hungarians believe that those who have been passive vampires in life -become active vampires after death; that those whose blood has been -sucked in life by vampires become themselves vampires after death. In -many districts the belief also prevails that the only way to prevent this -calamity happening is for the threatened victim to eat some earth from -the grave of the attacking vampire, and to smear his own body with blood -from the body of that vampire. - -That the belief in vampirism is still current in Hungary was evidenced -recently. The _Daily Telegraph_ of February 15th, 1912, contained -the following paragraph: “A Buda-Pesth telegram to the _Messaggero_ -reports a terrible instance of superstition. A boy of fourteen died -some days ago in a small village. A farmer, in whose employment the boy -had been, thought that the ghost of the latter appeared to him every -night. In order to put a stop to these supposed visitations, the farmer, -accompanied by some friends, went to the cemetery one night, stuffed -three pieces of garlic and three stones in the mouth, and thrust a -stake through the corpse, fixing it to the ground. This was to deliver -themselves from the evil spirit, as the credulous farmer and his friends -stated when they were arrested.” - -In 1732, in a village in Hungary, in the space of three months, seventeen -persons of different ages died of vampirism, some without being ill, -and others after languishing two or three days. It is reported that a -girl named Stanoska, daughter of the Heyduk Jotiutso, who went to bed in -perfect health, awoke in the middle of the night trembling violently and -uttering terrible shrieks, declaring that the son of the Heyduk Millo, -who had been dead nine weeks, had nearly strangled her in her sleep. She -fell into a languid state and died at the end of three days. Young Millo -was exhumed and found to be a vampire. - -Calmet, in his work _The Phantom World_, relates the following: “About -fifteen years ago a soldier who was billeted at the house of a Haidamaque -peasant, on the frontiers of Hungary, as he was one day sitting at table -near his host, the master of the house, saw a person he did not know -come in and sit down to table also with them. The master of the house -was strangely frightened at this, as were the rest of the company. The -soldier knew not what to think of it, being ignorant of the matter in -question. But the master of the house being dead the very next day, the -soldier inquired what it meant. They told him it was the body of the -father of the host, who had been dead and buried for ten years, who had -thus come to sit down next to him, and had announced and caused his death. - -“The soldier informed the regiment of it in the first place, and the -regiment gave notice of it to the general officers, who commissioned the -Count de Cabreras, captain of the regiment of Alandetti infantry, to make -information concerning this circumstance. Having gone to the place with -some other officers, a surgeon and an auditor, they heard the depositions -of all the people belonging to the house, who decided unanimously that -the ghost was the father of the master of the house, and that all the -soldier had said and reported was the exact truth, which was confirmed by -all the inhabitants of the village. - -“In consequence of this the corpse of the spectre was exhumed and found -to be like that of a man who had just expired, and his blood like that -of a living man. The Count de Cabreras had his head cut off and caused -him to be laid again in the tomb. He also took information concerning -other similar ghosts: among others, of a man dead more than thirty years -who had come back three times to his house at meal-time. The first time -he had sucked the blood from the neck of his own brother, the second -time from one of his sons, and the third time from one of the servants -in the house; and all three died of it instantly and on the spot. Upon -this deposition the commissary had this man taken out of his grave, and -finding that, like the first, his blood was in a fluidic state like that -of a living person, he ordered them to run a large nail into his temple -and then to lay him again in the grave. - -“He caused a third to be burned who had been buried more than sixteen -years and had sucked the blood and caused the death of two of his sons. -The commissary having made his report to the general officers, was -deputed to the Emperor, who commanded that some officers both of war and -of justice, some physicians and surgeons and some learned men should be -sent to examine the causes of these extraordinary events. The person who -related these particulars to us had heard them from the Count de Cabreras -at Fribourg in 1730.” - -Raufft tells the story of a man named “Peter Plogojowitz, an inhabitant -of a village in Hungary called Kisolova, who, after he had been buried -more than ten years, appeared by night to several persons in the village, -while they were asleep, and squeezed their throats in such a manner -that they expired within twenty-four hours. There died in this way no -less than nine persons in eight days; and the widow of this Plogojowitz -deposed that she herself had been visited by him since his death, and -that his errand was to demand his shoes; which frightened her so much -that she at once left Kisolova and went to live somewhere else. - -“These circumstances determined the inhabitants of the village to dig -up the body of Plogojowitz and burn it, in order to put a stop to such -troublesome visits. Accordingly they applied to the commanding officer -of the Emperor’s troops in the district of Gradisca, in the kingdom of -Hungary, and to the incumbent of the place, for leave to dig up the -corpse. They both made a great many scruples about granting it; but the -peasants declared plainly that if they were not permitted to dig up this -accursed carcase, which they were fully convinced was a vampire, they -would be forced to leave the village and settle where they could. - -“The officer who gave this account, seeing that there was no hindering -them either by fair means or foul, came in person, accompanied by the -minister of Gradisca, to Kisolova, and they were both present at the -digging up of the corpse, which they found to be free from any bad smell, -and perfectly sound, as if it had been alive, except that the tip of -the nose was a little dry and withered. The beard and hair were grown -fresh and a new set of nails had sprung up in the room of the old ones -that had fallen off. Under the former skin, which looked pale and dead, -there appeared a new one, of a natural fresh colour; and the hands and -feet were as entire as if they belonged to a person in perfect health. -They observed also that the mouth of the vampire was full of fresh blood, -which the people were persuaded had been sucked by him from the persons -he had killed. - -“The officer and the divine having diligently examined into all the -circumstances, the people, being fired with fresh indignation, and -growing more fully persuaded that this carcase was the real cause of the -death of their countrymen, ran immediately to fetch a sharp stake, which -being driven into his breast, there issued from the wound, and also from -his nose and mouth, a great quantity of fresh, ruddy blood; and something -which indicated a sort of life, was observed to come from him. The -peasants then laid the body upon a pile of wood, and burnt it to ashes.” - -Calmet says he was told by M. de Vassimont, who was sent to Moravia by -Leopold, first Duke of Lorraine, that he was informed by public report -that it was common enough in that country to see men who had died some -time before present themselves in a party and sit down to the table with -persons of their acquaintance without saying anything, but that nodding -to one of the party he would infallibly die some days afterwards. M. -de Vassimont received confirmation of this story from several persons, -amongst others an old curé who said he had seen more than one instance of -it. The priest added that the inhabitants had been delivered from these -troublesome spectres owing to the fact that their corpses had been taken -up and burned or destroyed in some way or other. - -At the beginning of the eighteenth century several vampire investigations -were held at the instigation of the Bishop of Olmutz. The village of -Liebava was particularly infested, and a Hungarian placed himself on the -top of the church tower and just before midnight saw a well-known vampire -issue from his tomb, and, leaving his winding-sheet behind him, proceed -on his rounds. The Hungarian descended from the tower and took away the -sheet and ascended the tower again. When the vampire returned he flew -into a great fury because of the absence of the sheet. The Hungarian -called to him to come up to the tower and fetch it. The vampire mounted -the ladder, but just before he reached the top the Hungarian gave him a -blow on the head which threw him down to the churchyard. His assailant -then descended, cut off the vampire’s head with a hatchet, and from that -time the vampire was no more heard of. - -In 1672 there dwelt in the market town of Kring, in the Archduchy of -Krain, a man named George Grando, who died, and was buried by Father -George, a monk of St Paul, who, on returning to the widow’s house, saw -Grando sitting behind the door. The monk and the neighbours fled. Soon -stories began to circulate of a dark figure being seen to go about the -streets by night, stopping now and then to tap at the door of a house, -but never to wait for an answer. In a little while people began to die -mysteriously in Kring, and it was noticed that the deaths occurred in -the houses at which the spectred figure had tapped its signal. The -widow Grando also complained that she was tormented by the spirit of -her husband, who night after night threw her into a deep sleep with -the object of sucking her blood. The Supan, or chief magistrate, of -Kring decided to take the usual steps to ascertain whether Grando was a -vampire. He called together some of the neighbours, fortified them with a -plentiful supply of spirituous liquor, and they sallied off with torches -and a crucifix. - -Grando’s grave was opened, and the body was found to be perfectly sound -and not decomposed, the mouth being opened with a pleasant smile, and -there was a rosy flush on the cheeks. The whole party were seized with -terror and hurried back to Kring, with the exception of the Supan. The -second visit was made in company with a priest, and the party also took -a heavy stick of hawthorn sharpened to a point. The grave and body were -found to be exactly as they had been left. The priest kneeled down -solemnly and held the crucifix aloft: “O vampire, look at this,” he said; -“here is Jesus Christ who loosed us from the pains of hell and died for -us upon the tree!” - -He went on to address the corpse, when it was seen that great tears were -rolling down the vampire’s cheeks. A hawthorn stake was brought forward, -and as often as they strove to drive it through the body the sharpened -wood rebounded, and it was not until one of the number sprang into the -grave and cut off the vampire’s head that the evil spirit departed with a -loud shriek and a contortion of the limbs. - -Similar stories to this were continually being circulated from the -borders of Hungary to the Baltic. - -At one time the spectre of a village herdsman near Kodom, in Bavaria, -began to appear to several inhabitants of the place, and either in -consequence of their fright or from some other cause, every person who -had seen the apparition died during the week afterwards. Driven to -despair, the peasants disinterred the corpse and pinned it to the ground -with a long stake. The same night he appeared again, plunging people into -convulsions of fright, and suffocated several of them. Then the village -authorities handed the body over to the executioner, who caused it to be -carried into a field adjoining the cemetery, where it was burned. The -corpse howled like a madman, kicking and tearing as if it had been alive. - -When it was run through again with sharp-pointed stakes, before the -burning, it uttered piercing cries and vomited masses of crimson blood. -The apparition of the spectre ceased only after the corpse had been -reduced to ashes. - -Fortis, in his _Travels into Dalmatia_, says that the Moslacks have no -doubt as to the existence of vampires, and attribute to them, as in -Transylvania, the sucking of the blood of infants. Therefore, when a man -dies, and he is suspected of vampirism, or of being a _vukodlak_—the -term they employ—they cut his hams and prick his whole body with pins, -pretending that he will be unable to walk about after this operation has -been performed. There are even instances of Moolacchi who, imagining -that they may possibly thirst for human blood after death, particularly -the blood of children, entreat their heirs, and sometimes even make them -promise, to treat them in this manner directly after death. - -Dr Henry More, in his _Antidote against Atheism_, argues for the reality -of vampires, and relates the following stories. - -“A shoemaker of Breslau, in Silesia, in 1591 terminated his life by -cutting his throat. His family, however, spread abroad the report that he -had died of apoplexy, which enabled them to bury him in the ordinary way -and save the disgrace of his being interred as a suicide. Despite this, -however, the rumour got abroad that the man had committed suicide. It was -also reported that his ghost had been seen at the bedsides of several -persons, and the rumours and reports spreading, it was decided by the -authorities to disinter the body. It had been buried on September 22nd, -1591, and the grave was opened on April 18th, 1592. The body was found -to be entire; it was not in any way putrid, the joints were flexible, -there was no ill smell, the wound in the throat was visible and there -was no corruption in it. There was also observed what was claimed to -be a magical mark on the great toe of the right foot—an excrescence in -the form of a rose. The body was kept above ground for six days, during -which time the apparitions still appeared. It was then buried beneath the -gallows, but the apparition still came to the bedsides of the alarmed -inhabitants, pinching and suffocating people, and leaving marks of its -fingers plainly visible on the flesh. A fortnight afterwards the body -was again dug up, when it was observed to have sensibly increased its -size since its last interment. Then the head, arms, and legs of the -corpse were cut off; the heart, which was as fresh and entire as that in -a freshly killed calf, was also taken out of the body. The whole body -thus dismembered was consigned to the flames and the ashes thrown into -the river. The apparition was never seen afterwards. A servant of the -deceased man was also said to have acted in a similar manner after her -death. Her remains were also dug up and burned, and then her apparition -ceased to torment the inhabitants.” - -“Johannes Cuntius, a citizen and alderman of Pentach, in Silesia, when -about sixty years of age, died somewhat suddenly, as the result of a kick -from his horse. At the moment of his death a black cat rushed into the -room, jumped on to the bed, and scratched violently at his face. Both at -the time of his death and that of his funeral a great tempest arose—the -wind and snow ‘made men’s bodies quake and their teeth chatter in their -heads.’ The storm is said to have ceased with startling suddenness as the -body was placed under the ground. Immediately after the burial, however, -stories began to circulate of the appearance of a phantom which spoke -to people in the voice of Cuntius. Remarkable tales were told of the -consumption of milk from jugs and bowls, of milk being turned into blood, -of old men being strangled, children taken out of cradles, altar-cloths -being soiled with blood, and poultry killed and eaten. Eventually it was -decided to disinter the body. It was found that all the bodies buried -above that of Cuntius had become putrefied and rotten, but his skin was -tender and florid, his joints by no means stiff, and when a staff was -put between his fingers they closed around it and held it fast in their -grasp. He could open and shut his eyes, and when a vein in his leg was -punctured the blood sprang out as fresh as that of a living person. This -happened after the body had been in the grave for about six months. Great -difficulty was experienced when the body was cut up and dismembered, by -the order of the authorities, by reason of the resistance offered; but -when the task was completed, and the remains consigned to the flames, the -spectre ceased to molest the natives or interfere with their slumbers or -health.” - - - - -CHAPTER VII - -VAMPIRISM IN SERVIA AND BULGARIA - - -The document which gives the particulars of the following remarkable -story is signed by three regimental surgeons and formally countersigned -by the lieutenant-colonel and sub-lieutenant, and bears the date June -7th, 1732, with the address Meduegna, near Belgrade. - -“In the spring of 1727 there returned from the Levant to the village of -Meduegna, near Belgrade, one Arnod Paole, who, in a few years’ military -service and varied adventure, had amassed enough to purchase a cottage -and an acre or two of land in his native place, where he gave out that -he meant to pass the remainder of his days. He kept his word. Arnod -had yet scarcely reached the prime of manhood; and though he must have -encountered the rough as well as the smooth of life, and have mingled -with many a wild and reckless companion, yet his natural good disposition -and honest principles had preserved him unscathed in the scenes he had -passed through. At all events, such were the thoughts expressed by his -neighbours as they discussed his return and settlement among them in -the stube of the village hof. Nor did the frank and open countenance of -Arnod, his obliging habits and steady conduct, argue their judgments -incorrect. Nevertheless, there was something occasionally noticeable in -his ways, a look and tone that betrayed inward disquiet. He would often -refuse to join his friends, or on some sudden plea abruptly quit their -society. And he still more unaccountably, and it seemed systematically, -avoided meeting his pretty neighbour, Nina, whose father occupied the -next farm to his own. At the age of seventeen Nina was as charming a -picture of youth, cheerfulness, innocence, and confidence as you could -have seen in all the world. You could not look into her limpid eye, -which steadily returned your gaze, without seeing to the bottom of the -pure and transparent spring of her thoughts. Why then did Arnod shrink -from meeting her? He was young; had a little property; had health and -industry; and he had told his friends he had formed no ties in other -lands. Why then did he avoid the fascination of the pretty Nina, who -seemed a being made to chase from any brow the clouds of gathering care? -But he did so, yet less and less resolutely, for he felt the charm of her -presence. Who could have done otherwise? And how long he resisted the -impulse of his fondness for the innocent girl who sought to cheer his -fits of depression! - -“And they were to be united—were betrothed; yet still the anxious gloom -would fitfully overcast his countenance, even in the sunshine of those -hours. - -“‘What is it, dear Arnod, that makes you sad? It cannot be on my account, -I know, for you were sad before you noticed me; and that, I think surely, -first made me notice you.’ - -“‘Nina,’ he answered, ‘I have done, I fear, a great wrong in trying to -gain your affections. Nina, I have a fixed impression that I shall not -live; yet, knowing this, I have selfishly made my existence necessary to -your happiness.’ - -“‘How strangely you talk, dear Arnod! Who in the village is stronger and -healthier than you? You feared no danger when you were a soldier. What -danger do you fear as a villager of Meduegna?’ - -“‘It haunts me, Nina.’ - -“‘But, Arnod, you were sad before you thought of me. Did you then fear to -die?’ - -“‘Oh, Nina, it is something worse than death.’ And his vigorous frame -shook with agony. - -“‘Arnod, I conjure you, tell me.’ - -“‘It was in Cossova this fate befell me. Here you have hitherto escaped -the terrible scourge. But there they die, and the dead visit the living. -I experienced the first frightful visitation, and I fled; but not till I -had sought his grave and executed the dread expiation from the vampire.’ - -“Nina’s blood ran cold. She stood horror-stricken. But her young heart -soon mastered her first despair. With a touching voice she spoke: ‘Fear -not, dear Arnod; fear not now. I will be your shield, or I will die with -you!’ - -“And she encircled his neck with her gentle arms, and returning hope -shone, Iris-like, amid her falling tears. Afterwards they found a -reasonable ground for banishing or allaying their apprehension in the -lengthy time which had elapsed since Arnod left Cossova, during which -no fearful visitant had again approached him; and they fondly protested -_that_ gave them security. - -“One day about a week after this conversation Arnod missed his footing -when on the top of a loaded hay-waggon, and fell from it to the ground. -He was picked up insensible, and carried home, where, after lingering a -short time, he died. His interment, as usual, followed immediately. His -fate was sad and premature. But what pencil could paint Nina’s grief? - -“Twenty or thirty days after his decease, several in the neighbourhood -complained that they were haunted by the deceased Arnod; and what was -more to the purpose, four of them died. The evil looked at sceptically -was bad enough, but aggravated by the suggestions of superstition it -spread a panic through the whole district. To allay the popular terror, -and, if possible, to get at the root of the evil, a determination -was come to publicly to disinter the body of Arnod, with the view of -ascertaining whether he really was a vampire, and, in that event, of -treating him conformably. The day fixed for these proceedings was the -fortieth after his burial. - -“It was on a grey morning in early August that the commission visited -the cemetery of Meduegna, which, surrounded with a wall of stone, lies -sheltered by the mountain that, rising in undulating green slopes, -irregularly planted with fruit-trees, ends in an abrupt craggy ridge, -covered with underwood. The graves were, for the most part, neatly -kept, with borders of box, or something like it, and flowers between, -and at the head of most, a small wooden cross, painted black, bearing -the name of the tenant. Here and there a stone had been raised. One of -terrible height, a single narrow slab, ornamented with grotesque Gothic -carvings, dominated over the rest. Near this lay the grave of Arnod -Paole, towards which the party moved. The work of throwing out the earth -was begun by the grey, careful old sexton, who lived in the Leichenhaus -beyond the great crucifix. Near the grave stood two military surgeons -or _feldscherers_ from Belgrade, and a drummer-boy, who held their -case of instruments. The boy looked on with keen interest; and when the -coffin was exposed and rather roughly drawn out of the grave, his pale -face and bright, intent eye showed how the scene moved him. The sexton -lifted the lid of the coffin; the body had become inclined to one side. -Then, turning it straight: ‘Ha, ha! What? Your mouth not wiped since last -night’s work?’ - -“The spectators shuddered; the drummer-boy sank forward, fainting, and -upset the instrument case, scattering its contents; the senior surgeon, -infected with the horror of the scene, repressed a hasty exclamation. -They threw water on the drummer-boy and he recovered, but would not leave -the spot. Then they inspected the body of Arnod. It looked as if it had -not been dead a day. After handling it, the scarfskin came off, but below -were _new skin and new nails_! How could they have come there but from -this foul feeding? The case was clear enough: there lay before them the -thing they dreaded—the vampire! So, without more ado, they simply drove a -stake through poor Arnod’s chest, whereupon a quantity of blood gushed -forth, and the corpse uttered a dreadful groan. - -“‘Murder! Murder!’ shrieked the drummer-boy, as he rushed wildly, with -convulsed gestures, from the scene.” - -The body of Arnod was then burnt to ashes, which were returned to the -grave. The authorities further staked and burnt the bodies of the four -others who were supposed to have been infected by Arnod. No mention -is made of the state in which they were found. The adoption of these -decisive measures failed, however, entirely to extinguish the evil, which -continued still to hang about the village. About five years afterwards -it had again become very rife, and many died through it; whereupon the -authorities determined to make another and a complete clearance of the -vampire in the cemetery, and with that object they had all the graves, -to which suspicion attached, opened, and their contents officially -anatomised, and the following are abridgments of the medical reports:— - -1. A woman of the name of Stana, twenty years of age, who had died three -months before, of a three days’ illness following her confinement. -She had before her death avowed that she had _anointed_ herself with -the blood of a vampire, to liberate herself from his persecution. -Nevertheless she had died. Her body was entirely free from decomposition. -On opening it the chest was found filled with recently effused blood, and -the bowels had exactly the appearance of sound health. The skin and nails -of her hands and feet were loose and came off, but underneath were new -skin and nails. - -2. A woman of the name of Miliza, who had died at the end of a three -months’ illness. The body had been buried ninety and odd days. In the -chest was liquid blood. The viscera were as in the former instance. -The body was declared by a heyduk, who recognised it, to be in better -condition and fatter than it had been in the woman’s legitimate lifetime. - -3. The body of a child eight years old, that had likewise been buried -ninety days; it was in the vampire condition. - -4. The son of a heyduk, named Milloc, sixteen years old. The body -had lain in the grave nine weeks. He had died after three days’ -indisposition, and was in the condition of a vampire. - -5. Joachim, likewise the son of a heyduk, seventeen years old. He had -died after three days’ illness; had been buried eight weeks and some -days; was found in the vampire state. - -6. A man of the name of Rusha, who had died of an illness of ten days’ -duration and had been six weeks buried, in whom likewise fresh blood was -found in the chest. - -7. The body of a girl ten years of age who had died two months before. It -was likewise in the vampire state, perfectly undecomposed, with blood in -the chest. - -8. The body of the wife of one Hadnuck, buried seven weeks before; and -that of her infant eight weeks old, buried only twenty-one days. They -were both in a state of decomposition, though buried in the same ground -and closely adjoining the others. - -9. A servant, by name Rhade, twenty-three years of age; he had died after -an illness of three months’ duration, and the body had been buried five -weeks. It was in a state of decomposition. - -10. The body of the heyduk Stanco, sixty years of age, who had died six -weeks previously. There was much blood and other fluid in the chest and -abdomen, and the body was in a vampire condition. - -11. Millac, a heyduk, twenty-five years old. The body had been in the -earth six weeks. It was also in the vampire condition. - -12. Stanjoika, the wife of a heyduk, twenty years old; had died after an -illness of three days, and had been buried eighteen. The countenance was -florid. There was blood in the chest and in the heart. The viscera were -perfectly sound, the skin remarkably flush. - -The vampire tradition in its original loathsomeness, however, is to be -found only in the Bulgarian provinces, whither the knowledge of the -superstition was first imported from Dalmatia and Albania. In the former -country the vampire is known by the name of _wukodlak_. - -St Clair and Brophy, in their work on Bulgaria, state that in Bulgaria -the vampire is no longer a dead body possessed by a demon, but a soul -in revolt against the inevitable principle of corporeal death. He is -detected by a hole in the tombstone which is placed over his grave, which -hole is filled up by the medicine man with dirt mixed with poisonous -herbs. - -Vampirism is claimed to be hereditary as well as epidemic and endemic, -and vampires are also stated to be capable of exercising considerable -physical force. Stories are told of men who have had their jaws broken, -as well as their limbs, as the result of their struggles with vampires. - -About 1863 there was a local epidemic of vampirism in one of the -villages of Bulgaria, when the place became so infested by them that the -inhabitants were forced to assemble together in two or three houses, -burn candles at night, and watch by turns in order to avoid the assaults -made by the Obours, who lit up the streets with their sparkles. Some of -the most enterprising of these threw their shadows on the walls of the -rooms where the peasants were assembled through fear, while others howled -and shrieked and swore outside the door, entered the abandoned houses, -spat blood on the floors, turned everything topsy-turvy, and smeared -everything, even the pictures of the saints, with cow-dung, until an -old lady, suspected of witchcraft, discovered and laid the troublesome -spirit, and afterwards the village was free. - -When the Bulgarian vampire has finished his forty days’ apprenticeship to -the world of shadows, he rises from the tomb in bodily form, and is able -to pass himself off as a human being living in the natural manner. - -In Slavonic countries the vampire is said to be possessed of only one -nostril, but is credited with possessing a sharp point at the end of his -tongue, like the sting of a bee. - -In Bulgaria one method of abolishing the vampire is said to be by -bottling him. The sorcerer, armed with the picture of some saint, lies -in ambush until he sees the vampire pass, when he pursues him with his -picture. The vampire takes refuge in a tree or on the roof of a house, -but his persecutor follows him up with the talisman, driving him away -from all shelter in the direction of a bottle specially prepared, in -which is placed some favourite food of the vampire. Having no other -alternative, he enters this prison, and is immediately fastened down -with a cork on the interior of which is a fragment of an eikon or -holy picture. The bottle is then thrown into the fire and the vampire -disappears for ever. - -In Bulgaria the vampire does not invariably seem to have the thirst for -human blood, unless there happens to be a shortage in his human food—a -distinction which marks him from the species found in other countries. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -VAMPIRE BELIEF IN RUSSIA - - -The Slavonic belief in vampires is one of the characteristic features of -their creed. - -The Little Russians hold that, if the vampire’s hands have grown numb -from remaining long crossed in the grave, he makes use of his teeth, -which are like steel. When he has gnawed his way with these through -all obstacles, he first destroys the babies he finds in a house, and -afterwards the older inmates. If fine salt be scattered on the floor of -a room, the vampire’s footsteps may be traced to his grave, in which he -will be found resting with rosy cheek and gory mouth. - -The Kashoubes say that when a _vieszcy_, as they call a vampire, wakes -from his sleep within the grave he begins to gnaw his hands and feet, and -as he gnaws, first his relatives, and then his neighbours, sicken and -die. When he has finished his own store of flesh, he rises at midnight -and destroys cattle or climbs a belfry and sounds the bell. All who hear -the ill-omened tones will soon die. Generally he sucks the blood of -sleepers. - -Ralston, in his _Songs of the Russian People_, says that it is in -the Ukraine and in White Russia—so far as the Russian Empire is -concerned—that traditions are most rife about this ghastly creation of -morbid fancy, and that the Little Russians attribute the birth of a -vampire to an unholy union between a witch and a werwolf or a devil. - -He relates the following as a specimen of the vampire stories prevalent -in the country:— - -“A peasant was driving past a graveyard after it had grown dark. After -him came running a stranger, dressed in a red shirt and a new jacket, who -said: ‘Stop! Take me as your companion.’ - -“‘Pray take a seat.’ - -“They enter a village, drive up to this and that house. Though the gates -are wide open, yet the stranger says, ‘Shut tight!’ for on those gates -crosses have been branded. They drive on to the very last house: the -gates are barred, and from them hangs a padlock weighing a score of -pounds; but there is no cross there, and the gates open of their own -accord. - -“They go into the house: there on the bench lie two sleepers—an old man -and a lad. The stranger takes a pail, places it near the youth, and -strikes him on the back; immediately the back opens, and forth flows -rosy blood. The stranger fills the pail full and drinks it dry. Then he -fills another pail with blood from the old man, slakes his brutal thirst, -and says to the peasant: ‘It begins to grow light! Let us go back to my -dwelling.’ - -“In a twinkling they find themselves at the graveyard. The vampire would -have clasped the peasant in his arms, but luckily for him the cocks begin -to crow, and the corpse disappears. The next morning, when folks come and -look, the old man and the lad are dead.” - -According to the Servians and Bulgarians, unclean spirits enter into -the corpses of malefactors and other evilly disposed persons, who then -become vampires. In some places the jumping of a boy over the corpse is -considered as fatal as that of a cat. - -There is a story told of a mother who lived in Saratof who cursed her -son, and his body remained free from corruption after burial for a -hundred years. When it was disinterred, his aged mother, who is said to -have been still alive, pronounced his pardon, and, at that very moment, -the corpse crumbled into dust. - -The Russians say that, when driving a stake into the body of a vampire, -this must be done by one single blow, as a second blow will reanimate the -corpse. - -One group of Russian stories relate to the sudden resuscitation shortly -after death of wizards and witches at midnight possessed with the longing -to eat the flesh of the watchers around the bier. The stories go that -the body of the suspected witch was generally enclosed in a coffin which -was secured with iron bands and carried to the church, and a watcher was -appointed to read aloud from the Scriptures over the coffin right through -each night until burial. It was also the duty of the watcher to draw on -the floor a magic circle, within which he must stand and hold in his hand -a hammer, the ancient weapon of the thunder-god. If the suspicion that -the individual was a wizard or witch was a correct one, a mighty wind -would arise one night about twelve o’clock, the iron bands of the coffin -would give way with a terrible crash, the coffin-lid fall off, and the -corpse leap forth and, uttering a terrible screech, rush at the watcher, -who, if he had not taken the prescribed precautions, would fall a victim -to the monster, and in the morning there would be nothing left of him but -his bare bones. The following story of this character is contained in the -records of the Kharkof government:— - -“Once, in the days of old, there died a terrible sinner. His body was -taken into the church, and the sacristan was told to read some psalms -over him. He took the precaution to catch a cock and carry it with him to -the church. At midnight the dead man leaped from his coffin, opened wide -his jaws, and rushed at his victim; but, at that moment, the sacristan -gave the bird a hard pinch. The cock uttered his usual crow, and at the -same moment the dead man fell backwards to the ground a numb, motionless -corpse.” - -The following story is also given by Ralston in his collection of Russian -folk-stories:— - - -_The Coffin Lid_ - -“A moujik was driving along one night with a load of pots. His horse -grew tired, and all of a sudden it came to a standstill alongside of a -graveyard. The moujik unharnessed his horse and set it free to graze; -meanwhile he laid himself down on one of the graves. But somehow he -didn’t go to sleep. - -“He remained there some time. Suddenly the grave began to open beneath -him; he felt the movement and sprang to his feet. The grave having -opened, out of it came a corpse, wrapped in a white shroud, and holding -a coffin lid. He ran to the church, laid the coffin lid at the door, and -then set off for the village. - -“The moujik was a daring fellow. He picked up the coffin lid and remained -standing beside his cart, waiting to see what would happen. After a short -delay the dead man came back, and was going to snatch up his coffin -lid—but it was not to be seen. Then the corpse began to track it out, -traced it up to the moujik, and said: ‘Give me my lid; if you don’t, I’ll -tear you to bits!’ - -“‘And my hatchet—how about that?’ answered the moujik. ‘Why, it’s I -who’ll be chopping you into small pieces!’ - -“‘Do give it back to me, good man!’ begs the corpse. - -“‘I’ll give it when you tell me where you’ve been and what you’ve done.’ - -“‘Well, I’ve been in the village, and there I’ve killed a couple of -youngsters.’ - -“‘Well, then, tell me how they can be brought back to life.’ - -“The corpse reluctantly made answer: ‘Cut off the left skirt of my -shroud. Take it with you, and when you come into the house where the -youngsters were killed, pour some live coals into a pot and put the piece -of the shroud in with them, and then lock the door. The lads will be -revived by the smoke immediately.’ - -“The moujik cut off the left skirt of the shroud and gave up the coffin -lid. The corpse went to its grave—the grave opened. But just as the dead -man was descending into it, all of a sudden the cocks began to crow, and -he had not time to get properly covered over. One end of the coffin lid -remained standing out of the ground. - -“The moujik saw all this and made a note of it. The day began to dawn; -he harnessed his horse and drove into the village. In one of the houses -he heard cries and wailing. In he went—there lay two dead lads. - -“‘Don’t cry,’ said he; ‘I can bring them to life.’ - -“‘Do bring them to life, kinsman,’ said their relatives. ‘We’ll give you -half of all we possess.’ - -“The moujik did everything as the corpse had instructed him, and the lads -came back to life. Their relatives were delighted, but they immediately -seized the moujik and bound him with cords, saying: ‘No, no, trickster! -We’ll hand you over to the authorities. Since you know how to bring them -back to life, maybe it was you who killed them!’ - -“‘What are you thinking about, true believers? Have the fear of God -before your eyes!’ cried the moujik. - -“Then he told them everything that had happened to him during the night. -Well, they spread the news through the village, and the whole population -assembled and stormed into the graveyard. They found the grave from which -the dead man had come out; they tore it open, and they drove an aspen -stake right into the heart of the corpse, so that it might no more rise -up and slay. But they rewarded the moujik handsomely, and sent him home -with great honour.” - - -_The Soldier and the Vampire_ - -“A certain soldier was allowed to go home on furlough. Well, he walked -and walked and walked, and after a time he began to draw near to his -native village. Not far off from that village lived a miller in his mill. -In old times, the soldier had been very intimate with him: why shouldn’t -he go and see his friend? He went. The miller received him cordially, and -at once brought out liquor; and the two began drinking and chattering -about their ways and doings. All this took place towards nightfall, and -the soldier stopped so long at the miller’s that it grew quite dark. - -“When he proposed to start for his village, his host exclaimed: ‘Spend -the night here, trooper; it is very late now, and perhaps you may run -into mischief.’ - -“‘How so?’ - -“‘God is punishing us! A terrible warlock has died among us, and by -night he rises from his grave, wanders through the village, and does such -things as bring fear upon the very bailiffs; and so how could you help -being afraid of him?’ - -“‘Not a bit of it! A soldier is a man who belongs to the Crown, and Crown -property cannot be drowned in water or burned in fire. I will be off. I -am tremendously anxious to see my people as soon as possible.’ - -“Off he set. His road lay in front of a graveyard. On one of the graves -he saw a great fire blazing. What is that? Then he said: ‘Let’s have a -look.’ When he drew near, he saw that the warlock was sitting at the -fire, sewing boots. - -“‘Hail, brother!’ calls out the soldier. - -“The warlock looked up and said: ‘What have you come here for?’ - -“‘Why, I wanted to see what you were doing.’ - -“The warlock threw his work aside and invited the soldier to a wedding. - -“‘Come along, brother,’ says he; ‘let’s enjoy ourselves. There is a -wedding going on in the village.’ - -“‘Come along,’ says the soldier. - -“They came to where the wedding was; they were given drink, and treated -with the utmost hospitality. The warlock drank and drank, revelled and -revelled, and then grew angry. He chased all the guests and relatives -out of the house, threw the wedded pair into a slumber, took out two -phials and an awl, pierced the hands of the bride and bridegroom with the -awl, and began drawing off their blood. Having done this, he said to the -soldier: ‘Now, let’s be off.’ - -“Accordingly, they went off. On the way the soldier said: ‘Tell me, why -did you draw off their blood in those phials?’ - -“‘Why, in order that the bride and bridegroom might die. To-morrow -morning no one will be able to wake them. I alone know how to bring them -back to life.’ - -“‘How’s that managed?’ - -“‘The bride and bridegroom must have cuts made in their heels, and some -of their blood must then be poured back into these wounds. I’ve got the -bridegroom’s blood stowed away in my right-hand pocket, and the bride’s -in my left.’ - -“The soldier listened to this without letting a single word escape him. -Then the warlock began boasting again. - -“‘Whatever I wish,’ says he, ‘that I can do.’ - -“‘I suppose it’s quite impossible to get the better of you,’ says the -soldier. - -“‘Impossible? If anyone were to make a pyre of aspen boughs, a hundred -loads of them, and were to burn me on that pyre, then he’d be able to get -the better of me. Only he’d have to look sharp in burning me, for snakes -and worms and different kinds of reptiles would creep out of my inside, -and crows and magpies and jackdaws would come flying up. All these must -be caught and flung on the pyre. If so much as a single maggot were to -escape, then there’d be no help for it. In that maggot I should slip -away.’ - -“The soldier listened to all this and did not forget it. He and the -warlock talked and talked, and at last they arrived at the grave. - -“‘Well, brother,’ said the warlock, ‘now I’ll tear you to pieces, -otherwise you’ll be telling all this.’ - -“‘What are you talking about? Don’t you deceive yourself, for I serve God -and the Empire.’ - -“The warlock gnashed his teeth, howled aloud, and sprang at the soldier, -who drew his sword and began laying about him with sweeping blows. -They struggled and struggled; the soldier was all but at the end of -his strength. ‘Ah,’ thinks he, ‘I’m a lost man, and all for nothing!’ -Suddenly the cocks began to crow. The warlock fell lifeless to the ground. - -“The soldier took the phials of blood out of the warlock’s pockets, and -went to the house of his own people. When he had got there and exchanged -greetings with his relatives, they said: ‘Did you see any disturbance, -soldier?’ - -“‘No, I saw none.’ - -“‘There, now! Why, we’ve a terrible piece of work going on in the -village. A warlock has taken to haunting it.’ - -“After talking a while they lay down to sleep. The next morning the -soldier awoke and began asking: ‘I’m told you’ve got a wedding going on -somewhere here.’ - -“‘There was a wedding in the house of a rich moujik,’ replied his -relatives, ‘but the bridegroom has died this very night—what from nobody -knows.’ - -“‘Where does this moujik live?’ - -“They showed him the house. Thither he went without speaking a word. -When he got there he found the whole family in tears. - -“‘What are you mourning about?’ says he. - -“‘Such and such is the state of things, soldier,’ say they. - -“‘I can bring your young people to life again. What will you give me if I -do?’ - -“‘Take what you like, even were it half of what we have got.’ - -“The soldier did as the warlock had instructed him, and brought the young -people back to life. Instead of weeping there began to be happiness -and rejoicing: the soldier was hospitably treated and well rewarded. -Then—left about face! Off he marched to Starosta and told the burgomaster -to call the peasants together and to get ready a hundred loads of aspen -wood. Well, they took the wood into the graveyard, dragged the warlock -out of his grave, placed him on the pyre, and set it in flames. The -warlock began to burn. His corpse burst, and out of it came snakes, -worms, and all kinds of reptiles, and up came flying crows, magpies, and -jackdaws. The peasants knocked them down and flung them into the fire, -not allowing so much as a single maggot to creep away! And so the warlock -was thoroughly consumed, and the soldier collected his ashes and strewed -them to the winds. From that time there was peace in the village. - -“The soldier received the thanks of the whole community.” - -In Russian folk-lore there is a class of demons known as “heart -devourers,” who touch their victim with an aspen or other twig credited -with magical properties; the heart then falls out and may be replaced by -some baser one. There is a Moscovian story in which a hero awakes with -the heart of a hare, the work of a demon while the man was asleep. He -remained a coward for the rest of his life. In another instance a very -quiet, reserved, inoffensive peasant received a cock’s heart in exchange -for his own, and afterwards was for ever crowing like a healthy bird. - -The following is taken from the _Lettres Juives_ of 1738:— - -“In the beginning of September there died in the village of Kisilova, -three leagues from Graditz, an old man who was sixty-two years of age. -Three days after he had been buried, he appeared in the night to his -son, and asked him for something to eat; the son having given him -something, he ate and disappeared. The next day the son recounted to his -neighbours what had happened. That night the father did not appear, but -the following night he showed himself and asked for something to eat. -They know not whether the son gave him anything or not; but the next day -he was found dead in his bed. On the same day, five or six persons fell -suddenly ill in the village, and died one after the other in a few days. - -“The officer or bailiff of the place, when informed of what had happened, -sent an account of it to the tribunal of Belgrade, which despatched to -the village two of these officers and an executioner to examine into this -affair. The imperial officer from whom we have this account repaired -thither from Graditz to be a witness of what took place. - -“They opened the graves of those who had been dead six weeks. When they -came to that of the old man, they found him with his eyes open, having a -fine colour, with natural respiration, nevertheless motionless as the -dead: whence they concluded that he was most undoubtedly a vampire. The -executioner drove a stake into his heart; they then raised a pile and -reduced the corpse to ashes. No mark of vampirism was found either on the -corpse of the son or on the others.” - -The following story is told by Madame Blavatsky in _Isis Unveiled_, who -states that she had the account from an eye-witness of the occurrence:— - -“About the beginning of the nineteenth century there occurred in Russia -one of the most frightful cases of vampirism on record. The governor of -the province of Tch—— was a man of about sixty years of age, of a cruel -and jealous disposition. Clothed with despotic authority, he exercised -it without stint, as his brutal instincts prompted. He fell in love with -the pretty daughter of a subordinate officer. Although the girl was -betrothed to a young man whom she loved, the tyrant forced her father to -consent to his having her marry him; and the poor victim, despite her -despair, became his wife. His jealous disposition soon exhibited itself. -He beat her, confined her to her room for weeks together, and prevented -her seeing anyone except in his presence. He finally fell sick and died. -Finding his end approaching, he made her swear never to marry again, and -with fearful oaths threatened that in case she did he would return from -his grave and kill her. He was buried in the cemetery across the river, -and the young widow experienced no further annoyance until, getting the -better of her fears, she listened to the importunities of her former -lover, and they were again betrothed. - -“On the night of the customary betrothal feast, when all had retired, -the old mansion was aroused by shrieks proceeding from her room. The -doors were burst open, and the unhappy woman was found lying on her bed -in a swoon. At the same time a carriage was heard rumbling out of the -courtyard. Her body was found to be black and blue in places, as from -the effect of pinches, and from a slight puncture in her neck drops -of blood were oozing. Upon recovering, she stated that her deceased -husband had suddenly entered her room, appearing exactly as in life, with -the exception of a dreadful pallor; that he had upbraided her for her -inconstancy, and then beaten and pinched her most cruelly. Her story was -disbelieved; but the next morning the guard stationed at the other end -of the bridge which spans the river reported that just before midnight -a black coach-and-six had driven furiously past without answering their -challenge. - -“The new governor, who disbelieved the story of the apparition, took -nevertheless the precaution of doubling the guards across the bridge. The -same thing happened, however, night after night, the soldiers declaring -that the toll-bar at their station near the bridge would rise of itself, -and the spectral equipage would sweep past them, despite their efforts to -stop it. At the same time every night the watchers, including the widow’s -family and the servants, would be thrown into a heavy sleep; and every -morning the young victim would be found bruised, bleeding, and swooning -as before. The town was thrown into consternation. The physicians had no -explanations to offer; priests came to pass the night in prayer, but as -midnight approached, all would be seized with the same terrible lethargy. -Finally the archbishop of the province came and performed the ceremony -of exorcism in person. On the following morning the governor’s widow was -found worse than ever. She was now brought to death’s door. - -“The governor was finally driven to take the severest measures to stop -the ever-increasing panic in the town. He stationed fifty Cossacks along -the bridge, with orders to stop the spectral carriage at all hazards. -Promptly at the usual hour it was heard and seen approaching from the -direction of the cemetery. The officer of the guard and a priest bearing -a crucifix planted themselves in front of the toll-bar and together -shouted: ‘In the name of God and the Czar, who goes there?’ Out of the -coach was thrust a well-remembered head, and a familiar voice responded: -‘The Privy Councillor of State and Governor C——!’ At the same moment the -officer, the priest, and the soldiers were flung aside, as by an electric -shock, and the ghostly equipage passed them before they could recover -breath. - -“The archbishop then resolved as a last expedient to resort to the -time-honoured plan of exhuming the body and driving an oaken stake -through its heart. This was done with great religious ceremony in the -presence of the whole populace. The story is that the body was found -gorged with blood, and with red cheeks and lips. At the instant that the -first blow was struck upon the stake a groan issued from the corpse and -a jet of blood spouted high into the air. The archbishop pronounced the -usual exorcism, the body was reinterred, and from that time no more was -heard of the vampire.” - - - - -CHAPTER IX - -MISCELLANEA - - -Voltaire was surprised that in the enlightened eighteenth century there -should still be people found who believed in the reality of vampires, -and that the doctors of the Sorbonne should give their _imprimatur_ to -a dissertation on these unpleasant creatures. Yet from 1730 to 1735 the -subject of vampirism formed a principal topic of conversation, and may be -said to have been a mania all over the world, with Europe as a particular -centre. Pamphlets on the subject streamed from the press, the newspapers -vied with one another in recording fresh achievements of the spectres, -and though the philosophers scoffed at and ridiculed the belief, yet -sovereigns sent officers and commissioners to report upon their misdeeds. -The favourite scenes of their exploits were Hungary, Poland, Silesia, -Bohemia, and Moravia, and in those countries a vampire haunted and -tormented almost every village. - -In some parts of Scandinavia a singular method was adopted for getting -rid of vampires, viz. by instituting judicial proceedings against them. -Inhabitants were regularly summoned to attend the inquest; a tribunal was -constituted; charges were preferred with the usual legal formalities, -accusing them of molesting the houses and introducing death among the -inhabitants; and at the end of the proceedings judgment was proclaimed. -The priest then entered with holy water, Mass was celebrated, and it was -held that complete conquest had been gained over the goblins. - -Sir Walter Scott, in his translation of _Eyrbyggia Saga_, relates a -traditional story of several vampires who committed dreadful ravages in -Iceland in the year 1000, so that in a household of thirty servants no -less than eighteen died. - -Saxo Grammaticus, the earliest chronicler and writer upon Danish history -and folk-lore, in his _Danish History_ (book i.), dealing with the -origin of the Danes, relates the following story:— - -One Mith-othin, who was famous for his juggling tricks, was quickened, -as though by an inspiration from on High, to seize the opportunity -of feigning to be a god; and, wrapping the minds of the barbarians -in fresh darkness, he led them by the renown of his jugglings to pay -holy observance to his name. He said that the wrath of the gods could -never be appeased nor the outrage to their deity expiated by mixed and -indiscriminate sacrifices, and, therefore, forbade that prayers for -this end should be put up without distinction, appointing to each of -those above his especial drink-offering. But when Odin was returning, he -cast away all help of jugglings, went to Finland to hide himself, and -was there attacked and slain by the inhabitants. Even in his death his -abominations were made manifest, for those who came nigh his barrow were -cut off by a kind of sudden death; and, after his end, he spread such -pestilence that he seemed almost to leave a filthier record in his death -than in his life; it was as though he would extort from the guilty a -punishment for his slaughter. The inhabitants being in this trouble, took -the body out of the mound, beheaded it, and impaled it through the breast -with a sharp stake, and herein that people found relief. - -In book ii. we have the story of Aswid and Asmund. Aswid died and was -buried with horse and dog. Asmund died and was buried with his friend, -food being put in for him to eat. Later on the grave opened, when Asmund -appeared and said: “By some strange enterprise of the power of hell the -spirit of Aswid was sent up from the nether world, and with cruel tooth -eats the fleet-footed (horse) and has given his dog to his abominable -jaws. Not sated with devouring the horse or hound, he soon turned his -swift nails upon me, tearing my cheek and taking off my ear. Hence the -hideous sight of my slashed countenance, the blood spurts in the ugly -wound. Yet the bringer of horrors did it not unscathed; for soon I cut -off his head with my steel, and impaled his guilty carcase with a stake.” - -In Malaysia the vampires are mostly females, and are credited with a -great fondness for fish. They are known as Langsuirs, and Skeat, in -_Malay Magic_, gives the following charm for “laying” a Langsuir:— - - O ye mosquito-fry at the river’s mouth, - When yet a great way off ye are sharp of eye; - When near, ye are hard of heart. - When the rock in the ground opens of itself, - Then (and then only) be emboldened the hearts of my foes and opponents! - When the corpse in the ground opens of itself, - Then (and then only) be emboldened the hearts of my foes and opponents! - May your heart be softened when you behold me, - By grace of this prayer that I use, called Silam Bayn. - -Abercromby, in his work on the Finns, says that the Ceremis imagine -that the spirits that cause illness, especially fever and ague, are -continually recruited on the death of old maids, murderers, and those -that die a violent death. Whenever anyone becomes dangerously ill, the -Lapps feel sure that one of his deceased relatives wants his company in -the region of the dead, either from affection or to punish him for some -trespass. The Truks of Altai have a similar belief. The soul after death -willingly lingers for some time in the house and leaves it unwillingly, -and often takes with it some other members of the family or some of the -cattle. - -Codrington, in his descriptive work on the Melanesians, says that there -is a belief in Banks Islands in the existence of a power like that of -vampires. A man or a woman would obtain this power out of a morbid desire -for communion with some ghost, and in order to gain it would steal and -eat a morsel of a corpse. The ghost of the dead man would then join in a -close friendship with the person who had eaten, and would gratify him by -afflicting anyone against whom his ghostly power might be directed. The -man so afflicted would feel that something was influencing his life, and -would come to dread some particular person among his neighbours, who was, -therefore, suspected of being a _talamur_. This name was also given to -one whose soul was supposed to go out and eat the soul or lingering life -of a freshly dead corpse. There was a woman, some years ago, of whom the -story is told that she made no secret of doing this, and that once on the -death of a neighbour she gave notice that she should go in the night and -eat the corpse. The friends of the deceased therefore kept watch in the -house where the corpse lay, and at dead of night heard a scratching at -the door, followed by a rustling noise close by the corpse. One of them -threw a stone and seemed to hit the unknown thing; and in the morning the -_talamur_ was found with a bruise on her arm, which she confessed was -caused by a stone thrown at her while she was eating the corpse. - -Baron von Haxthausen, in his work on Transcaucasia, tells us that there -once dwelt in a cavern in Armenia a vampire called Dakhanavar, who could -not endure anyone to penetrate into the mountains of Ulmish Altotem or -count their valleys. Everyone who attempted this had in the night his -blood sucked by the monster from the soles of his feet until he died. -The vampire was, however, at last outwitted by two cunning fellows. -They began to count the valleys, and when night came on they lay down -to sleep—taking care to place themselves with the feet of the one under -the head of the other. In the night the monster came, felt as usual, and -found a head; then he felt at the other end and found a head there also. -“Well,” cried he, “I have gone through the whole 366 valleys of these -mountains, and have sucked the blood of people without end, but never yet -did I come across anyone with two heads and no feet!” So saying, he ran -away and was never more seen in that country, but ever after the people -knew that the mountain has 366 valleys. - -Even America is not free from the belief in the vampire. In one of -the issues of the _Norwich_ (U.S.A.) _Courier_ for 1854, there is the -account of an incident that occurred at Jewett, a city in that vicinity. -About eight years previously, Horace Ray of Griswold had died of -consumption. Afterwards, two of his children—grown-up sons—died of the -same disease, the last one dying about 1852. Not long before the date of -the newspaper the same fatal disease had seized another son, whereupon -it was determined to exhume the bodies of the two brothers and burn -them, because the dead were supposed to feed upon the living; and so -long as the dead body in the grave remained undecomposed, either wholly -or in part, the surviving members of the family must continue to furnish -substance on which the dead body could feed. Acting under the influence -of this strange superstition, the family and friends of the deceased -proceeded to the burial-ground on June 8th, 1854, dug up the bodies of -the deceased brothers, and burned them on the spot. - -Dr Dyer, an eminent physician of Chicago, also reported in 1875 a case -occurring within his own personal knowledge, where the body of a woman -who had died of consumption was taken from her grave and her lungs -burned, under the belief that she was drawing after her into the grave -some of her surviving relatives. In 1874, according to the _Providence -Journal_, in the village of Placedale, Rhode Island, Mr William Rose dug -up the body of his own daughter and burned her heart, under the belief -that she was wasting away the lives of other members of the family. - -The vampire is not an unknown spectre in China, where the measures -adopted for the riddance of the pest are generally the burning of the -mortal remains of the corpse, or removing to a distance the lid of the -coffin after the vampire has started on his nocturnal rounds. It is -held that the air thus entering freely into the coffin will cause the -contents to decay. Another Chinese cure for vampires is to watch any -suspected coffin until the corpse has quitted it, and then strew rice, -red peas, and bits of iron around it. The corpse, on returning, will find -it impossible to pass over these things, and will thus fall an easy prey -to his captors. - -The following story of a Chinese vampire is related by Dr J. J. M. de -Groot in his _Religious System of China_ (vol. v. p. 747):— - -“Liu N. N., a literary graduate of the lowest degree in Wukiang (in -Kiangsu), was in charge of some pupils belonging to the Tsaing family -in the Yuen-hwo district. In the season of Pure Brightness he returned -home, some holidays being granted him to sweep his ancestral tombs. This -duty performed, he returned to his post, and said to his wife: ‘To-morrow -I must go; cook some food for me at an early hour.’ The woman said she -would do so, and rose for the purpose at cockcrow. Their village lay on -the hill behind their dwelling, facing a brook. The wife washed some rice -at that brook, picked some vegetables in the garden, and had everything -ready, but when it was light her husband did not rise. She went into his -room to wake him up, but however often she called he gave no answer. So -she opened the curtains and found him lying across the bed, headless, and -not a trace of blood to be seen. - -“Terror-stricken, she called the neighbours. All of them suspected her of -adultery with a lover, and murder, and they warned the magistrate. This -grandee came and held a preliminary inquest; he ordered the corpse to be -coffined, had the woman put in fetters, and examined her; so he put her -in gaol, and many months passed away without sentence being pronounced. -Then a neighbour, coming uphill for some fuel, saw a neglected grave with -a coffin lid bare; it was quite a sound coffin, strong and solid, and -yet the lid was raised a little; so he naturally suspected that it had -been opened by thieves. He summoned the people; they lifted the lid off -and saw a corpse with features like a living person and a body covered -with white hair. Between its arms it held the head of a man, which they -recognised as that of Liu, the graduate. They reported the case to the -magistrate; the coroners ordered the head to be taken away, but it was so -firmly grasped in the arms of the corpse that the combined efforts of a -number of men proved insufficient to draw it out. So the magistrate told -them to chop off the arms of the _kiangshi_ (corpse-spectre). Fresh blood -gushed out of the wounds, but in Liu’s head there was not a drop left, it -having been sucked dry by the monster. By magisterial order the corpse -was burned, and the case ended with the release of the woman from gaol.” - - - - -CHAPTER X - -LIVING VAMPIRES - - -There is, however, the living vampire, distinct and separate from -the dead species. In Epirus and Thessaly there is a belief in living -vampires, who leave their shepherd dwellings by night and roam about, -biting and tearing men and animals and sucking their blood. In Moldavia -and in Wallachia, the _murony_ are real, living men who become dogs at -night, with the backbone prolonged to form a sort of tail. They roam -through the villages, and their main delight is to kill cattle. - -In some countries the belief prevails that the soul of a living man, -often of a sorcerer, leaves its proper body asleep and goes forth, -perhaps in visible form of a straw or fluff of down, slips through the -keyholes, and attacks its sleeping victim. If the sleeper should wake in -time to clutch this tiny soul-embodiment, he may through it have his -revenge by maltreating or destroying its bodily owner. - -The following account was contributed by me to the _Occult Review_ for -July 1910. The particulars are given exactly as I wrote them down in -shorthand from the narrator’s dictation. My informant is a well-known -medical practitioner in the West End of London, who has held various -official appointments in the tropics, and I received his assurance that -the incidents recorded happened exactly as they are described. Whether -the Indian referred to is still alive or not is unknown, but certainly -the two other principals, at the time of writing, are. - -Some years ago a small number of English officials were stationed in a -small place in the tropics. Their residences were about a quarter of -a mile from each other, three of the bungalows standing in their own -compounds and on separate elevations. Suddenly one of the officials fell -ill, but the district medical officer was quite unable to trace the cause -of the illness. The official in question made several applications to -the Colonial Office for transfer to another station, saying he felt he -should die if he remained there. At first the application was refused, -but the man got worse and fell into a very depressed mental condition. -He eventually wrote again, saying that if his application for transfer -could not be granted he would be compelled to throw up his appointment—a -serious matter for him, as he had no private means. The application was -then granted; he was transferred, and he recovered his health. - -About eighteen months later another official had a slight attack of -fever, from which he fully recovered; but after this attack he began to -complain of lassitude until he went beyond a certain distance from his -residence. The moment he returned to within this distance he said he felt -as though a wet blanket had been thrown over him, and nothing could rouse -him from the depression which seized him. He, too, fell into a low state -of health, and on his request was transferred to another station. - -Shortly after this transfer the wife of the district medical officer, -living within the same area, began to fail in health and became terribly -depressed, apparently from no cause whatever. Previously she had been -a cheerful, happy woman, indulging in games and outdoor sports of all -kinds, but now she became most depressed and miserable. At last, one -night, about twelve o’clock, she woke up shrieking. Her husband rushed -into her room, and she said she had woken up with a most awful feeling -of depression, and had seen a creature travelling along the cornice of -the room. She could only describe it as having a resemblance to something -between a gigantic spider and a huge jelly-fish. Her husband ascribed it -to an attack of nightmare, but he was disturbed in the same manner on the -following night, when his wife said she had been awake for a quarter of -an hour, but had not had the strength to call him before. He found her -in a state of collapse, pulse exceedingly low, temperature three degrees -below normal, pallid, and in a cold sweat. He mixed her a draught which -had the effect of sending her to sleep. - -In the morning she said she must leave the station and go home, as to -stop there would mean her death. Thinking to divert her attention, her -husband took her away on a pleasure trip, when he was glad to see that -she entirely recovered her former cheerful expression and high spirits. -This state of things lasted until, returning home in a rickshaw alongside -her husband’s, her face changed and she resumed her gloomy countenance. - -“There,” she said, “is it not awful? I have been so well and happy all -the week, and now I feel as though a pall had been thrown over me.” - -Matters got worse, and she became more depressed than ever, and only a -few nights passed before her husband was again called to her bedside -about midnight. He found his wife in a state of considerable weakness, -although it was not so acute as on the previous occasion. She said to -him: “I want you to examine the back of my neck and shoulders very -carefully and see if there is any mark on the skin of any kind whatever.” - -Her husband did so, but could not find a mark. - -“Get a glass and look again. See if you can find any puncture from a -sharp-pointed tooth.” - -He made a microscopical examination, but found absolutely nothing. - -“Now,” said his wife, “I can tell you what is the matter. I dreamed that -I was in a house where I lived when I was a girl. My little boy called -out to me. I ran down to him, but when I reached the bottom of the -stairs a tall, black man came towards me. I waved him off, but I could -not move to get away from him, though I pushed the boy out of his reach. -The man came towards me, seized me in his arms, sat down at the bottom -of the stairs, put me on his knee, and proceeded to suck from a point -at the upper part of the spine, just below the neck. I felt that he was -drawing all the blood and life out of me. Then he threw me from him, and -apparently I lost consciousness as he did so. I felt as though I was -dying. Then I woke up, and I had been lying here for a quarter of an hour -or twenty minutes before I was able to call you.” - -“Have you ever experienced anything of this character before?” asked her -husband. - -“No, I have not; but night after night for many months I have woken up -in exactly the same state, and that has been the sole cause of my mental -depression. I have not said anything about it because it seemed so -foolish, but now I have had this definite dream I cannot hold my tongue -any longer.” - -She soon passed into a peaceful sleep, and on discussing the matter the -following morning with her husband she said: “I have a feeling somehow -that it will not happen again. I feel quite well and strong, and all my -depression is gone.” - -In the afternoon husband and wife were going together to the club, when -around the corner of the jungle came a tall Indian, the owner of a large -number of milch cattle, and reputed to be a wealthy man. The surgeon’s -wife suddenly stopped, turned pale, and said immediately: “That is the -man I saw in my dream.” - -The husband went directly up to the man and said to him: “Look here, I -will give you twelve hours to get out of this place. I know everything -that happened last night at midnight, and I will kill you like a dog if I -find you here in twelve hours’ time.” - -The Indian disappeared the same night, taking with him only a few -valuables and a little loose money. He left behind him the money that -was deposited in the bank, as well as the whole of his property. His -forty head of cattle, worth eighty dollars each, were impounded, and no -news had been heard of him five years afterwards. Since his departure no -one has complained of depression and lassitude in that area. - - - - -CHAPTER XI - -THE VAMPIRE IN LITERATURE - - -The subject of vampirism does not appear to have attracted litterateurs -greatly. True, there are the operas of Palma, Hart, Marschner, and von -Lindpainter; and Philostratus and Phlegon of Tralles have discoursed upon -the phenomena. There are not, however, many works of fiction based upon -the topic, or many poems in which the subject is introduced. There is -an Anglo-Saxon poem with the title _A Vampyre of the Fens_, and a long, -wearisome novel, full of gruesome details, entitled _Varney the Vampire_. -Among modern authors, Mr Bram Stoker has made the vampire the foundation -of his exciting romance _Dracula_; but mention of these works almost -exhausts the references to separate works upon the subject. - -Nor are the references to vampires and vampirism in the ancient Greek -authors more numerous. The phantom of Achilles is represented by -Euripides (_Hec._, 109, 599) as appearing on his tomb clad in golden -armour and appeased by the sacrifice of a young virgin, whose blood he -drank. Œdipus also in Sophocles (_Œd. Col._, 621), when foretelling a -defeat which the Thebans would sustain near his tomb, declares that his -cold, dead body will drink their warm blood. Human victims were offered -at the funeral pyre of Patroclus in the _Iliad_ (vol. i.). - -Though human beings are not sacrificed in the _Odyssey_, yet the blood -of slaughtered sheep was eagerly lapped up by the ghosts consulted -by Odysseus (xi. 45, 48, 95, 96, 153, etc.). A sheep was also to be -sacrificed at the tombs of mortals, and its blood was supposed to be an -offering acceptable to the departed spirit. - -Pausanias, Strabo, Ælian, and Suidas relate the legend of Ulysses in -his wanderings coming to the town of Temesa, in Italy, where one of his -associates was stoned to death by the townsmen for having ravished a -virgin. His ghost forthwith haunted the inhabitants, and caused them -such annoyance that many were thinking seriously of leaving the town -when they were told by Apollo’s oracle that to appease him they must -build the hero a temple, and sacrifice to him yearly the most beautiful -virgin they had among them. The temple was accordingly raised: access -to the sacred enclosure was prohibited to all except the priests, on -penalty of death. An engraving of the evil spirit that is alleged to have -infested Temesa is given on page 18 of Beaumont’s _Treatise on Spirits_ -(ed. 1705). - -Philostratus, in his _Life of Apollonius of Tyana_ (iv. 25, p. 165), says -that the long intercourse which took place between a female spectre and -the Corinthian Menippus was but a prelude to the feast of flesh and blood -in which she meant to revel after their marriage. - -Some have described the Hebrew _lilith_ as a vampire, but the _Jewish -Encyclopædia_ states that: “There is nothing in the Talmud to indicate -that the _lilith_ was a vampire.” She was regarded as a nocturnal demon, -flying about in the form of a night-owl, and stealing children, and was -held to have permission to kill all children sinfully begotten, even -from a lawful wife. The _lilith_ is held to have the same signification -as the Greek _strix_ and _lamiæ_, who were sorceresses or magicians, -seeking to put to death new-born children. The ancient Greeks believed -that these _lamiæ_ devoured children, or sucked away all their blood -until they died. Euripides and the scholiast of Aristophanes mention the -_lilith_ as a dangerous monster, the enemy of mortals; and Ovid describes -the _strigæ_ as dangerous birds, which fly by night and seek for infants -to devour them and nourish themselves with their blood. The _aluka_ of -Proverbs xxx. 15 is more akin to the vampire. It is a blood-sucking, -insatiable monster; the word is synonymous with _algul_, the well-known -demon of the Arabian popular stories, “the man-devouring demon of the -waste,” known as the ghoul or goule in the translated edition of the -_Arabian Nights_. - -Goethe, in his ballad _The Bride of Corinth_, describes how a young -Athenian visits a friend of his father, to whose daughter he had been -betrothed, and is disturbed at midnight by the appearance of the vampire -spectre of her whom death has prevented from becoming his bride, and -who, when detected, says:— - - From my grave to wander I am forc’d, - Still to seek The Good’s long-sever’d link, - Still to love the bridegroom I have lost, - And the life-blood of his heart to drink; - When his race is run, - I must hasten on, - And the young must ’neath my vengeance sink. - -There is one scant reference to the subject in Shelley’s poems. Byron, in -his poem _The Giaour_, has the following passage:— - - But first on earth as vampire sent - Thy corse shall from its tomb be rent: - Then ghastly haunt thy native place, - And suck the blood of all thy race. - -Dryden relates:— - - Lo, in my walks where wicked elves have been, - The learning of the parish now is seen— - From fiends and imps he sets the village free, - There haunts not any incubus but he: - The maids and women need no danger fear - To walk by night and sanctity so near. - -Scott, in _Rokeby_, has the following lines:— - - For like the bat of Indian brakes, - Her pinions fan the wound she makes, - And soothing thus the dreamer’s pains, - She drinks the life-blood from the veins. - -The following legend is related in vol. ii. of _Minstrelsy of the -Scottish Border_, and is referred to in a footnote to Southey’s _Thalaba -the Destroyer_ (p. 108, ed. 1814):— - -In the year 1058 a young man of noble birth had been married in Rome, -and during the period of his nuptial feast, having gone with his -companions to play at ball, he put his marriage ring on the finger of a -broken statue of Venus in the area, to remain while he was engaged in -recreation. Desisting from the exercise, he found the finger on which -he had put his ring contracted firmly against the palm, and attempted -in vain either to break or disengage the ring. He concealed the -circumstances from his companions, and returned at night with a servant, -when he found the finger extended and the ring gone. He dissembled the -loss and returned to his wife; but when he attempted to embrace her he -found himself prevented by something dark and dense, which was tangible -if not visible, interposing between them; and he heard a voice saying: -“Embrace me! for I am Venus, whom this day you wedded, and I will not -restore your ring.” As this was constantly repeated, he consulted -his relatives, who had recourse to Palumbus, the priest, skilled in -necromancy. He directed the young man to go at a certain hour of the -night to a spot among the ruins of ancient Rome where four roads meet, -and wait silently till he saw a company pass by, and then, without -uttering a word, to deliver a letter which he gave him to a majestic -being who rode in a chariot after the rest of the company. The young man -did as he was directed, and saw the company of all ages, classes and -ranks, on horse and on foot, some joyful and others sad, pass along; -among whom he distinguished a woman in a meretricious dress, who, from -the tenuity of her garments, seemed almost naked. She rode on a mule; -her long hair, which flowed over her shoulders, was bound with a golden -fillet; and in her hand was a golden rod with which she directed her -mule. In the close of the procession a tall, majestic figure appeared -in a chariot adorned with emeralds and pearls, who fiercely asked the -young man what he did there. He presented the letter in silence, which -the demon dared not refuse. As soon as he had read, lifting up his hands -to heaven, he exclaimed: “Almighty God! how long wilt Thou endure the -iniquities of the sorcerer Palumbus!” and immediately despatched some of -his attendants, who, with much difficulty, extorted the ring from Venus -and restored it to its owner, whose infernal banns were thus dissolved. -This legend was made the foundation of Liddell’s poem, _The Vampire -Bride_. - -Dion Boucicault wrote and produced a vampire play entitled _The Phantom_, -the scene of which was laid in the ruins of Raby Castle. Anyone remaining -in these ruins for one night met with certain death before the morning. -The only sign of violence to be found was a wound on the right side of -the throat, but no blood was to be seen. The face of the victim was white -and the gaze fixed, as though the person had died from fright. - -In April 1819 a story entitled “The Vampyre” appeared in _Colburn’s New -Monthly Magazine_, which was attributed to Lord Byron, but which was -really from the pen of Dr John William Polidori (uncle of William Michael -Rossetti), who was for a time Lord Byron’s travelling physician. The work -was also published separately, but the authorship was denied by Lord -Byron. Polidori immediately claimed responsibility for the work, and the -correspondence and statement of facts published in Rossetti’s _Diary of -Doctor John William Polydori_ show how the mistake occurred. - -The following poem appears in the _Life of James Clerk Maxwell_, by Lewis -Campbell and William Garnett, and was written by Maxwell in 1845, when he -was fourteen years of age:— - -THE VAMPYRE - -COMPYLT INTO MEETER BY JAMES CLERK MAXWELL - - Thair is a knichte rydis through the wood, - And a douchty knichte is hee. - And sure hee is on a message sent, - He rydis sae hastilie. - Hee passit the aik, and hee passit the birk, - And hee passit monie a tre, - Bot plesant to him was the saugh sae slim, - For beneath it hee did see - The boniest ladye that ever hee saw, - Scho was sae schyn and fair. - And thair scho sat, beneath the saugh, - Kaiming hir gowden hair. - And then the knichte—“Oh ladye brichte, - What chance has broucht you here? - But say the word, and ye schall gang - Back to your kindred dear.” - Then up and spok the ladye fair— - “I have nae friends or kin, - Bot in a little boat I live, - Amidst the waves’ loud din.” - Then answered thus the douchty knichte— - “I’ll follow you through all, - For gin ye bee in a littel boat, - The world to it seemis small.” - They goed through the wood, and through the wood, - To the end of the wood they came: - And when they came to the end of the wood - They saw the salt sea faem. - And then they saw the wee, wee boat, - That daunced on the top of the wave, - And first got in the ladye fair, - And then the knichte sae brave. - They got into the wee, wee boat, - And rowed wi’ a’ their micht; - When the knichte sae brave, he turnit about, - And lookit at the ladye bricht; - He lookit at her bonnie cheik, - And hee lookit at hir twa bricht eyne, - Bot hir rosie cheik growe ghaistly pale, - And schoe seymit as scho deid had been. - The fause, fause knichte growe pale wi’ frichte, - And his hair rose up on end, - For gane-by days cam to his mynde, - And his former luve he kenned. - Then spake the ladye—“Thou, fause knichte, - Hast done to me much ill, - Thou didst forsake me long ago, - Bot I am constant still; - For though I ligg in the woods sae cald, - At rest I canna bee - Until I sucks the gude lyfe blude - Of the man that gart me dee.” - Hee saw hir lipps were wet wi’ blude, - And hee saw hir lufelesse eyne, - And loud hee cry’d, “Get frae my syde, - Thou vampyr corps encleane!” - Bot no, hee is in hir magic boat, - And on the wyde, wyde sea; - And the vampyr suckis his gude lyfe blude, - Sho suckis hym till hee dee. - So now beware, whoe’er you are, - That walkis in this lone wood: - Beware of that deceitfull spright, - The ghaist that suckis the blude. - -Mr Reginald Hodder, in _The Vampire_ (William Rider & Son, Ltd.), has -developed a theory which is a novel one in the annals of vampirism. The -principal character is a living woman, a member of a secret sisterhood, -who is forced to exercise her powers as a vampire to prevent loss of -vitality. This power, however, is exercised through the medium of a -metallic talisman, and the main thread of the story turns on the struggle -for the possession of this talisman. It is wrested ultimately from the -hands of those who would use it for malignant purposes, but its recovery -is only accomplished by means of a number of extraordinary—though who -would dare say impossible?—occult phenomena. - - - - -CHAPTER XII - -FACT OR FICTION? - - -While some writers, belonging mainly to what is popularly known as the -orthodox school of theology or professing a materialistic philosophy, -have expressed an entire disbelief in the alleged phenomena, others, on -the other hand, accepting generally the spiritistic or spiritualistic -philosophy, have admitted the possibility of the phenomena, though -not pledging their acceptance of all or any of the many stories told -concerning the deeds, or rather the misdeeds, of the apparitions. - -Dr Pierart, the well-known French _savant_, maintained that “the facts -of vampirism are as well attested by inquiries made as are the facts of -catalepsy,” and that “the facts of vampirism are as old as the world,” -and pointed to the fact that Tertullian and St Augustine spoke of them. - -Gabriele D’Annunzio was another firm believer in their existence. In -his _Triumph of Death_, translated by Georgina Harding, we read: “What -have they not done? Candia told of all the different means they had -tried, all the exorcisms they had resorted to. The priest had come and, -after covering the child’s head with the end of his stole, had repeated -verses from the Gospel. The mother had hung up a wax cross, blessed on -Ascension Day, over a door, and had sprinkled the hinges with holy water -and repeated the Creed three times in a loud voice; she had tied up a -handful of salt in a piece of linen and hung it round the neck of her -dying child. The father had ‘done the seven nights’—that is, for seven -nights he had waited in the dark behind a lighted lantern, attentive -to the slightest sound, ready to catch and grapple with the vampire. A -single prick with the pin sufficed to make her visible to the human eye. -But the seven nights’ watch had been fruitless, for the child wasted away -and grew more hopelessly feeble from hour to hour. At last, in despair, -the father had consulted with a wizard, by whose advice he had called a -dog and put the body behind the door. The vampire could not then enter -the house till she counted every hair on its body.” - -Calmet’s explanation of the spectres so much talked of in Hungary, -Moravia, Poland, and elsewhere is that they are nothing but persons that -are still alive in their graves, though without motion or respiration; -and that the freshness and ruddy colour of their blood, the flexibility -of their limbs, and their crying out when their hearts were run through -with a stick, or their heads cut off, were demonstrative proofs of their -being still alive. “But this,” he says, “does not affect the principal -difficulty at which I stick, namely, how they come out of and go into -their graves, without leaving any mark of the earth’s being removed; and -how they appear to carry former clothes. If they are not really dead, -why do they return to their graves again and not stay in the land of the -living? Why do they suck the blood of their relations, and torment and -pester persons that should naturally be true to them and never give them -any offence? On the other hand, if it be nothing but a mere whim of the -persons infested, whence comes it that these carcases are found in their -graves uncorrupted, full of blood, with their limbs pliant and flexible, -and their feet dirty, the next day after they have been patrolling about -and frightening the neighbourhood, whilst nothing of this sort can be -discovered in other carcases that were buried at the same time and in the -same mound? Whence is it that they come no more after they are burned or -impaled?” - -Other writers have accepted the theory that the subjects are not really -dead, but are only in a death-like condition. The Germans express this -condition of apparent death and of the perfect preservation of the -living body by the term _scheintod_, which is, perhaps, better than the -English term “suspended animation.” Dr Herbert Mayo describes the special -condition of vampires as a “death-trance”—a positive status, a period of -repose, the duration of which is sometimes definite and predetermined, -though unknown, and says that the patient sometimes awakes suddenly when -the term of the death-trance has expired. During this trance-period the -action of the heart, breathing, voluntary motion, as well as feeling -and intelligence and the vegetable changes in the body, are said to be -suspended. Two instances of the death-trance are quoted. - -Cardinal Espinosa, prime minister under Philip the Second of Spain, died, -as it was supposed, after a short illness. His rank entitled him to be -embalmed. Accordingly, the body was opened for that purpose. The lungs -and heart had just been brought into view, when the latter was seen to -beat. The cardinal, awakening at the fatal moment, had still strength -enough left to seize with his hand the knife of the anatomist. - -On the 23rd of September 1763, the Abbé Prévost, the French novelist and -compiler of travels, was seized with a fit in the forest of Chantilly. -The body was found and conveyed to the residence of the nearest -clergyman. It was supposed that death had taken place through apoplexy. -But the local authorities, desiring to be satisfied of the fact, ordered -the body to be examined. During the process the poor Abbé uttered a cry -of agony. It was too late. - -Among Theosophists and Continental spiritists a solution to the problem -is found in their teaching concerning the astral body and the astral -plane, as conveyed by Madame Blavatsky in _Isis Unveiled_. - -It is held that so long as the astral form is not entirely separated -from the body there is a liability that it may be forced by magnetic -attraction to re-enter it. Sometimes it will be only half-way out when -the corpse, which presents the appearance of death, is buried. In such -cases the astral body voluntarily re-enters the mortal frame, and then -one of two things happens—either the unhappy victim will writhe in the -agonising torture of suffocation, or if he has been grossly material he -becomes a vampire. It is held that this ethereal form can go wherever -it pleases, and that it is possible for this astral body to feed on -human victims and carry the sustenance to the corpus lying within the -tomb by means of an invisible cord of connection, the nature of which -is at present unknown; but psychical researchers—and these number many -eminent scientists—have of late years devoted their efforts towards the -elucidation of the phenomenon known as the projection of the double; and -this, if scientifically and satisfactorily explained, will give the clue -to many of the phenomena of vampirism. - -This “double” may sometimes during life be projected unconsciously, and -sometimes purposely, by means of hypnotism or provoked somnambulism. An -example of the former appeared in the _Journal du Magnétisme_ for October -1909, and the translation of the account was published in the _Annals of -Psychical Science_ for January-March 1910, and is here reproduced. The -narrator is M. Antonio Salazar of Mexico. - - -“_A Romantic Case of Projection of the Double_ - -“In 1889 I lived at Juatlahuaca, in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico. For a -long time I passionately loved the woman who afterwards became my wife. - -“At the beginning of 1890, through one of those unfortunate disagreements -which occasionally arise between parents and their children, those of my -beloved one, wishing to put an end to our mutual love, separated us by -taking her to the mountains; but this only increased our love, because of -the difficulties and our desire to see each other. - -“Several months passed after our separation, and though the distance -between us was not great, we had to take into account the vigilance -with which she was surrounded, and which was a greater obstacle than the -difficulties of the road. - -“One night, when I was feeling, as usual, very sad and gloomy, the -thought came to me to say to my servant: ‘Jeanette, if any morning you -come into my room and do not find me, do not look for me; take the keys -and open the shop. If at midday I have not arrived, you can seek for me -in the mountains.’ - -“‘Ah, sir,’ she replied, ‘I would never oppose myself to your commands, -if what you tell me did not concern persons whom I love and respect, -because you will never thereby accomplish your object.’ - -“I knew that she was right, and I thought that the best thing I could -do was to go to sleep and try to calm my imagination. She also retired, -much distressed, and imploring all the saints, to whom she prayed, to -prevent any unfortunate incident which would threaten the lives of three -persons—my _fiancée_, her father, and myself. - -“The following day I awoke with the same project in my mind, but before -carrying it out I wished to inform my _fiancée_ as to the day and hour at -which I hoped to speak to her. She replied by showing me the rashness of -my project, and offering to do all she could to overcome the obstacles -which prevented her from returning to live in the town, which she hoped -to do in a few days, and which came to pass as she had predicted. I -reckoned, however, on my sagacity and youthful ardour to realise my -project before my _fiancée_ was able to return. - -“One day, when my mind was indulging itself in all kinds of fancies, I -thought it would be quite easy to elude the vigilance of all those who -were around my _fiancée_, and who were opposed to our meeting. When night -came on I continued to think of my project, and I resolved to lie down -and try to sleep. - -“I passed a very disturbed night, waking frequently, and when the day -began to break, the servant came to my room to bid me ‘good morning,’ and -to ask for the keys of the shop. - -“‘How have you passed the night, sir?’ she asked. - -“‘Rather badly, Jeanette. I have dreamed continually, and it is -impossible for me to give you an idea of all the dangers and precipices -which I thought I overcame and crossed; it seems to me that I went over -the mountain road which leads to the farm, but it was a very different -road. I dreamed that our interview was prevented, I do not know how, and -that I had a long walk home again. What can it all mean?’ - -“‘It is only the result of your wishes and preoccupation in regard to the -young lady. She will soon return, and then these follies will disappear.’ - -“I very soon forgot all about what I have just described, and so did my -servant, for neither of us attached any importance to a dream; but, after -a short time, a messenger from the farm handed me a letter, in which my -_fiancée_ reproached me for my violence, my bad conduct and disobedience -in going there in defiance of the commands and wishes of her father. - -“‘What? I? No. Never! Tell your mistress that, although I have thought of -going to see her, I have never carried out my desires; if I have not done -so, it has not been through lack of courage and will on my part, but only -because of my desire to please her and not to oppose her wishes.’ - -“‘But we saw you.’ - -“‘Me?’ - -“‘Yes, sir—you.’ - -“‘You are telling an untruth. I have not been out. My servant can -corroborate that; and, further, I have nothing to lose by telling the -truth.’ - -“‘That may be as you please, but it is true that you spoke to me; you -questioned me on the subject of Mademoiselle—desired me to tell her that -you were there and wished to speak to her.’ - -“‘These are illusions on your part; you have been dreaming.’ - -“‘That is possible; but there were two, three, all the servants, who also -saw you. You did not arrive until nearly midnight; you were dressed as -you are now, and riding a white horse, which you fastened to the gnarled -oak. We could all recognise you by the moonlight, and you were going -towards the side door when I stopped you from entering. - -“‘Hearing our voices, the dogs began to bark, which caused all the -servants to get up. You were recognised by my master and the young lady, -who fell on her knees before her father, beseeching him not to fire on -you. Without showing any fear, you returned step by step to your horse -and went down the mountain again. My master was much annoyed with you, -called his confidential servant Marino, ordered him to follow you and -not to be afraid, but to fire on you two or three times, as he would be -responsible. Marino set out, and, although he walked quickly and tried -all he could to catch you up, he could not do so. A curious phenomenon -aroused his attention, which was that he always saw you going at the same -pace, and he had not the courage to fire his rifle. - -“‘You arrived at the entrance to the town about five o’clock in the -morning; the moon was setting and the day commencing to break. Before you -arrived at the first crossing of the streets you began to run, and turned -quickly along the first street in the town; and though Marino ran after -you, he lost sight of you at the next crossing.’ - -“My persecutor, frightened by what he had seen, returned immediately to -the farm to inform his master of what had taken place, and which seemed -very extraordinary and supernormal. - -“For a long time this adventure, of which I was the unconscious hero, -made a great stir in the town.” - -Colonel de Rochas, a distinguished French savant, has made this -question of the externalisation or projection of the double and of the -motricity and sensibility of the subject his special and patient study, -and has embodied the results of many of his experiments in separate -works. Some have also been published in the pages of the _Annals of -Psychical Science_, so that the reader who is particularly interested -in the question will have no difficulty in finding material for further -consideration and study. - -The Société Magnétique de France has also conducted extensive experiments -in this field of research, particulars of which are published from -time to time in the _Journal du Magnétisme_. The following theoretical -explanation given at the conclusion of the report of a series of these -experiments is reprinted from the _Annals_ for July-September 1910:— - -“We know that the phantom is the psychical body projected from the -physical body. It is that which enjoys or suffers, thinks, wishes, -judges, and perceives all sensations. It is constantly animated by -extremely rapid vibratory movements which are certainly the same as when -it is within the body. This principle being admitted, we understand that, -when it animates the body, its vibratory movements are not projected -outside, and that it exercises no appreciable action on other organisms -in its neighbourhood. But when it is outside the body its movements are -easily externalised. Then the phantom and another person, vibrating in -unison, represent two stringed instruments which sound at the same time -when one only is touched. If I can obtain this transmission at great -distances, we can explain this strange and unexpected phenomenon by the -theory of wireless telegraphy or telephony.” - -The results of the many experiments conducted by and under the auspices -of French scientists in particular tend to indicate that in the near -future an explanation of the phenomena of vampirism will be forthcoming. - - - - -BIBLIOGRAPHY - - -Abercromby’s _Finns_. - -Leo Allatius. - -Barth’s _The Religions of India_. - -Bartholin’s _de Causa contemptûs mortis_. - -Beaumont’s _Treatise on Spirits_. - -Blavatsky’s _Isis Unveiled_. - -Calmet’s _Dissertation upon Apparitions_. - -Calmet’s _The Phantom World_. - -Hugh Clifford’s _In Court and Kampong_. - -Codrington’s _Melanesians_. - -Conway’s _Demonology and Folk-lore_. - -William Crooke’s _Popular Religion and Folk-lore of Northern India_. - -Gabriele D’Annunzio’s _The Triumph of Death_. - -De Schartz, _Magia Postuma_. - -C. M. Doughty’s _Arabia Deserta_. - -Eaves’ _Modern Vampirism_. - -_Encyclopædia Britannica._ - -Eyre’s _Discoveries in Central Australia_. - -Farrer’s _Primitive Manners and Customs_. - -Fornari’s _History of Sorcerers_. - -Fortis’ _Travels into Dalmatia_. - -Frazer’s _Golden Bough_. - -Goethe’s _Bride of Corinth_. - -Baring Gould’s _Book of Were Wolves_. - -Grimm’s _Teutonic Mythology_. - -J. J. Morgan de Groot’s _Religious System of China_. - -Baron von Haxthausen’s _Transcaucasia_. - -Hikayat Abdullah. - -Reginald Hodder’s _The Vampire_. - -_Jewish Encyclopædia._ - -Keightley’s _Fairy Mythology_. - -T. S. Knowlson’s _Origin of Popular Superstitions_. - -Leake’s _Travels in Northern Greece_. - -Liddell’s _The Vampire Bride_. - -Mackenzie and Irby’s _Travels in the Slavonic Provinces of Turkey in -Europe_. - -Mayo’s _On the Truths contained in Popular Superstitions_. - -_Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border_ (vol. ii.). - -More’s _Antidote against Atheism_. - -Nider’s _Formicarius_. - -Laurence Oliphant’s _Scientific Religion_. - -Pashley’s _Crete_ (vol. ii.). - -Polidori’s _The Vampyre_. - -Michael Psellus’ _Dialogus de Operationibus Dæmonum_. - -Ralston’s _Russian Folk Tales_. - -Ralston’s _Songs of the Russian People_. - -Roussel’s _Transfusion of Human Blood_. - -Rycaut’s _The Present State of the Greek and Armenian Churches_. - -Rymer’s _Varney the Vampire_. - -St Clair and Brophy’s _Bulgaria_. - -Saxo Grammaticus’ _Danish History_. - -Sayce’s _Ancient Empires of the East_. - -Scoffern’s _Stray Leaves of Science and Folk-lore_. - -Sir Walter Scott’s translation of _Eyrbyggia Saga_. - -Siegbert’s _Chronicle_. - -W. W. Skeat’s _Malay Magic_. - -Skeat and Blagden’s _Pagan Races of the Malay Peninsula_. - -Southey’s _Thalaba the Destroyer_. - -Bram Stoker’s _Dracula_. - -R. Campbell Thompson’s _The Devils and Evil Spirits of Babylonia_. - -J. Pitton de Tournefort’s _A Voyage into the Levant_. - -Tozer’s _Researches in the Highlands of Turkey_. - -Trumbull’s _Blood Covenant_. - -Turner’s _Nineteen Years in Polynesia_. - -Tylor’s _Primitive Culture_. - -Voltaire’s _Dictionnaire Philosophique_. - -Horace Walpole’s _Reminiscences_. - -Westermarck’s _Origin and Development of Moral Ideas_. - -William of Newbury. - - -PERIODICAL LITERATURE - -_All the Year Round_ (vol. xxv.). - -_Annals of Psychical Science._ - -_Blackwood’s Magazine_ (vol. lxi.). - -_Borderland._ - -_Chambers’s Journal_ (vol. lxxiii.). - -_Colburn’s Magazine_ (vol. vii.). - -_Contemporary Review_ (July 1885). - -_Gentleman’s Magazine_ (July 1851). - -_Household Words_ (vol. xi.). - -_Journal du Magnétisme._ - -_Journal Indian Archipelago_ (vol. i.). - -_Lippincott’s Magazine_ (vol. xlvii.). - -_London Journal_ (March 1732). - -_New Monthly Magazine_ (1st April 1819). - -_Nineteenth Century_ (September 1885). - -_Notes and Queries._ - -_Occult Review._ - -_Open Court_ (vol. vii.). - -_Revue Spiritualiste_ (vol. iv.). - -_St James’s Magazine_ (vol. x.). - -_Wonderful Magazine_ (1764). - - -PRINTED BY NEILL AND CO., LTD., EDINBURGH - - - - -THE VAMPIRE - -A ROMANCE OF THE UNCANNY - -6/= - -BY REGINALD HODDER - -AUTHOR OF “A SOLDIER OF FORTUNE,” ETC. - -_Crown 8vo, Cloth Gilt, Coloured Frontispiece_ - - -“The story is really exciting, and the ordinary reader who merely wishes -to be thrilled will gain his desire and find Mr Hodder’s pages most -engrossing. To occultists the author presents a new theory and a novel -treatment of an ancient subject, both of which merit their attention and -consideration.”—_Times._ - -“Readers who enjoy fierce mystery of the supernatural order will discover -a most thrilling experience in ‘The Vampire.’”—_Glasgow Herald._ - -“For the first few pages we attempted to employ a critical mind, but the -narrative soon held us in a grip of terror, and we could do no more than -sit at the author’s feet and abandon ourselves to fearful joy.”—_The -Standard._ - -“Horror succeeds horror, and mystery is piled upon mystery. It is -a blood-curdling, hair-raising story of the black art and of evil -spirits.”—_Sheffield Independent._ - -“It is one of the most sensationally weird stories ever written—a -marvellous excursion into the realms of the occult.”—_Hampshire -Independent._ - -“An astounding story.”—_The New Statesman._ - -“Mr Hodder’s story is full of thrills and uncanny excitements.... -As thrilling an experience as one could wish for in the pages of -fiction.”—_The Globe._ - -“Those who enjoy grim fantasies such as the late Mr Bram Stoker used to -give us will appreciate Mr Hodder’s clever essay in the same class of -fiction.... Events move so quickly and are so startling that there is -little inclination for criticism.”—_Western Morning News._ - - LONDON: - WILLIAM RIDER & SON, LIMITED, - 8-11 PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C. - - - - -RIDER’S NEW SERIES OF SHILLING NOVELS - -_Crown 8vo. 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This -is such a tale of mystery and imagination as Poe himself would have been -proud to own.”—_The Globe._ - -“The story with its mixture of stark realism and wild supernaturalism is -grimly powerful, and we watch the progress of the ‘Possessed’ Mordaunt -with intense interest.”—_The Outlook._ - -=THE RAKE’S PROGRESS.= By MARJORIE BOWEN, Author of “The Viper of -Milan,” “I Will Maintain,” etc. A tale of London life and manners in the -eighteenth century. _Now Ready._ - -“A brilliant romance, well worthy of its gifted author.”—_Pall Mall -Gazette._ - -“‘The Rake’s Progress’ is a feast of colour, of grace, and of -scenery.”—_Westminster Gazette._ - -“Because I am certain that Thackeray himself would have loved this piece -of art and beauty, I have put ‘The Rake’s Progress’ on my shelf beside -‘Esmond.’”—_Dundee Advertiser._ - -=NYRIA.= By Mrs CAMPBELL PRAED, Author of “The Body of His Desire,” “The -Maid of the River,” etc. _Now Ready._ - -This celebrated reincarnation story, in which is vividly depicted the -life-history of a slave girl in the days of Domitian, is now offered to -the public at the price of one shilling. - -“Stirring and dramatic, terrible in their intense realism, as many of -the scenes here are, there is yet nothing ‘theatrical’—no jarring note -offending our literary or artistic sense.... 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Crown 8vo, cloth, 1s. net._ - -“A dashing and spirited novel.”—_Pall Mall Gazette._ - -“It is seldom that so dramatic a story is combined with so close a truth -to life, and so modern a setting.”—_The Observer._ - - LONDON - WILLIAM RIDER & SON, LIMITED - 8-11 PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C. - _And of all Booksellers._ - - - - -LETTERS FROM A LIVING DEAD MAN - -WRITTEN DOWN BY - -ELSA BARKER - -AUTHOR OF “THE SON OF MARY BETHEL” - -_Cloth Gilt, Crown 8vo. Price 3s. 6d. net._ - - -“These letters are really ‘the letters of a traveller in a strange -country. They record his impressions, often his mistakes, sometimes -perhaps his provincial prejudices; but at least they are not a re-hash -of what somebody else has said.’ It is obvious that the writer took over -with him to the other side the keen intelligence of an investigator as -well as the impartiality of a judicial mind, which his occupation on -earth had been the best means of cultivating. 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Mr Klein unites the two.... Mr Klein undermines our -naïve belief in Time and Space, and shows us that to perfect knowledge -there is only Here and Now. The universe is a single instantaneous -phenomenon.”—_The English Review._ - -“A most fascinating and suggestive book.”—_Globe._ - -=THE HIDDEN WAY ACROSS THE THRESHOLD=; or, The Mystery which hath been -Hidden for Ages and from Generations. An explanation of the concealed -forces in every man to open THE TEMPLE OF THE SOUL, and to learn THE -GUIDANCE OF THE UNSEEN HAND. Illustrated and made plain, with as few -occult terms as possible, by J. C. STREET. _Large 8vo. 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It is written very clearly and -convincingly, and shows that the author has a fine grasp of both the -occult and the scientific sides of the question.”—_Review of Reviews._ - -=WHAT IS OCCULTISM?= A Philosophical and Critical Study. By “PAPUS.” -Translated from the French by F. ROTHWELL. _Crown 8vo, Cloth. Price 2s. -net._ - -“A remarkably condensed statement of the leading principles of -Occultism.”—_T.P.’s Book Notes._ - -“‘Papus’ is the pen name of Dr Encausse, of Paris, who is one of the -leading French exponents of occult science. The views of the different -schools are clearly epitomised, and in one of the chapters magic is -explained from a practical standpoint. 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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Vampires and Vampirism - -Author: Dudley Wright - -Release Date: August 7, 2020 [EBook #62873] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VAMPIRES AND VAMPIRISM *** - - - - -Produced by deaurider and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive) - - - - - - -</pre> - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_i"></a>[i]</span></p> - -<p class="titlepage larger">VAMPIRES AND VAMPIRISM</p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_ii"></a>[ii]</span></p> - -<p class="titlepage larger">VAMPIRES AND<br /> -VAMPIRISM</p> - -<p class="titlepage"><span class="smaller">BY</span><br /> -DUDLEY WRIGHT</p> - -<p class="titlepage">LONDON<br /> -WILLIAM RIDER AND SON, LIMITED<br /> -<span class="smaller">1914</span></p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_iii"></a>[iii]</span></p> - -<hr /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_iv"></a>[iv]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak">PREFACE</h2> - -</div> - -<p>The awakened interest in supernormal -phenomena which has taken place in recent -years has included in its wake the absorbing -subject of Vampirism. Yet there has not -been any collection published of vampire -stories which are common to all the five -continents of the globe. The subject of -vampirism is regarded more seriously to-day -than it was even a decade since, and -an attempt has been made in this volume -to supply as far as possible all the instances -which could be collected from the various -countries. How far a certain amount of -scientific truth may underlie even what -may be regarded as the most extravagant -stories must necessarily be, for the present, -at any rate, an open question; but he would -indeed be a bold man who would permit<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_v"></a>[v]</span> -his scepticism as to the objective existence -of vampires in the past or the possibility -of vampirism in the future to extend to -a categorical denial. If this collection of -stories helps, even in a slight degree, to the -elucidation of the problem, the book will -not have been written in vain.</p> - -<p class="right">DUDLEY WRIGHT.</p> - -<p class="hanging"><span class="smcap">Authors’ Club, 2 Whitehall Court, S.W.</span>,<br /> -<i>1st September, 1914</i>.</p> - -<hr /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_vi"></a>[vi]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak">CONTENTS</h2> - -</div> - -<table summary="Contents"> - <tr> - <td class="tdr smaller">CHAP.</td> - <td></td> - <td class="tdpg smaller">PAGE</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">I.</td> - <td><span class="smcap">Introductory</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_I">1</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">II.</td> - <td><span class="smcap">Excommunication and its Power</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_II">20</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">III.</td> - <td><span class="smcap">The Vampire in Babylonia, Assyria, and Greece</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_II">35</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">IV.</td> - <td><span class="smcap">Vampirism in Great and Greater Britain</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">48</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">V.</td> - <td><span class="smcap">Vampirism in Germany and Surrounding Countries</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_V">66</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">VI.</td> - <td><span class="smcap">Vampirism in Hungary, Bavaria, and Silesia</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">79</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">VII.</td> - <td><span class="smcap">Vampirism in Servia and Bulgaria</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">95</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">VIII.</td> - <td><span class="smcap">Vampire Belief in Russia</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">109</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">IX.</td> - <td><span class="smcap">Miscellanea</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">130</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">X.</td> - <td><span class="smcap">Living Vampires</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_X">142</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">XI.</td> - <td><span class="smcap">The Vampire in Literature</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_XI">150</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">XII.</td> - <td><span class="smcap">Fact or Fiction?</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">161</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr"></td> - <td><span class="smcap">Bibliography</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#BIBLIOGRAPHY">175</a></td> - </tr> -</table> - -<hr /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_1"></a>[1]</span></p> - -<h1>VAMPIRES AND VAMPIRISM</h1> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I<br /> -<span class="smaller">INTRODUCTORY</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p>What is a vampire? The definition given -in Webster’s <i>International Dictionary</i> is: -“A blood-sucking ghost or re-animated -body of a dead person; a soul or re-animated -body of a dead person believed to -come from the grave and wander about by -night sucking the blood of persons asleep, -causing their death.”</p> - -<p>Whitney’s <i>Century Dictionary</i> says that -a vampire is: “A kind of spectral body -which, according to a superstition existing -among the Slavic and other races on the -Lower Danube, leaves the grave during -the night and maintains a semblance of -life by sucking the warm blood of living -men and women while they are asleep.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_2"></a>[2]</span> -Dead wizards, werwolves, heretics, and -other outcasts become vampires, as do also -the illegitimate offspring of parents themselves -illegitimate, and anyone killed by -a vampire.”</p> - -<p>According to the <i>Encyclopædia Britannica</i>: -“The persons who turn vampires are generally -wizards, suicides, and those who come -to a violent end or have been cursed by -their parents or by the Church. But anyone -may become a vampire if an animal -(especially a cat) leaps over the corpse or -a bird flies over it.”</p> - -<p>Among the specialists, the writers upon -vampire lore and legend, two definitions -may be quoted:—Hurst, who says that: -“A vampyr is a dead body which continues -to live in the grave; which it leaves, however, -by night, for the purpose of sucking -the blood of the living, whereby it is -nourished and preserved in good condition, -instead of becoming decomposed like other -dead bodies”; and Scoffern, who wrote: -“The best definition I can give of a vampire -is a living mischievous and murderous dead -body. A living dead body! The words -are idle, contradictory, incomprehensible, -but so are vampires.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_3"></a>[3]</span></p> - -<p>“Vampires,” says the learned Zopfius, -“come out of their graves in the night time, -rush upon people sleeping in their beds, -suck out all their blood and destroy them. -They attack men, women, and children, -sparing neither age nor sex. Those who -are under the malignity of their influence -complain of suffocation and a total deficiency -of spirits, after which they soon -expire. Some of them being asked at the -point of death what is the matter with them, -their answer is that such persons lately -dead rise to torment them.”</p> - -<p>Not all vampires, however, are, or were, -suckers of blood. Some, according to the -records, despatched their victims by inflicting -upon them contagious diseases, or -strangling them without drawing blood, -or causing their speedy or retarded death -by various other means.</p> - -<p>Messrs Skeat and Blagden, in <i>Pagan -Races of the Malay Peninsula</i> (vol. i. p. 473), -state that “a vampire, according to the -view of Sakai of Perak, is not a demon—even -though it is incidentally so-called—but -a being of flesh and blood,” and support -this view by the statement that the vampire -cannot pass through walls and hedges.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_4"></a>[4]</span></p> - -<p>The word <i>vampire</i> (Dutch, <i>vampyr</i>; -Polish, <i>wampior</i> or <i>upior</i>; Slownik, <i>upir</i>; -Ukraine, <i>upeer</i>) is held by Skeat to be -derived from the Servian <i>wampira</i>. The -Russians, Morlacchians, inhabitants of -Montenegro, Bohemians, Servians, Arnauts, -both of Hydra and Albania, know the -vampire under the name of <i>wukodalak</i>, -<i>vurkulaka</i>, or <i>vrykolaka</i>, a word which -means “wolf-fairy,” and is thought by some -to be derived from the Greek. In Crete, -where Slavonic influence has not been felt, -the vampire is known by the name of -<i>katakhaná</i>. Vampire lore is, in general, -confined to stories of resuscitated corpses -of male human beings, though amongst the -Malays a <i>penangglan</i>, or vampire, is a living -witch, who can be killed if she can be -caught in the act of witchery. She is -especially feared in houses where a birth -has taken place, and it is the custom to -hang up a bunch of thistle in order to catch -her. She is said to keep vinegar at home -to aid her in re-entering her own body. In -the Malay Peninsula, parts of Polynesia and -the neighbouring districts, the vampire is -conceived as a head with entrails attached, -which comes forth to suck the blood of<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_5"></a>[5]</span> -living human beings. In Transylvania, the -belief prevails that every person killed by -a <i>nosferatu</i> (vampire) becomes in turn a -vampire, and will continue to suck the blood -of other innocent people until the evil -spirit has been exorcised, either by opening -the grave of the suspected person and -driving a stake through the corpse, or firing -a pistol-shot into the coffin. In very -obstinate cases it is further recommended -to cut off the head, fill the mouth with -garlic, and then replace the head in its proper -place in the coffin; or else to extract the -heart and burn it, and strew the ashes over -the grave.</p> - -<p>The <i>murony</i> of the Wallachians not only -sucks blood, but also possesses the power -of assuming a variety of shapes, as, for -instance, those of a cat, dog, flea, or spider; -in consequence of which the ordinary evidence -of death caused by the attack of a -vampire, viz. the mark of a bite in the back -of the neck, is not considered indispensable. -The Wallachians have a very great fear of -sudden death, greater perhaps than any -other people, for they attribute sudden -death to the attack of a vampire, and believe -that anyone destroyed by a vampire must<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_6"></a>[6]</span> -become a vampire, and that no power can -save him from this fate. A similar belief -obtains in Northern Albania, where it is -also held that a wandering spirit has power -to enter the body of any individual guilty of -undetected crime, and that such obsession -forms part of his punishment.</p> - -<p>Some writers have ascribed the origin -of the belief in vampires to Greek Christianity, -but there are traces of the superstition -and belief at a considerably earlier date than -this. In the opinion of the anthropologist -Tylor, “the shortest way of treating the -belief is to refer it directly to the principles -of savage animism. We shall see that most -of its details fall into their places at once, -and that vampires are not mere creations of -groundless fancy, but causes conceived in -spiritual form to account for specific facts -of wasting disease.” It is more than probable -that the practice of offering up living -animals as sacrifices to satisfy the thirst -of departed human beings, combined with -the ideas of the Platonist and the teachings -of the learned Jew, Isaac Arbanel, who -maintained that before the soul can be -loosed from the fetters of the flesh it must -lie some months with it in the grave, may<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_7"></a>[7]</span> -have influenced the belief and assisted its -development. Vampirism found a place -in Babylonian belief and in the folk-lore -and traditions of many countries of the Near -East. The belief was quite common in -Arabia, although there is no trace of it -there in pre-Christian times. The earliest -references to vampires are found in Chaldean -and Assyrian tablets. Later, the pagan -Romans gave their adherence to the belief -that the dead bodies of certain people could -be allured from their graves by sorcerers, -unless the bodies had actually undergone -decomposition, and that the only means of -effectually preventing such “resurrections” -was by cremating the remains. In Grecian -lore there are many wonderful stories of the -dead rising from their graves and feasting -upon the blood of the young and beautiful. -From Greece and Rome the superstition -spread throughout Austria, Hungary, Lorraine, -Poland, Roumania, Iceland, and even -to the British Isles, reaching its height in -the period from 1723 to 1735, when a -vampire fever or epidemic broke out in -the south-east of Europe, particularly in -Hungary and Servia. The belief in vampires -even spread to Africa, where the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_8"></a>[8]</span> -Kaffirs held that bad men alone live a second -time and try to kill the living by night. -According to a local superstition of the -Lesbians, the unquiet ghost of the Virgin -Gello used to haunt their island, and was -supposed to cause the deaths of young -children.</p> - -<p>Various devices have been resorted to -in different countries at the time of burial, -in the belief that the dead could thus be -prevented from returning to earth-life. In -some instances, <i>e.g.</i> among the Wallachians, -a long nail was driven through the skull -of the corpse, and the thorny stem of a wild -rose-bush laid upon the body, in order that -its shroud might become entangled with it, -should it attempt to rise. The Kroats and -Slavonians burned the straw upon which -the suspected body lay. They then locked -up all the cats and dogs, for if these animals -stepped over the corpse it would assuredly -return as a vampire and suck the blood of -the village folk. Many held that to drive -a white thorn stake through the dead body -rendered the vampire harmless, and the -peasants of Bukowina still retain the practice -of driving an ash stake through the -breasts of suicides and supposed vampires—a<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_9"></a>[9]</span> -practice common in England, so far as -suicides were concerned, until 1823, when -there was passed “An Act to alter and -amend the law relating to the interment of -the remains of any person found <i>felo de se</i>,” -in which it was enacted that the coroner or -other officer “shall give directions for the -private interment of the remains of such -person <i>felo de se</i> without any stake being -driven through the body of such person.” -It was also ordained that the burial was only -to take place between nine and twelve -o’clock at night.</p> - -<p>The driving of a stake through the body -does not seem to have had always the -desired effect. De Schartz, in his <i>Magia -Postuma</i>, published at Olmutz in 1706, -tells of a shepherd in the village of Blow, -near Kadam, in Bohemia, who made several -appearances after his death and called -certain persons, who never failed to die -within eight days of such call. The peasants -of Blow took up the body and fixed it to -the ground by means of a stake driven -through the corpse. The man, when in -that condition, told them that they were -very good to give him a stick with which -he could defend himself against the dogs<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_10"></a>[10]</span> -which worried him. Notwithstanding the -stake, he got up again that same night, -alarmed many people, and, presumably -out of revenge, strangled more people in that -one night than he had ever done on a single -occasion before. It was decided to hand -over his body to the public executioner, -who was ordered to see that the remains -were burned outside the village. When -the executioner and his assistants attempted -to move the corpse for that purpose, it -howled like a madman, and moved its feet -and hands as though it were alive. They -then pierced the body through with stakes, -but he again uttered loud cries and a great -quantity of bright vermilion blood flowed -from him. The cremation, however, put -an end to the apparition and haunting of -the spectre. De Schartz says that the -only remedy for these apparitions is to cut -off the heads and burn the bodies of those -who come back to haunt their former -abodes. It was, however, customary to -hold a public inquiry and examination of -witnesses before proceeding to the burning -of a body, and if, upon examination of -the body, it was found that the corpse had -begun to decompose, that the limbs were<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_11"></a>[11]</span> -not supple and mobile, and the blood not -fluidic, then burning was not commanded. -Even in the case of suspected persons an -interval of six to seven weeks was always -allowed to lapse before the grave was opened -in order to ascertain whether the flesh had -decayed and the limbs lost their suppleness -and mobility. A Strigon or Indian vampire, -who was transfixed with a sharp thorn -cudgel, near Larbach, in 1672, pulled it -out of his body and flung it back contemptuously.</p> - -<p>Bartholin, in <i>de Causa contemptûs mortis</i>, -tells the story of a man, named Harpye, -who ordered his wife to bury him exactly -at the kitchen door, in order that he might -see what went on in the house. The -woman executed her commission, and soon -after his death he appeared to several -people in the neighbourhood, killed people -while they were engaged in their occupations, -and played so many mischievous -pranks that the inhabitants began to move -away from the village. At last a man named -Olaus Pa took courage and ran at the spectre -with a lance, which he drove into the -apparition. The spectre instantly vanished, -taking the spear with it. Next morning<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_12"></a>[12]</span> -Olaus had the grave of Harpye opened, -when he found the lance in the dead body, -which had not become corrupted. The -corpse was then taken from the grave, -burned, and the ashes thrown into the sea, -and the spectre did not afterwards trouble -the inhabitants.</p> - -<p>To cross the arms of the corpse, or to -place a cross or crucifix upon the grave, -or to bury a suspected corpse at the junction -of four cross-roads, was, in some parts, -regarded as an efficacious preventive of -vampirism. It will be remembered that -it was at one time the practice in England -to bury suicides at the four cross-roads. -If a vampire should make its appearance, -it could be prevented from ever -appearing again by forcing it to take the -oath not to do so, if the words “by my -winding-sheet” were incorporated in the -oath.</p> - -<p>One charm employed by the Wallachians -to prevent a person becoming a vampire -was to rub the body in certain parts with -the lard of a pig killed on St Ignatius’s -Day.</p> - -<p>In Poland and Russia, vampires make -their appearance from noon to midnight<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_13"></a>[13]</span> -instead of between nightfall and dawn, the -rule that generally prevails. They come -and suck the blood of living men and -animals in such abundance that sometimes -it flows from them at the nose and -ears, and occasionally in such profusion -that the corpse swims in the blood thus -oozing from it as it lies in the coffin. One -may become immune from the attacks of -vampires by mixing this blood with flour -and making bread from the mixture, a -portion of which must be eaten; otherwise -the charm will not work. The Californians -held that the mere breaking of -the spine of the corpse was sufficient to -prevent its return as a vampire. Sometimes -heavy stones were piled on the grave -to keep the ghost within, a practice to -which Frazer traces the origin of funeral -cairns and tombstones. Two resolutions -of the Sorbonne, passed between 1700 and -1710, prohibited the cutting off of the heads -and the maiming of the bodies of persons -supposed to be vampires.</p> - -<p>In the German folk-tale known as -<i>Faithful John</i>, the statue said to the king: -“If you, with your own hand, cut off the -heads of both your children and sprinkle<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_14"></a>[14]</span> -me with their blood, I shall be brought to -life again.” According to primitive ideas, -blood is life, and to receive blood is to -receive life: the soul of the dead wants -to live, and, consequently, loves blood. -The shades in Hades are eager to drink the -blood of Odysseus’s sacrifice, that their -life may be renewed for a time. It is of -the greatest importance that the soul should -get what it desires, as, if not satisfied, it -might come and attack the living. It is -possible that the bodily mutilations which -to this day accompany funerals among -some peoples have their origin in the belief -that the departed spirit is refreshed by the -blood thus spilt. The Samoans called it -an “offering of blood” for the dead when -the mourners beat their heads till the -blood ran.</p> - -<p>The Australian native sorcerers are said -to acquire their magical influence by eating -human flesh, but this is done once only in -a lifetime. According to Nider’s <i>Formicarius</i>, -part of the ceremony of initiation -into wizardry and witchcraft consisted in -drinking in a church, before the commencement -of Mass, from a flask filled with blood -taken from the corpses of murdered infants.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_15"></a>[15]</span></p> - -<p>The methods employed for the detection -of vampires have varied according to the -countries in which the belief in their existence -was maintained. In some places it -was held that, if there were discovered in -a grave two or three or more holes about -the size of a man’s finger, it would almost -certainly follow that a body with all the -marks of vampirism would be discovered -within the grave. The Wallachians employed -a rather elaborate method of divination. -They were in the habit of choosing -a boy young enough to make it certain -that he was innocent of any impurity. -He was then placed on an absolutely black -and unmutilated horse which had never -stumbled. The horse was then made to -ride about the cemetery and pass over all -the graves. If the horse refused to pass -over any grave, even in spite of repeated -blows, that grave was believed to shelter a -vampire. Their records state that when -such a grave was opened it was generally -found to contain a corpse as fat and handsome -as that of a full-blooded man quietly -sleeping. The finest vermilion blood would -flow from the throat when cut, and this -was held to be the blood he had sucked<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_16"></a>[16]</span> -from the veins of living people. It is said -that the attacks of the vampire generally -ceased on this being done.</p> - -<p>In the town of Perlepe, between Monastru -and Kiuprili, there existed the extraordinary -phenomenon of a number of families who -were regarded as being the offspring of -<i>vrykolakas</i>, and as possessing the power of -laying the wandering spirits to which they -were related. They are said to have kept -their art very dark and to have practised -it in secret, but their fame was so widely -spread that persons in need of such deliverance -were accustomed to send for them -from other cities. In ordinary life and -intercourse they were avoided by all the -inhabitants.</p> - -<p>Although some writers have contended -that no vampire has yet been caught in -the act of vampirism, and that, as no -museum of natural history has secured a -specimen, the whole of the stories concerning -vampires may be regarded as mythical, -others have held firmly to a belief in their -existence and inimical power. Dr Pierart, -in <i>La Revue Spiritualiste</i> (vol. iv. p. 104), -wrote: “After a crowd of facts of vampirism -so often proved, shall we say that<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_17"></a>[17]</span> -there are no more to be had, and that these -never had a foundation? Nothing comes -of nothing. Every belief, every custom, -springs from facts and causes which give -it birth. If one had never seen appear -in the bosom of their families, in various -countries, beings clothed in the appearance -of departed ones known to them, sucking -the blood of one or more persons, and if -the deaths of the victims had not followed -after such apparitions, the disinterment of -corpses would not have taken place, and -there would never have been the attestation -of the otherwise incredible fact -of persons buried for several years being -found with the body soft and flexible, the -eyes wide open, the complexion rosy, the -mouth and nose full of blood, and the blood -flowing fully when the body was struck or -wounded or the head cut off.”</p> - -<p>Bishop d’Avranches Huet wrote: “I -will not examine whether the facts of -vampirism, which are constantly being -reported, are true, or the fruit of a -popular error; but it is beyond doubt -that they are testified to by so many -able and trustworthy authors, and by -so many <i>eye-witnesses</i>, that no one ought<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_18"></a>[18]</span> -to decide the question without a good deal -of caution.”</p> - -<p>Dr Pierart gave the following explanation -of their existence: “Poor, dead -cataleptics, buried as if really dead in cold -and dry spots where morbid causes are incapable -of effecting the destruction of their -bodies, the astral spirit, enveloping itself -with a fluidic ethereal body, is prompted -to quit the precincts of its tomb and to -exercise on living bodies acts peculiar to -physical life, especially that of nutrition, -the result of which, by a mysterious link -between soul and body which spiritualistic -science will some day explain, is forwarded -to the material body lying still within its -tomb, and the latter is thus helped to perpetuate -its vital existence.”</p> - -<p>Apart from the spectre vampire there is, -of course, the vampire bat in the world -of natural history, which is said to suck -blood from a sleeping person, insinuating -its tongue into a vein, but without inflicting -pain. Captain Steadman, during his -expedition to Surinam, awoke early one -morning and was alarmed to find his -hammock steeped almost through and himself -weltering in blood, although he was<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_19"></a>[19]</span> -without pain. It was discovered that he -had been bitten by a vampire bat. Pennant -says that in some parts of America they -destroyed all the cattle introduced by the -missionaries.</p> - -<hr /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_20"></a>[20]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II<br /> -<span class="smaller">EXCOMMUNICATION AND ITS POWER</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p>The Greek Church at one time taught that -the bodies of persons upon whom the ban -of excommunication had been passed did -not undergo decomposition after death -until such sentence had been revoked by -the pronouncement of absolution over the -remains, and that, while the bodies remained -in this uncorrupted condition, the -spirits of the individuals wandered up and -down the earth seeking sustenance from -the blood of the living. The non-corruption -of a body, however, was also held to -be one of the proofs of sanctity; but, in -this case, the body preserved its natural -colour and gave an agreeable odour, whereas -the bodies of the excommunicated generally -turned black, swelled out like a drum, -and emitted an offensive smell. Very frequently, -however, when the graves of<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_21"></a>[21]</span> -suspected vampires were opened, the faces -were found to be of ruddy complexion -and the veins distended with blood, which, -when opened with a lancet, yielded a supply -of blood as plentiful, fresh, and free as that -found in the veins of young and healthy -living human beings. For many centuries -in the history of Greek Christianity there -was scarcely a village that had not its own -local vampire stories which were related by -the inhabitants and vouched for by them -as having either occurred within their own -knowledge or been related to them by their -parents or relatives as having come within -their personal observation or been verified -by them.</p> - -<p>The bodies of murderers and suicides -were also held to be exempt from the law -of dissolution of the mortal remains until -the Church granted release from the curse -entailed upon them by such act. The -priests, by this assumption of power over -the body as well as over the soul, made -profitable use of this superstitious belief -by preying upon the fears and credulity -of the living. They also included in this -ecclesiastical law of exemption from corruption -after death those who in their lives<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_22"></a>[22]</span> -had been guilty of heinous sins, those who -had tampered with the magic arts, and all -who had been cursed during life by their -parents. These were all said to become -vampires. This belief spread to other -branches of the Christian Church, and the -story is related that St Libentius, Archbishop -of Bremen, who died 4th January -1013, once excommunicated a gang of -pirates, one of whom died shortly afterwards -and was buried in Norway. Seventy -years afterwards his body was found quite -entire and uncorrupted, nor did it fall to -ashes until it had received absolution from -the Bishop Alvareda.</p> - -<p>Leo Allatius, a Roman Catholic, describes -a corpse which he found in an undecomposed -condition. He implies that -the Greeks connected the circumstance -with the power invested in them by the -text: “Whatsoever thou shalt bind on -earth shall be bound in heaven,” and by -which they hold that the soul is excluded -from all hope of participation in future -bliss so long as the body remains undecomposed. -Poqueville, another writer, also -states that whenever a bishop or priest -excommunicated a person he added to the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_23"></a>[23]</span> -general sentence of excommunication the -words: “After death, let not thy body -have power to dissolve.”</p> - -<p>A manuscript was discovered many years -ago in the Church of St Sophia at Thessalonica, -which is an interesting commentary -upon the power claimed by the Church -over excommunicated bodies. The manuscript -states that:</p> - -<p>(1) Whoever has been laid under any curse -or received any injunction from his deceased -parents that he has not fulfilled, after his -death the forepart of his body remains entire;</p> - -<p>(2) Whoever has been the object of any -anathema appears yellow after death, and -the fingers are shrivelled;</p> - -<p>(3) Whoever appears white has been excommunicated -by the divine laws;</p> - -<p>(4) Whoever appears black has been excommunicated -by a bishop.</p> - -<p>It was held possible to discover, by -means of these signs, the crime for which, -as well as the person on whom, the judgment -had been pronounced. One horrible -result of this ghastly superstition was the -custom which was at one time prevalent -among the Greeks of Salonica, as well as -the Bulgarians in the centre of European<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_24"></a>[24]</span> -Turkey, and other nations, of disinterring -indiscriminately the bodies of the dead -after they had been buried for twelve -months, in order to ascertain from the condition -of the remains whether the souls -were in heaven or hell, or perambulating -the neighbourhood as vampires.</p> - -<p>This assumed ecclesiastical power acted -occasionally, however, injuriously on the -clergy themselves. There is on record one -instance where a priest was killed in revenge -for the death of a man whose illness was -attributed to the sentence of excommunication -that had been passed upon him. On -another occasion a bishop of some diocese -in Morea was robbed by a band of brigands -as he was passing through a portion of the -Maniate territory. When the deed was -done the mountaineers bethought themselves -that the bishop would, in all probability, -excommunicate them as soon as -he reached a place of safety. They saw no -means of averting this, to them, dreadful -calamity, except by the committal of a -further and more heinous crime; and so -they set out in pursuit of the unfortunate -bishop, whom they eventually overtook and -murdered.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_25"></a>[25]</span></p> - -<p>Many years ago a Greek of Keramia -complained to the Pasha of Khania that the -papás of his village had excommunicated -him and so been the indirect cause of his -having been bewitched. The Pasha sent -for the priest, threw him into prison, and -only released him upon payment of a fine -of 300 piastres.</p> - -<p>During a local war a native of Theriso -was taken ill: the cry went up: “It is an -aphorismos.” The papás was accused, reviled, -and threatened with murder unless -the curse was removed; but the man -continued to get worse, and eventually -died. So firm was the belief of everyone -in the neighbourhood that the ban had -caused the man’s death that some of his -companions regarded it as a duty to avenge -his fate, and, in consequence, they sought -out the priest and shot him.</p> - -<p>At the beginning of the nineteenth century -the Metropolitan of Larissa was informed -that a papás had disinterred two bodies -and thrown them into the Haliæmon on -pretence of their being vrukólakas. Upon -being summoned before the bishop the priest -admitted the truth of the accusation, and -justified his act by saying that a report had<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_26"></a>[26]</span> -been current that a large animal, accompanied -with flames, had been seen to issue -from the grave in which these two bodies -had been buried. The bishop fined the -priest 250 piastres, and sent a proclamation -throughout the diocese that, in future, -similar offences would be punished with -double that fine and be accompanied with -loss of position.</p> - -<p>Martin Crusius tells the following curious -story. There were about the court of -Mahomet II. a number of men learned in -Greek and Arabic literature, who had investigated -a variety of points connected -with the Christian faith. They informed -the Sultan that the bodies of persons -excommunicated by the Greek clergy did -not decompose, and when he inquired -whether the effect of absolution was to -dissolve them, he was answered in the -affirmative. Upon this, he sent orders to -Maximus, the Patriarch of that period, to -produce a case by which the truth of the -statement might be tested. The Patriarch -convened his clergy in great trepidation, -and after long deliberation they ascertained -that a woman had been excommunicated -by the previous Patriarch for the commission<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_27"></a>[27]</span> -of grievous sins. They ascertained the -whereabouts of her grave, and when they -had opened it they found that the corpse -was entire, but swollen out like a drum. -When the news of this reached the Sultan, -he despatched some of his officers to possess -themselves of the body, which they did, -and deposited it in a safe place. On an -appointed day the liturgy was said over -it and the Patriarch recited the absolution -in the presence of the officials. As this was -being done—wonderful to relate!—the bones -were heard to rattle as they fell apart in the -coffin, and at the same time, the narrator -adds, the woman’s soul was also freed from -the punishment to which it had been condemned. -The courtiers at once ran and -informed the Sultan, who was astonished at -the miracle, and exclaimed: “Of a surety -the Christian religion is true.” Calmet -also relates this story, and adds that the -body was found to be entirely black and -much swollen; that it was placed in a -chest under the Emperor’s seal, which chest -was not opened until three days after the -absolution had been pronounced, when the -body was seen to be reduced to ashes.</p> - -<p>During the long war between the Christians<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_28"></a>[28]</span> -and Mohammedans in the island of -Crete, it became a matter of astonishment -that ravages caused by vampires were no -longer the subject of conversation. “How -can it be, when the number of deaths is so -great, that none of those that die become -katakhanás?” was the question asked, -to be met with the answer: “No one ever -becomes a katakhaná if he dies in time -of war.”</p> - -<p>Leo Allatius also relates that he was told -by Athanasius, Metropolitan of Imbros, -that, on one occasion, being earnestly -entreated to pronounce the absolution over -a number of corpses that had long remained -undecomposed, he consented to do so, and -before the recitation was concluded they all -fell away into ashes.</p> - -<p>Rycaut relates a similar occurrence, to -which he appends the following remark: -“This story I should not have judged -worth relating, but that I heard it from the -mouth of a grave person who says that his -own eyes were witnesses thereof.”</p> - -<p>The Hydhræans (or Hydhrioks) say there -used to be a great number of vampires in -Hydhra, and that their present freedom -is to be attributed solely to the exertions<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_29"></a>[29]</span> -of their bishop, who banished them all to -Santoréhe, where, on the desert isle, they -now exist in great numbers, wandering -about, rolling stones down the slope towards -the sea, “as may be heard by anyone who -passes near, in a kaík, during the night.”</p> - -<p>At the second Council of Limoges, held in -1031, the Bishop of Cahors made the following -statement: “A knight of my diocese -being killed in a state of excommunication, -I refused to comply with the request -of his friends, who solicited me earnestly -to give him absolution. My resolution -was to make an example of him, in order to -strike terror into others. Notwithstanding -this, he was buried in a church dedicated to -St Peter by some soldiers or knights without -any ecclesiastical ceremony, without any -leave, and without the assistance of any -priest. The next morning his body was -found out of the grave, perfectly entire, and -without any token of its having been -touched. The soldiers who buried him -opened the grave and found nothing but -the linen which had been wrapped about -his body. They then buried him afresh -and covered the grave with an enormous -quantity of earth and stones. The next<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_30"></a>[30]</span> -day the corpse was found out of the grave -again, and there were no symptoms of anyone -having been at work. The same thing -was repeated five times, and at last they -buried him in unconsecrated ground, at a -distance from the churchyard, when no -further incident occurred.”</p> - -<p>Rycaut states that the following story -was related to him with many asseverations -of truth by a grave <i>Candive Kalois</i> called -Sofronio, a preacher, and a person of no -mean repute and learning at Smyrna.</p> - -<p>“I knew,” he said, “a certain person -who, for some misdemeanours committed -in the Morea, fled over to the Isle of Milo, -where, though he escaped the hand of -justice, he could not avoid the sentence -of excommunication, from which he could -no more fly than from the conviction of -his own conscience, or the guilt which ever -attended him; for the fatal hour of his -death being come, and the sentence of the -Church not revoked, the body was carelessly -and without solemnity interred in some -retired and unfrequented place. In the -meantime the relatives of the deceased -were much afflicted and anxious for the -sad estate of their dead friend, whilst the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_31"></a>[31]</span> -peasants and islanders were every night -affrighted and disturbed with strange and -unusual apparitions, which they immediately -concluded arose from the grave of the -accursed excommunicant, which, according -to their custom, they immediately opened, -when they found the body uncorrupted, -ruddy, and the veins replete with blood. -The coffin was furnished with grapes, -apples, and nuts, and such fruits as the -season afforded. Whereupon, consultation -being taken, the Kaloires resolved to make -use of the common remedy in those cases, -which was to cut and dismember the body -into several parts and to boil it in wine, as -the approved means of dislodging the evil -spirit and disposing the body to a dissolution. -But the friends of the deceased, -being willing and desirous that the corpse -should rest in peace and some ease given -to the departed soul, obtained a reprieve -from the clergy, and hoped that for a sum -of money (they being persons of a competent -estate) a release might be purchased from -the excommunication under the hand of -the Patriarch. In this manner the corpse -was for a little while freed from dissection, -and letters thereupon sent to Constantinople<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_32"></a>[32]</span> -with this direction, That in case -the Patriarch should condescend to take -off the excommunication, that the day, -hour, and minute that he signed the remission -should be inserted in the document. -And now the corpse was taken into the -church (the country people not being willing -it should remain in the field), and prayers -and masses were daily said for its dissolution -and the pardon of the offender; when one -day, after many prayers, supplications, and -offerings (as this Sofrino attested to me -with many protestations), and whilst he -himself was heard performing divine service, -on a sudden was heard a rumbling noise in -the coffin of the dead party, to the fear and -astonishment of all persons then present; -which when they had opened they found the -body consumed and dissolved as far into -its first principles of earth as if it had -been several years interred. The hour and -minute of this dissolution was immediately -noted and precisely observed, which being -compared with the date of the Patriarch’s -release when it was signed at Constantinople, -it was found exactly to agree with that -moment in which the body returned to its -ashes.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_33"></a>[33]</span></p> - -<p>In most countries the vampire was regarded -as a night-wanderer, but resting in -its grave on Friday night, so that the ceremony -of absolution had to be performed on -that night or during Saturday, because, if -the spirit was out on its rambles when the -ceremony took place, it was unavailing.</p> - -<p>The Sfakians generally believe that the -ravages committed by these night-wanderers -used in former times to be far more -frequent than they are at the present day, -and that they have become comparatively -rare solely in consequence of the increased -zeal and skill possessed by members of the -sacerdotal order.</p> - -<p>Tournefort relates an entertaining story -of a vampire that woefully annoyed the -inhabitants of Myconi. Prayers, processions, -stabbing with swords, sprinklings of -holy water, and even pouring the latter -in large quantities down the throat of the -refractory <i>vroucolaca</i> were all tried in vain. -An Albanian who chanced to be at Myconi -objected to two of these remedies. It was -no wonder the devil continued in, he said, -for how could he possibly come through the -holy water? And as to swords, they -were equally effectual in preventing his<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_34"></a>[34]</span> -exit, for their handles being crosses, he was -so much terrified that he dare not pass -them. To obviate the latter objection, he -recommended that Turkish scymetars -should be used. The scymetars were -accordingly put in requisition, but the pertinacious -devil still retained his hold of the -corpse and played his pranks with as much -vigour as ever. At length, when all the -respectable inhabitants were packing up to -take flight to Syra or Tinos, an effectual -method of ousting the <i>vroucolaca</i> was -fortunately suggested. The body was committed -to the flames on January 1st, 1701, -and the spirit being thus forcibly ejected -from its abode, was rendered incapable of -doing further mischief.</p> - -<p>There is a story told of St Stanislaus -raising to life a man who had been dead for -three years, whom he called to life in order -that he might give evidence on the saint’s -behalf in a court of justice. After having -given his evidence, the resuscitated man -returned quietly to his grave.</p> - -<hr /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_35"></a>[35]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III<br /> -<span class="smaller">THE VAMPIRE IN BABYLONIA, ASSYRIA, AND GREECE</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p>The belief in the vampire and ghoul was prevalent -even in Babylon and Assyria, where it -was maintained that the dead could appear -again upon earth and seek sustenance -from the living. The belief is, in all probability, -linked up with the almost universal -theory that transfused blood is necessary -for revivification. Baths of human blood -were anciently prescribed as a possible -remedy for leprosy.</p> - -<p>Mr R. Campbell Thompson, in his work -<i>The Devils and Evil Spirits of Babylonia</i>, -states that the <i>Ekimmu</i> or departed spirit -was the soul of the dead person unable to -rest, which wandered as a spectre over the -earth. “If it found a luckless man who -had wandered far from his fellows into -haunted places, it fastened upon him,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_36"></a>[36]</span> -plaguing and tormenting him until such -time as a priest should drive it away with -exorcisms.”</p> - -<p>Mr Thompson also gives the translation of -the following two tablets, which, it will be -seen, contain references to this belief:—</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent8">The gods which seize (upon man)</div> - <div class="verse indent10">Have come forth from the grave;</div> - <div class="verse indent8">The evil wind-gusts</div> - <div class="verse indent10">Have come forth from the grave.</div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">To demand the payment of rites and the pouring out of libations,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">They have come forth from the grave;</div> - <div class="verse indent0">All that is evil in their hosts, like a whirlwind,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Hath come forth from the grave.</div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">The evil Spirit, the evil Demon, the evil Ghost, the evil Devil,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">From the earth have come forth;</div> - <div class="verse indent0">From the underworld unto the land they have come forth;</div> - <div class="verse indent0">In heaven they are unknown,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">On earth they are not understood.</div> - <div class="verse indent0">They neither stand nor sit</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Nor eat nor drink.</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse center"><span class="smcap">Incantation</span></div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">Spirits that minish heaven and earth,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">That minish the land,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Spirits that minish the land,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Of giant strength,</div><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_37"></a>[37]</span> - <div class="verse indent0">Of giant strength and giant tread,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Demons (like) raging bulls, great ghosts,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Ghosts that break through all houses,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Demons that have no shame,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Seven are they!</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Knowing no care,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">They grind the land like corn;</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Knowing no mercy,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">They rage against mankind:</div> - <div class="verse indent0">They spill their blood like rain,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Devouring their flesh (and) sucking their veins.</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Where the images of the gods are, there they quake</div> - <div class="verse indent0">In the temple of Nabu, who fertiliseth the shoots of wheat.</div> - <div class="verse indent0">They are demons full of violence</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Ceaselessly devouring blood.</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Invoke the ban against them,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">That they no more return to this neighbourhood.</div> - <div class="verse indent0">By Heaven be ye exorcised! By Earth be ye exorcised!</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>Greek Christianity, as already stated, -has been credited by many with the origin -of the vampire belief, but this contention -is hardly borne out by facts. The belief -was undoubtedly developed greatly under -the influence of the Greek Church, and -utilised by the Greek priests as an additional -power which they possessed over the -people. It did not become prominent in -Greece until after the establishment of -Christianity, and there are many remarkable<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_38"></a>[38]</span> -stories told of vampire apparitions among -the Slavonic races bordering on Greece, as -well as among the Arabians. In later -times, Father Richard, a French Jesuit of -the seventeenth century, went as a missionary -to the Archipelago, and has left an -account of the islands of Santerini in which -he discourses at length upon the <i>bucolacs</i> -or vampires of that district.</p> - -<p>Some Greeks believe that the spectre -which appears is not really the soul of the -deceased, but an evil spirit which enters -his body after the soul of the owner has -been withdrawn. Thus Leo Allatius, in -describing the belief, says: “The corpse -is entered by a demon which is the source -of ruin to unhappy men. For frequently -emerging from the tomb in the form of that -body and roaming about the city and other -inhabited places, especially by night it -betakes itself to any house it fancies, and, -after knocking at the door, addresses one of -the inmates in a loud tone. If the person -answers he is done for: two days after that -he dies. If he does not answer he is safe. -In consequence of this, all the people in -Chios, if anyone calls to them by night, -never reply the first time; for if a second<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_39"></a>[39]</span> -call is given they know that it does not -proceed from the <i>vrykolaka</i> but from someone -else.”</p> - -<p>In the <i>Menées des Grecs</i> it is recorded that -an ecclesiastic of Scheti, being excommunicated -by his superior for some act of disobedience, -quitted the desert and came to -Alexandria, where he was apprehended by -the governor of the city, stripped of his -religious habit, and strongly solicited to -sacrifice to the idols of the place. The man -bravely resisted the temptation, and was -tortured in several ways, till at last they -cut off his head, and threw his body out of -the city to be devoured by dogs. The next -night it was carried away by the Christians, -who, having embalmed it and wrapped it -up in fine linen, interred it in an honourable -part of the church with all the respect due -to the remains of a martyr. But at the -next celebration of the Mass, upon the -deacons crying out aloud as usual, “Let -the catechumens and all who do not communicate -retire,” his grave instantly opened -and the martyr retired into the church -porch. When Mass was over he came again -of his own accord into the grave. Not -long afterwards it was revealed by an angel<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_40"></a>[40]</span> -to a holy person, who had continued three -days in prayer, that the deceased ecclesiastic -had been excommunicated by his -superior, and would continue bound till that -same superior had reversed the sentence. -Upon this a messenger was despatched to -the desert after the holy anchorite, who -ordered the grave to be opened and absolved -the deceased, who, after this, continued in his -grave in peace.</p> - -<p>Pitton de Tournefort, in his <i>Voyage into -the Levant</i>, gives the following interesting -account: “We were present at a very -different scene and one very barbarous at -Myconi. The man, whose story we are -going to relate, was a peasant of Myconi, -naturally ill-natured and quarrelsome; this -is a circumstance to be taken notice of -in such a case: he was murdered in the -fields, nobody knew how or by whom. -Two days after his being buried in a chapel -in the town it was noised about that he was -seen to walk about in the night with great -haste, that he tumbled about other people’s -goods, put out their lamps, gripped them -behind, and played a dozen other monkey -tricks. At first the story was received with -laughter, but the thing was looked upon<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_41"></a>[41]</span> -seriously when the better sort of people -began to complain of it: the papás themselves -gave credit to the fact, and no doubt -had their reasons for so doing; masses -were duly said; but for all this the -peasant drove his old trade and heeded -nothing they could do. After divers meetings -of the chief people of the city, of priests -and monks, it was gravely concluded that -it was necessary in consequence of some -musty ceremonial to wait till the ninth day -after the interment should be expired.</p> - -<p>“On the tenth day they said one Mass -in the chapel where the body was laid in -order to drive out the demon which they -imagined was got into it. After Mass they -took up his body and got everything ready -for blowing out his heart.... The corpse -stunk so abominably that they were obliged -to burn frankincense, but the smoke mixing -with the exhalations from the carcase -increased the stench; every person averred -that the blood of the corpse was extremely -red. The butcher swore that the body was -still warm....”</p> - -<p>Pitton concludes the story by ridiculing -the theory that this was the body of a vampire -or <i>vroucolaca</i>.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_42"></a>[42]</span></p> - -<p>The practice of burning the body of a -suspected or proved vampire does not -appear to have found general favour in -Greece, doubtless by reason of the fact -that the Greeks possessed a religious horror -of burning a body on which holy oil had -been poured by the priest when performing -the last rites upon the dying man.</p> - -<p>Leake, whose <i>Travels in Northern Greece</i> -were published in 1835, says in the fourth -volume of that work: “It would be -difficult now to meet with an example of -the most barbarous of all these superstitions, -the Vrukólaka. The name being -Illyric, seems to acquit the Greeks of the -invention, which was probably introduced -into the country by the barbarians of -Sclavonic race. Tournefort’s description is -admitted to be correct. The Devil is supposed -to enter the Vrukólaka, who, rising -from his grave, torments first his nearest -relatives and then others, causing their -death or loss of health. The remedy is to -dig up the body and if, after it has been -exorcised by the priest, the demon still -persists in annoying the living, to cut -it into small pieces, or, if that be not -sufficient, to burn it.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_43"></a>[43]</span></p> - -<p>In Crete the belief in vampires—or -katalkanás, as the Cretans call them—and -their existence and ill-deeds forms a -general article of popular belief throughout -the island, but is particularly -strong in the mountains, and if anyone -ventures to doubt it, undeniable -facts are brought forward to silence the -incredulous.</p> - -<p>One of the stories told by the Cretans is -as follows: “Once upon a time the village -of Kalikráti, in the district of Sfakia, was -haunted by a Katakhanás, and the people -did not know what man he was or from what -part he came. This Katakhanás destroyed -both children and full-grown men, and -desolated both that village and many others. -They had buried him at the church of -St George at Kalikráti, and in those times -he was regarded as a man of note, and they -had built an arch over his grave. Now a -certain shepherd, believed to be his mutual -Sýnteknos,<a id="FNanchor_1" href="#Footnote_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> was tending his sheep and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_44"></a>[44]</span> -goats near the church, and, on being caught -in a shower, he went to the sepulchre that he -might be protected from the rain. Afterwards -he determined to sleep and pass the -night there, and, after taking off his arms, he -placed them by the stone which served him -as his pillow, crosswise. And people might -say that it was on this account that the -Katakhanás was not permitted to leave -his tomb. During the night, then, as he -wished to go out again, that he might -destroy men, he said to the shepherd: -‘Gossip, get up hence, for I have some -business that requires me to come out.’ -The shepherd answered him not, either the -first time, or the second, or the third; -further, he knew that the man had become -a Katakhanás, and that it was he who had -done all those evil deeds. On this account -he said to him on the fourth time of his -speaking: ‘I shall not get up hence, -gossip, for I fear you are no better than you -should be and may do me some mischief; -but if I must get up, swear to me by your -winding-sheet that you will not hurt me, -and on that I will get up.’ And he did not -pronounce the proposed words, but said -other things; nevertheless, when the shepherd<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_45"></a>[45]</span> -did not suffer him to get up, he swore to -him as he wished. On this he got up, and, -taking his arms, removed them away from -the monument, and the Katakhanás came -forth, and, after greeting the shepherd, said -to him: ‘Gossip, you must not go away, but -sit down here; for I have some business -which I must go after; but I shall return -within the hour, for I have something -to say to you.’ So the shepherd waited -for him.</p> - -<p>“And the Katakhanás went a distance of -about ten miles, where there was a couple recently -married, and he destroyed them. On -his return the gossip saw that he was carrying -some liver, his hands being moistened -with blood; and, as he carried it, he blew -into it, just as the butcher does, to increase -the size of the liver. And he showed his -gossip that it was cooked, as if it had been -done on the fire. After this he said: -‘Let us sit down, gossip, that we may -eat.’ And the shepherd pretended to eat -it, but only swallowed dry bread, and kept -dropping the liver into his bosom. Therefore, -when the hour for their separation -arrived, the Katakhanás said to the shepherd: -‘Gossip, this which you have seen,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_46"></a>[46]</span> -you must not mention, for if you do, my -twenty nails will be fixed in your children -and yourself.’ Yet the shepherd lost no -time, but gave information to the priests -and others, and they went to the tomb, -and there they found the Katakhanás, just -as he had been buried. And all people -became satisfied that it was he who had -done all the evil deeds. On this account -they collected a great deal of wood, and they -cast him on it, and burnt him. His gossip -was not present, but when the Katakhanás -was already half-consumed, he, too, came -forward in order that he might enjoy the -ceremony. And the Katakhanás cast, as -it were, a single spot of blood, and it fell on -his foot, which wasted away, as if it had -been roasted on a fire. On this account -they sifted even the ashes, and found the -little finger nail of the Katakhanás unburnt, -and burnt it too.”</p> - -<p>The 22nd formula of the <i>Cuneiform -Inscriptions of Western Asia</i>, published by -Sir Henry Rawlinson and Mr Edwin Norris -in 1866, reads:—</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">The phantom, child of heaven,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">which the gods remember,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">the <i>Innin</i> (kind of hobgoblin) prince</div><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_47"></a>[47]</span> - <div class="verse indent0">of the lords</div> - <div class="verse indent0">the ...</div> - <div class="verse indent0">which produces painful fever,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">the vampyre which attacks man,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">the <i>Uruku</i> multifold</div> - <div class="verse indent0">upon humanity,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">may they never seize him!</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<div class="footnotes"> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a id="Footnote_1" href="#FNanchor_1" class="label">[1]</a> That is, related to each other through god-parents. -In Crete, those whose god-parents were the same or -were connected by ties of kinship were regarded as -being in consanguineous relationship, and therefore -were unable to contract marriages with each other.</p> - -</div> - -</div> - -<hr /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_48"></a>[48]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV<br /> -<span class="smaller">VAMPIRISM IN GREAT AND GREATER BRITAIN</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p>William of Newbury, who flourished -about the middle of the twelfth century, -relates that in his time a man appeared -corporeally in the county of Buckingham -for three nights together, to his wife and, -afterwards, to his other relatives. The -way they took to defend themselves against -his frightful visits was to stay up all night -and make a noise when they observed that -he was coming. Upon this he appeared -to several people in broad day. Hereupon -the Bishop of Lincoln summoned his council, -and was informed that the thing was common -in England, and that the only way to -stop it which they knew of was to burn -the spectre. The bishop did not relish -this advice, as he thought the expedient -a cruel one; but he wrote out a form of<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_49"></a>[49]</span> -absolution on a scrap of paper and ordered -it to be laid on the body of the deceased, -which was found to be as fresh and entire -as if it had been dead only a day; and from -that time the apparition was no more heard -of. The author adds that these stories -would be thought incredible if several instances -of them had not happened in his -time, attested by persons of undoubted -credit.</p> - -<p>The same author mentions a similar -story, the <i>locale</i> of which was Berwick-on-Tweed, -where the body was cut in pieces -and burnt. Another vampire was burnt -at Melrose Abbey. It was that of a very -worldly priest who had been in his lifetime -so fond of hunting that he was commonly -called a <i>hundeprest</i>. A still more remarkable -case occurred at a castle in the north -of England, where the vampire so frightened -all the people that no one ever ventured -out of doors between sunset and sunrise. -The sons of one of his supposed victims at -length opened his grave and pierced his -body, from which a great quantity of blood -immediately flowed, which plainly proved -that a large number of persons had been -his victims.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_50"></a>[50]</span></p> - -<p>At Waterford, in Ireland, there is a little -graveyard under a ruined church near -Strongbow’s Tower. Legend has it that -underneath the ground at this spot there -lies a beautiful female vampire still ready -to kill those she can lure thither by her -beauty.</p> - -<p>A vampire story is also related concerning -an old Cumberland farmhouse, the -victim being a girl whose screams were -heard as she was bitten, and who only -escaped with her life by thus screaming. -In this case the monster was tracked to a -vault in the churchyard, where forty or -fifty coffins were found open, their contents -mutilated and scattered around. One -coffin only was untouched, and on the lid -being taken off the form was recognised as -being that of the apparition which had been -seen, and the body was accordingly burnt, -when the manifestations ceased.</p> - -<p>In vol. iii. of <i>Borderland</i> Dr Franz Hartmann -gave particulars of some vampire -cases which had come under his observation.</p> - -<p>“A young lady of G—— had an admirer, -who asked her in marriage; but as he was -a drunkard she refused and married another.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_51"></a>[51]</span> -Thereupon the lover shot himself, and -soon after that event a vampire, assuming -his form, visited her frequently at night, -especially when her husband was absent. -She could not see him, but felt his presence -in a way that could leave no room for doubt. -The medical faculty did not know what -to make of the case; they called it ‘hysterics,’ -and tried in vain every remedy -in the pharmacopœia, until she at last had -the spirit exorcised by a man of strong -faith.”</p> - -<p>Another case is that of a miller at D—— -who had a healthy servant boy, who soon -after entering his service began to fail in -health. He had a ravenous appetite, but -nevertheless grew daily more feeble. Being -interrogated, he at last confessed that a -thing which he could not see, but which -he could plainly feel, came to him every -night and sat upon his stomach, drawing -all the life out of him, so that he became -paralysed for the time being and could -neither move nor cry out. Thereupon the -miller agreed to share the bed with the boy, -and proposed to him that he should give -him a certain sign when the vampire -arrived. This was done, and when the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_52"></a>[52]</span> -sign was given the miller grasped the invisible -but very tangible substance that -rested upon the boy’s stomach, and although -it struggled to escape, he grasped it firmly -and threw it into the fire. After that the -boy recovered his health and there was no -repetition of the vampire’s visits.</p> - -<p>Dr Hartmann adds to this last account: -“Those who, like myself, have on innumerable -occasions removed astral tumours -and thereby cured physical tumours will -find the above not incredible nor inexplicable. -Moreover, the above accounts do not -refer to events of the past, but to persons -still living in this country.”</p> - -<p>The following account is taken from the -<i>Gentleman’s Magazine</i> of July 1851:—</p> - -<h3>“<i>Singular Instance of Superstition</i>, -<span class="allsmcap">A.D.</span> 1629</h3> - -<p>“The Case, or, rather, History of a Case -that happened in the County of Hereford -in the fourth Year of the Reign of King -Charles the First, which was taken from a -MS. of Serjeant Mainard, who writes thus:</p> - -<p>“‘I write the evidence which was given, -which I and many others heard, and I write -it exactly according to what was deposed<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_53"></a>[53]</span> -at the Trial at the Bar in the King’s Bench. -Johan Norkot, the wife of Arthur Norkot, -being murdered, the question arose how she -came by her death. The coroner’s inquest -on view of the body and deposition of Mary -Norkot, John Okeman and Agnes, his wife, -inclined to find Joan Norkot <i>felo de se</i>: for -they (<i>i.e.</i> the witnesses before mentioned) -informed the coroner and the jury that she -was found dead in the bed and her throat -cut, the knife sticking in the floor of the -room; that the night before she was so -found she went to bed with her child (now -plaintiff in this appeal), her husband being -absent, and that no other person after such -time as she was gone to bed came into the -house, the examinants lying in the outer -room, and they must needs have seen if -any stranger had come in. Whereupon the -jury gave up to the coroner their verdict -that she was <i>felo de se</i>. But afterwards -upon rumour in the neighbourhood, and the -observation of divers circumstances that -manifested she did not, nor according to -these circumstances, possibly could, murder -herself, thereupon the jury, whose verdict -was not drawn into form by the coroner, -desired the coroner that the body which<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_54"></a>[54]</span> -was buried might be taken up out of the -grave, which the coroner assented to, and -thirty days after her death she was taken -up, in the presence of the jury and a great -number of the people, whereupon the jury -changed their verdict. The persons being -tried at Hertford Assizes were acquitted, -but so much against the evidence that the -judge (Harvy) let fall his opinion that it -were better an appeal were brought than -so foul a murder should escape unpunished.</p> - -<p>“‘<i>Anno, paschæ termino, quarto Caroli</i>, -they were tried on the appeal which was -brought by the young child against his -father, the grandfather and aunt, and her -husband Okeman. And because the evidence -was so strange I took exact and particular -notes of it, which was as followeth, -of the matters above mentioned and related, -an ancient and grave person, the minister -of the parish where the fact was committed, -being sworn to give evidence according to -custom, deposed, that the body being taken -out of the grave thirty days after the -party’s death and lying on the grave and -the four defendants present, they were required -each of them to touch the dead body. -O.’s wife fell on her knees and prayed God<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_55"></a>[55]</span> -to show token of their innocency, or to -some such purpose, but her very words I -forget. The appellers did touch the dead -body, whereupon the brow of the dead, -which was all a livid or carrion colour (that -was the verbal expression in the terms of -the witness) began to have a dew or gentle -sweat, which reached down in drops on the -face, and the brow turned and changed to -a lively and fresh colour, and the dead -opened one of her eyes and shut it again, -and this opening the eye was done three -several times. She likewise thrust out the -ring or marriage finger three times and -pulled it in again, and the finger dropt -blood from it on the grass.</p> - -<p>“‘Hyde (Nicholas), Chief Justice, seeming -to doubt the evidence, asked the -witness: “Who saw this beside yourself?”</p> - -<p>“‘Witness: “I cannot swear that others -saw it; but, my lord,” said he, “I believe -the whole company saw it, and if it had -been thought a doubt, proof would have -been made of it, and many would have -attested with me.”</p> - -<p>“‘Then the witness observing some admiration -in the auditors, he spoke further,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_56"></a>[56]</span> -“My lord, I am minister of the parish, long -knew all the parties, but never had any -occasion of displeasure against any of -them, nor had to do with them, or they -with me, but as their minister. The thing -was wonderful to me, but I have no interest -in the matter, but am called upon to testify -the truth and that I have done.”</p> - -<p>“‘This witness was a reverend person -as I guess about seventy years of age. -His testimony was delivered gravely and -temperately, but to the good admiration -of the auditor. Whereupon, applying himself -to the Lord Chief Justice, he said, “My -lord, my brother here present is minister -of the next parish adjacent, and I am -assured saw all done as I have affirmed,” -whereupon that person was also sworn to -give evidence, and he deposed the same in -every point, viz., the sweat of the brow, -the changes of its colour, the opening of -the eye, the thrice motion of the finger and -drawing it in again; only the first witness -deposed that a man dipped his finger in the -blood to examine it, and swore he believed -it was real blood. I conferred afterwards -with Sir Edmund Vowel, barrister at law, -and others who concurred in this observation,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_57"></a>[57]</span> -and for myself, if I were upon my -oath, can depose that these depositions, -especially of the first witness, are truly -here reported in substance.</p> - -<p>“‘The other evidence was given against -the prisoners, viz., against the grandmother -of the plaintiff and against Okeman and -his wife, that they lay in the next room to -the dead person that night, and that none -came into the house till they found her -dead next morning, therefore if she did not -murther herself, they must be the murtherers, -and to that end further proof was -made. First she lay in a composed manner -in her bed, the bed cloaths nothing at all -disturbed, and her child by her in the bed. -Secondly, her throat was cut from ear to -ear and her neck broken, and if she first -cut her throat, she could not break her -neck in the bed, nor <i>e contra</i>. Thirdly, -there was no blood in the bed, saving that -there was a tincture of blood upon the -bolster whereupon her head lay, but no -other substance of blood at all. Fourthly, -from the bed’s head on there was a stream -of blood on the floor, till it ponded on the -bending of the floor to a very great quantity -and there was also another stream<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_58"></a>[58]</span> -of blood on the floor at the bed’s feet, -which ponded also on the floor to another -great quantity but no other communication -of blood on either of these places, the -one from the other, neither upon the bed, -so that she bled in two places severely, and -it was deposed that turning up the matte -of the bed, there were clotes of congealed -blood in the straw of the matte underneath. -Fifthly, the bloody knife in the morning -was found clinging in the floor a good distance -from the bed, but the point of the -knife as it stuck in the floor was towards -the bed and the haft towards the door. -Sixthly, lastly, there was the brand of a -thumb and four fingers of a left hand on the -dead person’s left hand.</p> - -<p>“‘Hyde, Chief Justice: “How can you -know the print of a left hand from the print -of a right hand in such a case?”</p> - -<p>“‘Witness: “My lord, it is hard to -describe it, but if it please the honourable -judge (<i>i.e.</i> the judge sitting on the bench -beside the Chief Justice) to put his left -hand on your left hand, you cannot possibly -place your right hand in the same -posture.”</p> - -<p>“‘It being done, and appearing so, the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_59"></a>[59]</span> -defendants had time to make their defence, -but gave no evidence to that purpose.</p> - -<p>“‘The jury departing from the bar and -returning, acquitted Okeman and found the -other three guilty; who, being severally -demanded why judgment should not be -pronounced, sayd nothing, but each of -them said, “I did not do it.” “I did not -do it.” Judgment was made and the -grandmother and the husband executed, -but the aunt had the privilege to be spared -execution, being with child. I enquired -if they confessed anything at execution, -but did not as I was told.’</p> - -<p>“Thus far the serjeant, afterwards Sir -John Mainard, a person of great note and -judgment in the law. The paper, of which -this is a copy, was found amongst his papers -since his death (1690) fair written with his -own hand. Mr Hunt of the Temple took -a copy of it, gave it me, which I have hereby -transcribed.—H. S.”</p> - -<p>It has been asserted by some writers that -the vampire is not to be found in Indian -lore and legend, and an attempt has been -made to connect this supposititious absence -of the blood-sucking demon with the Brahminical -and Buddhistic vegetarian and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_60"></a>[60]</span> -cremation customs. The Indian belief, -however, in the existence of vampire -spectres is as prevalent as it is in any -other country, although the folk-lore and -legends concerning them may, perhaps, be -more scarce.</p> - -<p>Fornari, in his <i>History of Sorcerers</i>, relates -the following story: “In the beginning of -the fifteenth century there lived at Bagdad -an aged merchant who had grown wealthy -in his business and who had an only son -to whom he was tenderly attached. He -resolved to marry him to the daughter -of another merchant, a girl of considerable -fortune, but without any personal attractions. -Abul-Hassan, the merchant’s son, -on being shown the portrait of the lady, requested -his father to delay the marriage -till he could reconcile his mind to it. Instead, -however, of doing this he fell in love -with another girl, the daughter of a sage, -and he gave his father no peace till he -consented to the marriage with the object -of his affections. The old man stood out -as long as he could, but finding that his son -was bent on acquiring the hand of the fair -Nadilla, and was equally resolute not to -accept the rich and ugly lady, he did what<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_61"></a>[61]</span> -most fathers under such circumstances -would do—he acquiesced.</p> - -<p>“The wedding took place with great -pomp and ceremony, and a happy honeymoon -ensued, which might have been -happier but for one little circumstance -which led to very serious consequences.</p> - -<p>“Abul-Hassan noticed that his bride -quitted the nuptial couch as soon as she -thought her husband was asleep, and did -not return to it till an hour before dawn.</p> - -<p>“Filled with curiosity, Hassan one night, -feigning sleep, saw his wife rise and leave -the room. He rose, followed cautiously, -and saw her enter the cemetery. By the -straggling moonbeams he saw her go into -a tomb: he stepped in after her.</p> - -<p>“The scene within was horrible. A -party of ghouls were assembled with the -spoils of the graves they had violated and -were feasting on the flesh of the long-buried -corpses. His own wife, who, by the -way, never touched supper at home, played -a no inconsiderable part in the hideous -banquet.</p> - -<p>“As soon as he could safely escape -Abul-Hassan stole back to his bed.</p> - -<p>“He said nothing to his bride till next<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_62"></a>[62]</span> -evening when supper was laid, and she -declined to eat; then he insisted on her -partaking, and when she positively refused -he exclaimed roughly: ‘Oh yes, you keep -your appetite for your feasts with the -ghouls.’ Nadilla was silent; she turned -pale and trembled, and without a word -sought her bed. At midnight she rose, fell -on her husband with her nails and teeth, -tore his throat, and, having opened a vein, -attempted to suck his blood; but Abul-Hassan, -springing to his feet, threw her -down and, with a blow, killed her. She -was buried next day.</p> - -<p>“Three days after at midnight she reappeared, -attacked her husband again, and -again attempted to suck his blood. He -fled from her and on the morrow opened -her tomb, burnt her to ashes and cast the -ashes into the Tigris.”</p> - -<p>There is a monstrous vampire which is -said to delight in sucking the blood of -children, and is known as a Pănangglan. -It has also a liking for sucking the blood -of women at childbirth; but, as it is also -credited with a dread of thorns, the custom -has arisen of placing thorns about the rooms -of Indian houses on the occasions of births.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_63"></a>[63]</span></p> - -<p>One of the Northern Indian witches—the -Jigar-Khor or Liver-eater—is believed -to be possessed of the power of being able -to steal the liver of another by looks and -incantations. A class of witches known as -Bhúts are said to have an extraordinary -fondness for fish, but also eat rice and all -kinds of human food.</p> - -<p>Hugh Clifford, in his interesting work -<i>In Court and Kampong</i>, refers to the -“Pĕnangal, that horrible wraith of a woman -who has died in childbirth, and who comes -to torment small children in the guise of a -fearful face and bust with many feet of -bloody, trailing entrails in her wake,” -also of that “weird little white animal, the -<i>Mati-ânak</i>, that makes beast noises round -the graves of children; and of the familiar -spirits that men raise up from the corpses -of babes who have never seen the light, the -tips of whose tongues they bite off and -swallow, after the child has been brought -back to life by magic agencies.”</p> - -<p>In the Tamil dream of Harichándra, the -frenzied Sandramáti says to the king: -“I belong to the race of elves, for I killed -thy child in order that I might feed on its -delicate flesh.” The Vetala is said to feed<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_64"></a>[64]</span> -chiefly on corpses. The Bhúts and other -dismal ravenous ghosts, who are dreaded -at the moon-wane of the month Katik -(October-November), were not supposed to -devour men, but only their food.</p> - -<p>Then there is the Hántu Sàburo, which -chases men into the forest by means of his -dogs, and if they are run down he drinks -their blood. The Hántu Dondong resides -in caves and crevices in rocks. He kills -dogs and wild hogs with the sumpitan, -and then drinks their blood. The Hántu -Parl fastens on to the wound of an injured -person and sucks the blood.</p> - -<p>Barth, in his <i>History of Religions</i> (Hinduism), -says that “Siva is identified with -<i>Mrityu</i>, Death, and his old name <i>Pacupati</i>, -Lord of herds, acquires the ominous meaning -of Master of human cattle. He is -chief of the mischievous spirits, of ghouls -and vampires that frequent places of -execution and those where the dead are -buried, and he prowls about with them at -nightfall.”</p> - -<p>Other classes of demons are also known -as the <i>Rakshasas</i> or the <i>Pisâchâs</i>, a word -which literally means “flesh-eaters,” which -Delongchamps has translated as “bloodthirsty<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_65"></a>[65]</span> -savages,” but other etymologists -actually as “vampires.”</p> - -<p>The vampire demon is no stranger to -Australia. Bonwick, in his <i>Daily Life of -the Tasmanians</i>, tells us that: “During -the whole of the first night after the death -of one of their tribe they will sit round the -body, using rapidly a low, continuous recitative -to prevent the evil spirit from -taking it away. This evil spirit was the -ghost of an enemy. Fires at night kept off -these mischievous beings, which were like -the vampires of Europe.”</p> - -<hr /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_66"></a>[66]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V<br /> -<span class="smaller">VAMPIRISM IN GERMANY AND SURROUNDING COUNTRIES</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p>Germany, the home of modern philosophy, -is not free from the belief in the reality of -the vampire apparition, although the more -horrible forms of the superstition are not -frequently encountered. Crosses are, however, -frequently erected at the head, or by -the side, of graves, even in Protestant -cemeteries, in order that their presence -may prevent the occupants from being -controlled by any demon that might, but -for the presence of such charm, take -possession of a body; and the <i>Nachzehrer</i> -is as much dreaded in many parts of Germany -as the <i>Vrykolaka</i> is in Russia. In -some parts of the Kaiser’s dominions, food -is still buried with the corpse in order to -assuage any pangs of hunger that may arise; -and even when this is not done, a few grains<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_67"></a>[67]</span> -of corn or rice are scattered upon the grave -as a survival of the ancient custom. In -Diesdorf it is believed that if money is not -placed in the mouth of a dead person at -burial, or his name not cut from his shirt, -he will, in all probability, become a -Nachzehrer, and his ghost issue from the -grave in the form of a pig. Another sure -preventive of such a calamity is to break -the neck of a dead body.</p> - -<p>The following story was contributed by -Dr Franz Hartmann to the <i>Occult Review</i> -for September 1909, under the title of “An -Authenticated Vampire Story”:—</p> - -<p>“On June 10th, 1909, there appeared in -a prominent Vienna paper (the <i>Neues -Wiener Journal</i>) a notice saying that the -castle of B—— had been burned by the -populace, because there was a great mortality -among the peasant children, and it -was generally believed that this was due -to the invasion of a vampire, supposed to -be the last Count B——, who died and -acquired that reputation. The castle was -situated in a wild and desolate part of the -Carpathian Mountains, and was formerly -a fortification against the Turks. It was -not inhabited, owing to its being believed<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_68"></a>[68]</span> -to be in the possession of ghosts; only a wing -of it was used as a dwelling for the caretaker -and his wife.</p> - -<p>“Now it so happened that, when I read -the above notice, I was sitting in a coffee-house -at Vienna in company with an old -friend of mine who is an experienced -occultist and editor of a well-known journal, -and who had spent several months in the -neighbourhood of the castle. From him -I obtained the following account, and it -appears that the vampire in question was -probably not the old Count, but his beautiful -daughter, the Countess Elga, whose photograph, -taken from the original painting, I -obtained. My friend said: ‘Two years -ago I was living at Hermannstadt, and -being engaged in engineering a road through -the hills, I often came within the vicinity -of the old castle, where I made the acquaintance -of the old castellan, or caretaker, and -his wife, who occupied a part of the wing -of the house, almost separate from the -main body of the building. They were a -quiet old couple and rather reticent in -giving information or expressing an opinion -in regard to the strange noises which were -often heard at night in the deserted halls,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_69"></a>[69]</span> -or of the apparitions which the Wallachian -peasants claimed to have seen when they -loitered in the surroundings after dark. -All I could gather was that the old Count -was a widower and had a beautiful daughter, -who was one day killed by a fall from her -horse, and that soon after the old man died -in some mysterious manner, and the bodies -were buried in a solitary graveyard belonging -to a neighbouring village. Not long -after their death an unusual mortality was -noticed among the inhabitants of the village: -several children and even some grown -people died without any apparent illness; -they merely wasted away; and thus a -rumour was started that the old Count had -become a vampire after his death. There -is no doubt that he was not a saint, as he -was addicted to drinking, and some shocking -tales were in circulation about his conduct -and that of his daughter; but whether -there was any truth in them, I am not in -a position to say.</p> - -<p>“‘Afterwards the property came into the -possession of ——, a distant relative of the -family, who is a young man and officer in -a cavalry regiment at Vienna. It appears -that the heir enjoyed his life at the capital<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_70"></a>[70]</span> -and did not trouble himself much about -the old castle in the wilderness; he did not -even come to look at it, but gave his -directions by letter to the janitor, telling -him merely to keep things in order and to -attend to repairs, if any were necessary. -Thus the castellan was actually master of -the house, and offered its hospitality to me -and my friends.</p> - -<p>“One evening I and my two assistants, -Dr E——, a young lawyer, and -Mr W——, a literary man, went to inspect -the premises. First we went to the stables. -There were no horses, as they had been -sold; but what attracted our special attention -was an old, queer-fashioned coach -with gilded ornaments and bearing the -emblems of the family. We then inspected -the rooms, passing through some halls and -gloomy corridors, such as may be found -in any old castle. There was nothing -remarkable about the furniture; but in -one of the halls there hung in a frame an -oil-painting, a portrait, representing a lady -with a large hat and wearing a fur coat. We -were all involuntarily startled on beholding -this picture—not so much on account of -the beauty of the lady, but on account of<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_71"></a>[71]</span> -the uncanny expression of her eyes; and -Dr E——, after looking at the picture for -a short time, suddenly exclaimed: ‘How -strange! The picture closes its eyes and -opens them again, and now it begins to -smile!’</p> - -<p>“Now Dr E—— is a very sensitive person, -and has more than once had some experience -in spiritism, and we made up our minds to -form a circle for the purpose of investigating -this phenomenon. Accordingly, on the -same evening we sat around a table in an -adjoining room, forming a magnetic chain -with our hands. Soon the table began to -move and the name <i>Elga</i> was spelled. -We asked who this Elga was, and the answer -was rapped out: ‘The lady whose picture -you have seen.’</p> - -<p>“‘Is the lady living?’ asked Mr W——. -This question was not answered; but -instead it was rapped out: ‘If W—— -desires it, I will appear to him bodily to-night -at two o’clock.’ W—— consented, -and now the table seemed to be endowed -with life and manifested a great affection -for W——; it rose on two legs and pressed -against his breast, as if it intended to -embrace him.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_72"></a>[72]</span></p> - -<p>“We inquired of the castellan whom the -picture represented; but to our surprise -he did not know. He said that it was the -copy of a picture painted by the celebrated -painter Hans Markart of Vienna, and had -been bought by the old Count because its -demoniacal look pleased him so much.</p> - -<p>“We left the castle, and W—— retired -to his room at an inn a half-hour’s journey -distant from that place. He was of a -somewhat sceptical turn of mind, being -neither a firm believer in ghosts and apparitions -nor ready to deny their possibility. -He was not afraid, but anxious to -see what would come of his agreement, -and for the purpose of keeping himself -awake he sat down and began to write an -article for a journal.</p> - -<p>“Towards two o’clock he heard steps on -the stairs and the door of the hall opened; -there was the rustling of a silk dress and the -sound of the feet of a lady walking to and -fro in the corridor.</p> - -<p>“It may be imagined that he was somewhat -startled; but taking courage, he said -to himself: ‘If this is Elga, let her come in.’ -Then the door of the room opened and -Elga entered. She was most elegantly<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_73"></a>[73]</span> -dressed, and appeared still more youthful -and seductive than the picture. There -was a lounge on the other side of the table -where W—— was writing, and there she -silently posted herself. She did not speak, -but her looks and gestures left no doubt -in regard to her desires and intentions.</p> - -<p>“Mr W—— resisted the temptation and -remained firm. It is not known whether -he did so out of principle or timidity or -fear. Be this as it may, he kept on writing, -looking from time to time at his visitor -and silently wishing that she would leave. -At last, after half an hour, which seemed -to him much longer, the lady departed in -the same manner in which she came.</p> - -<p>“This adventure left W—— no peace, -and we consequently arranged several sittings -at the old castle, where a variety of -uncanny phenomena took place. Thus, -for instance, once the servant-girl was about -to light a fire in the stove, when the door -of the apartment opened and Elga stood -there. The girl, frightened out of her wits, -rushed from the room, tumbling down the -stairs in terror with the lamp in her hand, -which broke, and came very near to setting -her clothes on fire. Lighted lamps and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_74"></a>[74]</span> -candles went out when brought near the -picture, and many other ‘manifestations’ -took place which it would be tedious to -describe; but the following incident ought -not to be omitted.</p> - -<p>“Mr W—— was at that time desirous -of obtaining the position as co-editor of a -certain journal, and a few days after the -above-narrated adventure he received a -letter in which a noble lady of high position -offered him her patronage for that purpose. -The writer requested him to come to a -certain place the same evening, where he -would meet a gentleman who would give -him further particulars. He went, and was -met by an unknown stranger, who told him -that he was requested by the Countess -Elga to invite Mr W—— to a carriage -drive, and that she would await him at -midnight at a certain crossing of two roads, -not far from the village. The stranger then -suddenly disappeared.</p> - -<p>“Now it seems that Mr W—— had -some misgivings about the meeting and -drive, and he hired a policeman as detective -to go at midnight to the appointed place, -to see what would happen. The policeman -went and reported next morning that<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_75"></a>[75]</span> -he had seen nothing but the well-known, -old-fashioned carriage from the castle, with -two black horses, standing there as if waiting -for somebody, and that as he had no -occasion to interfere, he merely waited -until the carriage moved on. When the -castellan of the castle was asked, he swore -that the carriage had not been out that -night, and in fact it could not have been -out, as there were no horses to draw it.</p> - -<p>“But that is not all, for on the following -day I met a friend who is a great sceptic -and disbeliever in ghosts, and always used -to laugh at such things. Now, however, -he seemed to be very serious and said: -‘Last night something very strange happened -to me. At about one o’clock this -morning I returned from a late visit, and -as I happened to pass the graveyard of the -village, I saw a carriage with gilded ornaments -standing at the entrance. I wondered -about this taking place at such an -unusual hour, and being curious to see -what would happen, I waited. Two elegantly -dressed ladies issued from the carriage. -One of these was young and pretty, -but threw at me a devilish and scornful -look as they both passed by and entered<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_76"></a>[76]</span> -the cemetery. There they were met by a -well-dressed man, who saluted the ladies -and spoke to the younger one, saying: -“Why, Miss Elga! Are you returned so -soon?” Such a queer feeling came over -me that I abruptly left and hurried home.’</p> - -<p>“This matter has not been explained; -but certain experiments which we subsequently -made with the picture of Elga -brought out some curious facts.</p> - -<p>“To look at the picture for a certain -time caused me to feel a very disagreeable -sensation in the region of the solar plexus. -I began to dislike the portrait and proposed -to destroy it. We held a sitting in the -adjoining room; the table manifested a -great aversion to my presence. It -was rapped out that I should leave the -circle, and that the picture must not be -destroyed. I ordered a Bible to be brought -in, and read the beginning of the first -chapter of St John, whereupon the above-mentioned -Mr E—— (the medium) and -another man present claimed that they saw -the picture distorting its face. I turned -the frame and pricked the back of the -picture with my penknife in different places, -and Mr E——, as well as the other man,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_77"></a>[77]</span> -felt all the pricks, although they had retired -to the corridor.</p> - -<p>“I made the sign of the pentagram over -the picture, and again the two gentlemen -claimed that the picture was horribly distorting -its face.</p> - -<p>“Soon afterwards we were called away -and left that country. Of Elga I heard -nothing more.”</p> - -<p>Thus far goes the account of my friend -the editor.</p> - -<p>Siegbert’s <i>Chronicle</i> for the year 858 has -the following story: “There appeared -this year in the diocese of Mentz a spirit -which discovered himself at first by throwing -stones and beating against the walls of -houses, as if it had been with a great -mallet. He then proceeded to speak and -reveal secrets, and discovered the authors -of several thefts and other matters likely -to breed disturbances in the neighbourhood. -At last he vented his malice upon one -particular person, whom he was industrious -in persecuting and making odious to all -the neighbours by representing him as the -cause of God’s anger against the whole -village. The spirit never forsook the poor -man, but tormented him without intermission,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_78"></a>[78]</span> -burnt all his corn in the barns, -and set every place on fire where he came. -The priests attempted to frighten him away -by exorcisms, prayers, and holy water; -but the spectre answered them with a -volley of stones which wounded several of -them. When the priests were gone he was -heard to bemoan himself and say that he -was forced to take refuge in the cowl of -one of the priests, who had injured the -daughter of a man of consequence in the -village. He continued in this manner to -infest the village for three years together, -and never gave over till he had set every -house in it on fire.”</p> - -<hr /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_79"></a>[79]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI<br /> -<span class="smaller">VAMPIRISM IN HUNGARY, BAVARIA, AND SILESIA</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p>The Hungarians believe that those who have -been passive vampires in life become active -vampires after death; that those whose -blood has been sucked in life by vampires -become themselves vampires after death. -In many districts the belief also prevails -that the only way to prevent this calamity -happening is for the threatened victim -to eat some earth from the grave of the -attacking vampire, and to smear his own -body with blood from the body of that -vampire.</p> - -<p>That the belief in vampirism is still -current in Hungary was evidenced recently. -The <i>Daily Telegraph</i> of February 15th, -1912, contained the following paragraph: -“A Buda-Pesth telegram to the <i>Messaggero</i> -reports a terrible instance of superstition.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_80"></a>[80]</span> -A boy of fourteen died some days ago in a -small village. A farmer, in whose employment -the boy had been, thought that the -ghost of the latter appeared to him every -night. In order to put a stop to these -supposed visitations, the farmer, accompanied -by some friends, went to the cemetery -one night, stuffed three pieces of garlic -and three stones in the mouth, and thrust -a stake through the corpse, fixing it to the -ground. This was to deliver themselves from -the evil spirit, as the credulous farmer and -his friends stated when they were arrested.”</p> - -<p>In 1732, in a village in Hungary, in the -space of three months, seventeen persons -of different ages died of vampirism, some -without being ill, and others after languishing -two or three days. It is reported that a -girl named Stanoska, daughter of the Heyduk -Jotiutso, who went to bed in perfect -health, awoke in the middle of the night -trembling violently and uttering terrible -shrieks, declaring that the son of the Heyduk -Millo, who had been dead nine weeks, had -nearly strangled her in her sleep. She fell -into a languid state and died at the end -of three days. Young Millo was exhumed -and found to be a vampire.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_81"></a>[81]</span></p> - -<p>Calmet, in his work <i>The Phantom World</i>, -relates the following: “About fifteen years -ago a soldier who was billeted at the house -of a Haidamaque peasant, on the frontiers -of Hungary, as he was one day sitting at -table near his host, the master of the house, -saw a person he did not know come in and -sit down to table also with them. The -master of the house was strangely frightened -at this, as were the rest of the company. -The soldier knew not what to think -of it, being ignorant of the matter in question. -But the master of the house being -dead the very next day, the soldier inquired -what it meant. They told him it was the -body of the father of the host, who had -been dead and buried for ten years, who -had thus come to sit down next to him, -and had announced and caused his death.</p> - -<p>“The soldier informed the regiment of it -in the first place, and the regiment gave -notice of it to the general officers, who -commissioned the Count de Cabreras, captain -of the regiment of Alandetti infantry, -to make information concerning this circumstance. -Having gone to the place with -some other officers, a surgeon and an -auditor, they heard the depositions of all<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_82"></a>[82]</span> -the people belonging to the house, who -decided unanimously that the ghost was -the father of the master of the house, and -that all the soldier had said and reported -was the exact truth, which was confirmed -by all the inhabitants of the village.</p> - -<p>“In consequence of this the corpse of -the spectre was exhumed and found to be -like that of a man who had just expired, -and his blood like that of a living man. -The Count de Cabreras had his head cut off -and caused him to be laid again in the tomb. -He also took information concerning other -similar ghosts: among others, of a man dead -more than thirty years who had come back -three times to his house at meal-time. -The first time he had sucked the blood from -the neck of his own brother, the second -time from one of his sons, and the third -time from one of the servants in the house; -and all three died of it instantly and on -the spot. Upon this deposition the commissary -had this man taken out of his grave, -and finding that, like the first, his blood was -in a fluidic state like that of a living person, -he ordered them to run a large nail into -his temple and then to lay him again in -the grave.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_83"></a>[83]</span></p> - -<p>“He caused a third to be burned who -had been buried more than sixteen years -and had sucked the blood and caused the -death of two of his sons. The commissary -having made his report to the general -officers, was deputed to the Emperor, -who commanded that some officers both -of war and of justice, some physicians and -surgeons and some learned men should be -sent to examine the causes of these extraordinary -events. The person who related -these particulars to us had heard them -from the Count de Cabreras at Fribourg in -1730.”</p> - -<p>Raufft tells the story of a man named -“Peter Plogojowitz, an inhabitant of a -village in Hungary called Kisolova, who, -after he had been buried more than ten -years, appeared by night to several persons -in the village, while they were asleep, and -squeezed their throats in such a manner -that they expired within twenty-four hours. -There died in this way no less than nine -persons in eight days; and the widow of -this Plogojowitz deposed that she herself -had been visited by him since his death, and -that his errand was to demand his shoes; -which frightened her so much that she at<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_84"></a>[84]</span> -once left Kisolova and went to live somewhere -else.</p> - -<p>“These circumstances determined the inhabitants -of the village to dig up the body -of Plogojowitz and burn it, in order to put -a stop to such troublesome visits. Accordingly -they applied to the commanding -officer of the Emperor’s troops in the -district of Gradisca, in the kingdom of -Hungary, and to the incumbent of the place, -for leave to dig up the corpse. They both -made a great many scruples about granting -it; but the peasants declared plainly that if -they were not permitted to dig up this accursed -carcase, which they were fully convinced -was a vampire, they would be forced -to leave the village and settle where they -could.</p> - -<p>“The officer who gave this account, seeing -that there was no hindering them either -by fair means or foul, came in person, -accompanied by the minister of Gradisca, -to Kisolova, and they were both present -at the digging up of the corpse, which they -found to be free from any bad smell, and -perfectly sound, as if it had been alive, -except that the tip of the nose was a little -dry and withered. The beard and hair were<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_85"></a>[85]</span> -grown fresh and a new set of nails had sprung -up in the room of the old ones that had fallen -off. Under the former skin, which looked -pale and dead, there appeared a new one, -of a natural fresh colour; and the hands -and feet were as entire as if they belonged -to a person in perfect health. They observed -also that the mouth of the vampire was full -of fresh blood, which the people were -persuaded had been sucked by him from -the persons he had killed.</p> - -<p>“The officer and the divine having diligently -examined into all the circumstances, -the people, being fired with fresh indignation, -and growing more fully persuaded -that this carcase was the real cause of the -death of their countrymen, ran immediately -to fetch a sharp stake, which being driven -into his breast, there issued from the -wound, and also from his nose and mouth, -a great quantity of fresh, ruddy blood; -and something which indicated a sort of -life, was observed to come from him. The -peasants then laid the body upon a pile -of wood, and burnt it to ashes.”</p> - -<p>Calmet says he was told by M. de Vassimont, -who was sent to Moravia by Leopold, -first Duke of Lorraine, that he was informed<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_86"></a>[86]</span> -by public report that it was common -enough in that country to see men who had -died some time before present themselves -in a party and sit down to the table with -persons of their acquaintance without saying -anything, but that nodding to one of the -party he would infallibly die some days -afterwards. M. de Vassimont received confirmation -of this story from several persons, -amongst others an old curé who said he -had seen more than one instance of it. -The priest added that the inhabitants had -been delivered from these troublesome -spectres owing to the fact that their corpses -had been taken up and burned or destroyed -in some way or other.</p> - -<p>At the beginning of the eighteenth century -several vampire investigations were held -at the instigation of the Bishop of Olmutz. -The village of Liebava was particularly -infested, and a Hungarian placed himself -on the top of the church tower and just -before midnight saw a well-known vampire -issue from his tomb, and, leaving his -winding-sheet behind him, proceed on his -rounds. The Hungarian descended from -the tower and took away the sheet and -ascended the tower again. When the vampire<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_87"></a>[87]</span> -returned he flew into a great fury -because of the absence of the sheet. The -Hungarian called to him to come up to the -tower and fetch it. The vampire mounted -the ladder, but just before he reached the -top the Hungarian gave him a blow on the -head which threw him down to the churchyard. -His assailant then descended, cut -off the vampire’s head with a hatchet, and -from that time the vampire was no more -heard of.</p> - -<p>In 1672 there dwelt in the market town -of Kring, in the Archduchy of Krain, a man -named George Grando, who died, and was -buried by Father George, a monk of St -Paul, who, on returning to the widow’s -house, saw Grando sitting behind the door. -The monk and the neighbours fled. Soon -stories began to circulate of a dark figure -being seen to go about the streets by night, -stopping now and then to tap at the door -of a house, but never to wait for an answer. -In a little while people began to die mysteriously -in Kring, and it was noticed that the -deaths occurred in the houses at which the -spectred figure had tapped its signal. The -widow Grando also complained that she -was tormented by the spirit of her husband,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_88"></a>[88]</span> -who night after night threw her into a deep -sleep with the object of sucking her blood. -The Supan, or chief magistrate, of Kring -decided to take the usual steps to ascertain -whether Grando was a vampire. He called -together some of the neighbours, fortified -them with a plentiful supply of spirituous -liquor, and they sallied off with torches and -a crucifix.</p> - -<p>Grando’s grave was opened, and the body -was found to be perfectly sound and not -decomposed, the mouth being opened with a -pleasant smile, and there was a rosy flush -on the cheeks. The whole party were -seized with terror and hurried back to -Kring, with the exception of the Supan. -The second visit was made in company -with a priest, and the party also took a -heavy stick of hawthorn sharpened to a -point. The grave and body were found -to be exactly as they had been left. The -priest kneeled down solemnly and held -the crucifix aloft: “O vampire, look at -this,” he said; “here is Jesus Christ who -loosed us from the pains of hell and died -for us upon the tree!”</p> - -<p>He went on to address the corpse, when it -was seen that great tears were rolling down<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_89"></a>[89]</span> -the vampire’s cheeks. A hawthorn stake -was brought forward, and as often as they -strove to drive it through the body the -sharpened wood rebounded, and it was not -until one of the number sprang into the -grave and cut off the vampire’s head that -the evil spirit departed with a loud shriek -and a contortion of the limbs.</p> - -<p>Similar stories to this were continually -being circulated from the borders of Hungary -to the Baltic.</p> - -<p>At one time the spectre of a village -herdsman near Kodom, in Bavaria, began to -appear to several inhabitants of the place, -and either in consequence of their fright or -from some other cause, every person who -had seen the apparition died during the -week afterwards. Driven to despair, the -peasants disinterred the corpse and pinned -it to the ground with a long stake. The -same night he appeared again, plunging -people into convulsions of fright, and suffocated -several of them. Then the village -authorities handed the body over to the -executioner, who caused it to be carried into -a field adjoining the cemetery, where it was -burned. The corpse howled like a madman, -kicking and tearing as if it had been alive.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_90"></a>[90]</span></p> - -<p>When it was run through again with -sharp-pointed stakes, before the burning, -it uttered piercing cries and vomited masses -of crimson blood. The apparition of the -spectre ceased only after the corpse had been -reduced to ashes.</p> - -<p>Fortis, in his <i>Travels into Dalmatia</i>, says -that the Moslacks have no doubt as to -the existence of vampires, and attribute to -them, as in Transylvania, the sucking of the -blood of infants. Therefore, when a man -dies, and he is suspected of vampirism, or -of being a <i>vukodlak</i>—the term they employ—they -cut his hams and prick his whole -body with pins, pretending that he will be -unable to walk about after this operation -has been performed. There are even -instances of Moolacchi who, imagining -that they may possibly thirst for human -blood after death, particularly the blood -of children, entreat their heirs, and -sometimes even make them promise, to -treat them in this manner directly after -death.</p> - -<p>Dr Henry More, in his <i>Antidote against -Atheism</i>, argues for the reality of vampires, -and relates the following stories.</p> - -<p>“A shoemaker of Breslau, in Silesia, in<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_91"></a>[91]</span> -1591 terminated his life by cutting his -throat. His family, however, spread abroad -the report that he had died of apoplexy, -which enabled them to bury him in the -ordinary way and save the disgrace of his -being interred as a suicide. Despite this, -however, the rumour got abroad that the -man had committed suicide. It was also -reported that his ghost had been seen at -the bedsides of several persons, and the -rumours and reports spreading, it was decided -by the authorities to disinter the body. -It had been buried on September 22nd, -1591, and the grave was opened on April -18th, 1592. The body was found to be -entire; it was not in any way putrid, the -joints were flexible, there was no ill smell, -the wound in the throat was visible and there -was no corruption in it. There was also -observed what was claimed to be a magical -mark on the great toe of the right foot—an -excrescence in the form of a rose. The -body was kept above ground for six days, -during which time the apparitions still -appeared. It was then buried beneath -the gallows, but the apparition still came -to the bedsides of the alarmed inhabitants, -pinching and suffocating people, and leaving<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_92"></a>[92]</span> -marks of its fingers plainly visible on the -flesh. A fortnight afterwards the body -was again dug up, when it was observed -to have sensibly increased its size since -its last interment. Then the head, arms, -and legs of the corpse were cut off; -the heart, which was as fresh and entire -as that in a freshly killed calf, was -also taken out of the body. The whole -body thus dismembered was consigned -to the flames and the ashes thrown into -the river. The apparition was never seen -afterwards. A servant of the deceased -man was also said to have acted in a -similar manner after her death. Her remains -were also dug up and burned, and -then her apparition ceased to torment the -inhabitants.”</p> - -<p>“Johannes Cuntius, a citizen and alderman -of Pentach, in Silesia, when about sixty -years of age, died somewhat suddenly, as -the result of a kick from his horse. At the -moment of his death a black cat rushed -into the room, jumped on to the bed, and -scratched violently at his face. Both at -the time of his death and that of his funeral -a great tempest arose—the wind and -snow ‘made men’s bodies quake and their<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_93"></a>[93]</span> -teeth chatter in their heads.’ The storm -is said to have ceased with startling suddenness -as the body was placed under the ground. -Immediately after the burial, however, -stories began to circulate of the appearance -of a phantom which spoke to people -in the voice of Cuntius. Remarkable tales -were told of the consumption of milk from -jugs and bowls, of milk being turned into -blood, of old men being strangled, children -taken out of cradles, altar-cloths being -soiled with blood, and poultry killed and -eaten. Eventually it was decided to disinter -the body. It was found that all the -bodies buried above that of Cuntius had -become putrefied and rotten, but his skin -was tender and florid, his joints by no -means stiff, and when a staff was put -between his fingers they closed around it -and held it fast in their grasp. He could -open and shut his eyes, and when a vein -in his leg was punctured the blood sprang -out as fresh as that of a living person. -This happened after the body had been in -the grave for about six months. Great -difficulty was experienced when the body -was cut up and dismembered, by the order -of the authorities, by reason of the resistance<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_94"></a>[94]</span> -offered; but when the task was completed, -and the remains consigned to the -flames, the spectre ceased to molest the -natives or interfere with their slumbers or -health.”</p> - -<hr /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_95"></a>[95]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII<br /> -<span class="smaller">VAMPIRISM IN SERVIA AND BULGARIA</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p>The document which gives the particulars -of the following remarkable story is signed -by three regimental surgeons and formally -countersigned by the lieutenant-colonel and -sub-lieutenant, and bears the date June -7th, 1732, with the address Meduegna, -near Belgrade.</p> - -<p>“In the spring of 1727 there returned -from the Levant to the village of Meduegna, -near Belgrade, one Arnod Paole, who, in -a few years’ military service and varied -adventure, had amassed enough to purchase -a cottage and an acre or two of land in his -native place, where he gave out that he -meant to pass the remainder of his days. -He kept his word. Arnod had yet scarcely -reached the prime of manhood; and though -he must have encountered the rough as -well as the smooth of life, and have mingled<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_96"></a>[96]</span> -with many a wild and reckless companion, -yet his natural good disposition and honest -principles had preserved him unscathed in -the scenes he had passed through. At all -events, such were the thoughts expressed -by his neighbours as they discussed his -return and settlement among them in the -stube of the village hof. Nor did the -frank and open countenance of Arnod, his -obliging habits and steady conduct, argue -their judgments incorrect. Nevertheless, -there was something occasionally noticeable -in his ways, a look and tone that betrayed -inward disquiet. He would often -refuse to join his friends, or on some sudden -plea abruptly quit their society. And he -still more unaccountably, and it seemed -systematically, avoided meeting his pretty -neighbour, Nina, whose father occupied -the next farm to his own. At the age of -seventeen Nina was as charming a picture -of youth, cheerfulness, innocence, and confidence -as you could have seen in all the -world. You could not look into her limpid -eye, which steadily returned your gaze, without -seeing to the bottom of the pure and -transparent spring of her thoughts. Why -then did Arnod shrink from meeting her?<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_97"></a>[97]</span> -He was young; had a little property; had -health and industry; and he had told his -friends he had formed no ties in other -lands. Why then did he avoid the fascination -of the pretty Nina, who seemed a being -made to chase from any brow the clouds -of gathering care? But he did so, yet -less and less resolutely, for he felt the -charm of her presence. Who could have -done otherwise? And how long he resisted -the impulse of his fondness for -the innocent girl who sought to cheer his -fits of depression!</p> - -<p>“And they were to be united—were betrothed; -yet still the anxious gloom would -fitfully overcast his countenance, even in -the sunshine of those hours.</p> - -<p>“‘What is it, dear Arnod, that makes -you sad? It cannot be on my account, I -know, for you were sad before you noticed -me; and that, I think surely, first made -me notice you.’</p> - -<p>“‘Nina,’ he answered, ‘I have done, I -fear, a great wrong in trying to gain your -affections. Nina, I have a fixed impression -that I shall not live; yet, knowing this, I -have selfishly made my existence necessary -to your happiness.’</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_98"></a>[98]</span></p> - -<p>“‘How strangely you talk, dear Arnod! -Who in the village is stronger and healthier -than you? You feared no danger when -you were a soldier. What danger do you -fear as a villager of Meduegna?’</p> - -<p>“‘It haunts me, Nina.’</p> - -<p>“‘But, Arnod, you were sad before you -thought of me. Did you then fear to -die?’</p> - -<p>“‘Oh, Nina, it is something worse than -death.’ And his vigorous frame shook -with agony.</p> - -<p>“‘Arnod, I conjure you, tell me.’</p> - -<p>“‘It was in Cossova this fate befell me. -Here you have hitherto escaped the terrible -scourge. But there they die, and the dead -visit the living. I experienced the first -frightful visitation, and I fled; but not -till I had sought his grave and executed -the dread expiation from the vampire.’</p> - -<p>“Nina’s blood ran cold. She stood horror-stricken. -But her young heart soon mastered -her first despair. With a touching -voice she spoke: ‘Fear not, dear Arnod; -fear not now. I will be your shield, or I -will die with you!’</p> - -<p>“And she encircled his neck with her -gentle arms, and returning hope shone, Iris-like,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_99"></a>[99]</span> -amid her falling tears. Afterwards they -found a reasonable ground for banishing -or allaying their apprehension in the lengthy -time which had elapsed since Arnod left -Cossova, during which no fearful visitant -had again approached him; and they -fondly protested <i>that</i> gave them security.</p> - -<p>“One day about a week after this conversation -Arnod missed his footing when -on the top of a loaded hay-waggon, and -fell from it to the ground. He was picked -up insensible, and carried home, where, -after lingering a short time, he died. His -interment, as usual, followed immediately. -His fate was sad and premature. But -what pencil could paint Nina’s grief?</p> - -<p>“Twenty or thirty days after his decease, -several in the neighbourhood complained -that they were haunted by the deceased -Arnod; and what was more to the purpose, -four of them died. The evil looked at -sceptically was bad enough, but aggravated -by the suggestions of superstition it spread -a panic through the whole district. To -allay the popular terror, and, if possible, -to get at the root of the evil, a determination -was come to publicly to disinter the -body of Arnod, with the view of ascertaining<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_100"></a>[100]</span> -whether he really was a vampire, and, -in that event, of treating him conformably. -The day fixed for these proceedings was -the fortieth after his burial.</p> - -<p>“It was on a grey morning in early -August that the commission visited the -cemetery of Meduegna, which, surrounded -with a wall of stone, lies sheltered by the -mountain that, rising in undulating green -slopes, irregularly planted with fruit-trees, -ends in an abrupt craggy ridge, covered -with underwood. The graves were, for -the most part, neatly kept, with borders -of box, or something like it, and flowers -between, and at the head of most, a small -wooden cross, painted black, bearing the -name of the tenant. Here and there a -stone had been raised. One of terrible -height, a single narrow slab, ornamented -with grotesque Gothic carvings, dominated -over the rest. Near this lay the grave of -Arnod Paole, towards which the party -moved. The work of throwing out the -earth was begun by the grey, careful -old sexton, who lived in the Leichenhaus -beyond the great crucifix. Near the grave -stood two military surgeons or <i>feldscherers</i> -from Belgrade, and a drummer-boy, who<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_101"></a>[101]</span> -held their case of instruments. The boy -looked on with keen interest; and when -the coffin was exposed and rather roughly -drawn out of the grave, his pale face and -bright, intent eye showed how the scene -moved him. The sexton lifted the lid of -the coffin; the body had become inclined -to one side. Then, turning it straight: -‘Ha, ha! What? Your mouth not -wiped since last night’s work?’</p> - -<p>“The spectators shuddered; the -drummer-boy sank forward, fainting, and -upset the instrument case, scattering its -contents; the senior surgeon, infected -with the horror of the scene, repressed -a hasty exclamation. They threw water -on the drummer-boy and he recovered, -but would not leave the spot. Then they -inspected the body of Arnod. It looked -as if it had not been dead a day. After -handling it, the scarfskin came off, but -below were <i>new skin and new nails</i>! How -could they have come there but from this -foul feeding? The case was clear enough: -there lay before them the thing they -dreaded—the vampire! So, without more -ado, they simply drove a stake through -poor Arnod’s chest, whereupon a quantity<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_102"></a>[102]</span> -of blood gushed forth, and the corpse -uttered a dreadful groan.</p> - -<p>“‘Murder! Murder!’ shrieked the -drummer-boy, as he rushed wildly, with -convulsed gestures, from the scene.”</p> - -<p>The body of Arnod was then burnt to -ashes, which were returned to the grave. -The authorities further staked and burnt -the bodies of the four others who were -supposed to have been infected by Arnod. -No mention is made of the state in which -they were found. The adoption of these -decisive measures failed, however, entirely -to extinguish the evil, which continued -still to hang about the village. About five -years afterwards it had again become very -rife, and many died through it; whereupon -the authorities determined to make another -and a complete clearance of the vampire -in the cemetery, and with that object -they had all the graves, to which suspicion -attached, opened, and their contents -officially anatomised, and the following are -abridgments of the medical reports:—</p> - -<p>1. A woman of the name of Stana, -twenty years of age, who had died three -months before, of a three days’ illness -following her confinement. She had before<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_103"></a>[103]</span> -her death avowed that she had <i>anointed</i> -herself with the blood of a vampire, to -liberate herself from his persecution. -Nevertheless she had died. Her body was -entirely free from decomposition. On opening -it the chest was found filled with recently -effused blood, and the bowels had -exactly the appearance of sound health. -The skin and nails of her hands and feet -were loose and came off, but underneath -were new skin and nails.</p> - -<p>2. A woman of the name of Miliza, who -had died at the end of a three months’ -illness. The body had been buried ninety -and odd days. In the chest was liquid -blood. The viscera were as in the former -instance. The body was declared by a -heyduk, who recognised it, to be in better -condition and fatter than it had been in -the woman’s legitimate lifetime.</p> - -<p>3. The body of a child eight years old, -that had likewise been buried ninety days; -it was in the vampire condition.</p> - -<p>4. The son of a heyduk, named Milloc, -sixteen years old. The body had lain in -the grave nine weeks. He had died after -three days’ indisposition, and was in the -condition of a vampire.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_104"></a>[104]</span></p> - -<p>5. Joachim, likewise the son of a heyduk, -seventeen years old. He had died after -three days’ illness; had been buried eight -weeks and some days; was found in the -vampire state.</p> - -<p>6. A man of the name of Rusha, who had -died of an illness of ten days’ duration and -had been six weeks buried, in whom likewise -fresh blood was found in the chest.</p> - -<p>7. The body of a girl ten years of age -who had died two months before. It was -likewise in the vampire state, perfectly undecomposed, -with blood in the chest.</p> - -<p>8. The body of the wife of one Hadnuck, -buried seven weeks before; and that of -her infant eight weeks old, buried only -twenty-one days. They were both in a -state of decomposition, though buried in -the same ground and closely adjoining the -others.</p> - -<p>9. A servant, by name Rhade, twenty-three -years of age; he had died after an -illness of three months’ duration, and the -body had been buried five weeks. It was -in a state of decomposition.</p> - -<p>10. The body of the heyduk Stanco, -sixty years of age, who had died six weeks -previously. There was much blood and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_105"></a>[105]</span> -other fluid in the chest and abdomen, and -the body was in a vampire condition.</p> - -<p>11. Millac, a heyduk, twenty-five years old. -The body had been in the earth six weeks. -It was also in the vampire condition.</p> - -<p>12. Stanjoika, the wife of a heyduk, -twenty years old; had died after an illness -of three days, and had been buried -eighteen. The countenance was florid. -There was blood in the chest and in the -heart. The viscera were perfectly sound, -the skin remarkably flush.</p> - -<p>The vampire tradition in its original -loathsomeness, however, is to be found only -in the Bulgarian provinces, whither the -knowledge of the superstition was first -imported from Dalmatia and Albania. In -the former country the vampire is known -by the name of <i>wukodlak</i>.</p> - -<p>St Clair and Brophy, in their work on -Bulgaria, state that in Bulgaria the vampire -is no longer a dead body possessed by -a demon, but a soul in revolt against the -inevitable principle of corporeal death. He -is detected by a hole in the tombstone -which is placed over his grave, which hole -is filled up by the medicine man with dirt -mixed with poisonous herbs.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_106"></a>[106]</span></p> - -<p>Vampirism is claimed to be hereditary -as well as epidemic and endemic, and -vampires are also stated to be capable -of exercising considerable physical force. -Stories are told of men who have had their -jaws broken, as well as their limbs, as the -result of their struggles with vampires.</p> - -<p>About 1863 there was a local epidemic -of vampirism in one of the villages of -Bulgaria, when the place became so infested -by them that the inhabitants were -forced to assemble together in two or -three houses, burn candles at night, and -watch by turns in order to avoid the -assaults made by the Obours, who lit up -the streets with their sparkles. Some of -the most enterprising of these threw their -shadows on the walls of the rooms where -the peasants were assembled through fear, -while others howled and shrieked and -swore outside the door, entered the abandoned -houses, spat blood on the floors, -turned everything topsy-turvy, and smeared -everything, even the pictures of the saints, -with cow-dung, until an old lady, suspected -of witchcraft, discovered and laid -the troublesome spirit, and afterwards the -village was free.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_107"></a>[107]</span></p> - -<p>When the Bulgarian vampire has finished -his forty days’ apprenticeship to the world -of shadows, he rises from the tomb in -bodily form, and is able to pass himself off -as a human being living in the natural -manner.</p> - -<p>In Slavonic countries the vampire is said -to be possessed of only one nostril, but -is credited with possessing a sharp point -at the end of his tongue, like the sting -of a bee.</p> - -<p>In Bulgaria one method of abolishing -the vampire is said to be by bottling him. -The sorcerer, armed with the picture of -some saint, lies in ambush until he sees the -vampire pass, when he pursues him with -his picture. The vampire takes refuge in -a tree or on the roof of a house, but his -persecutor follows him up with the talisman, -driving him away from all shelter in -the direction of a bottle specially prepared, -in which is placed some favourite food of -the vampire. Having no other alternative, -he enters this prison, and is immediately -fastened down with a cork on the interior -of which is a fragment of an eikon or holy -picture. The bottle is then thrown into the -fire and the vampire disappears for ever.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_108"></a>[108]</span></p> - -<p>In Bulgaria the vampire does not invariably -seem to have the thirst for human -blood, unless there happens to be a shortage -in his human food—a distinction which -marks him from the species found in other -countries.</p> - -<hr /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_109"></a>[109]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII<br /> -<span class="smaller">VAMPIRE BELIEF IN RUSSIA</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p>The Slavonic belief in vampires is one of -the characteristic features of their creed.</p> - -<p>The Little Russians hold that, if the vampire’s -hands have grown numb from remaining -long crossed in the grave, he makes -use of his teeth, which are like steel. When -he has gnawed his way with these through -all obstacles, he first destroys the babies -he finds in a house, and afterwards the older -inmates. If fine salt be scattered on the -floor of a room, the vampire’s footsteps -may be traced to his grave, in which he -will be found resting with rosy cheek and -gory mouth.</p> - -<p>The Kashoubes say that when a <i>vieszcy</i>, -as they call a vampire, wakes from his sleep -within the grave he begins to gnaw his -hands and feet, and as he gnaws, first his -relatives, and then his neighbours, sicken<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_110"></a>[110]</span> -and die. When he has finished his own -store of flesh, he rises at midnight and -destroys cattle or climbs a belfry and -sounds the bell. All who hear the ill-omened -tones will soon die. Generally he -sucks the blood of sleepers.</p> - -<p>Ralston, in his <i>Songs of the Russian -People</i>, says that it is in the Ukraine and in -White Russia—so far as the Russian Empire -is concerned—that traditions are most rife -about this ghastly creation of morbid fancy, -and that the Little Russians attribute the -birth of a vampire to an unholy union -between a witch and a werwolf or a devil.</p> - -<p>He relates the following as a specimen of the -vampire stories prevalent in the country:—</p> - -<p>“A peasant was driving past a graveyard -after it had grown dark. After him came -running a stranger, dressed in a red shirt -and a new jacket, who said: ‘Stop! -Take me as your companion.’</p> - -<p>“‘Pray take a seat.’</p> - -<p>“They enter a village, drive up to this -and that house. Though the gates are wide -open, yet the stranger says, ‘Shut tight!’ -for on those gates crosses have been branded. -They drive on to the very last house: the -gates are barred, and from them hangs a<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_111"></a>[111]</span> -padlock weighing a score of pounds; but -there is no cross there, and the gates open -of their own accord.</p> - -<p>“They go into the house: there on the -bench lie two sleepers—an old man and a -lad. The stranger takes a pail, places it -near the youth, and strikes him on the back; -immediately the back opens, and forth -flows rosy blood. The stranger fills the -pail full and drinks it dry. Then he fills -another pail with blood from the old man, -slakes his brutal thirst, and says to the -peasant: ‘It begins to grow light! Let -us go back to my dwelling.’</p> - -<p>“In a twinkling they find themselves -at the graveyard. The vampire would have -clasped the peasant in his arms, but luckily -for him the cocks begin to crow, and the -corpse disappears. The next morning, -when folks come and look, the old man -and the lad are dead.”</p> - -<p>According to the Servians and Bulgarians, -unclean spirits enter into the corpses of -malefactors and other evilly disposed persons, -who then become vampires. In some -places the jumping of a boy over the corpse -is considered as fatal as that of a cat.</p> - -<p>There is a story told of a mother who lived<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_112"></a>[112]</span> -in Saratof who cursed her son, and his body -remained free from corruption after burial -for a hundred years. When it was disinterred, -his aged mother, who is said to have -been still alive, pronounced his pardon, and, -at that very moment, the corpse crumbled -into dust.</p> - -<p>The Russians say that, when driving a -stake into the body of a vampire, this must -be done by one single blow, as a second -blow will reanimate the corpse.</p> - -<p>One group of Russian stories relate to the -sudden resuscitation shortly after death of -wizards and witches at midnight possessed -with the longing to eat the flesh of the -watchers around the bier. The stories -go that the body of the suspected witch -was generally enclosed in a coffin which was -secured with iron bands and carried to the -church, and a watcher was appointed to -read aloud from the Scriptures over the -coffin right through each night until burial. -It was also the duty of the watcher to draw -on the floor a magic circle, within which he -must stand and hold in his hand a hammer, -the ancient weapon of the thunder-god. If -the suspicion that the individual was a -wizard or witch was a correct one, a<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_113"></a>[113]</span> -mighty wind would arise one night about -twelve o’clock, the iron bands of the coffin -would give way with a terrible crash, the -coffin-lid fall off, and the corpse leap forth -and, uttering a terrible screech, rush at the -watcher, who, if he had not taken the -prescribed precautions, would fall a victim -to the monster, and in the morning there -would be nothing left of him but his bare -bones. The following story of this character -is contained in the records of the -Kharkof government:—</p> - -<p>“Once, in the days of old, there died a -terrible sinner. His body was taken into -the church, and the sacristan was told to -read some psalms over him. He took the -precaution to catch a cock and carry it with -him to the church. At midnight the dead -man leaped from his coffin, opened wide his -jaws, and rushed at his victim; but, at that -moment, the sacristan gave the bird a hard -pinch. The cock uttered his usual crow, and -at the same moment the dead man fell -backwards to the ground a numb, motionless -corpse.”</p> - -<p>The following story is also given by -Ralston in his collection of Russian folk-stories:—</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_114"></a>[114]</span></p> - -<h3><i>The Coffin Lid</i></h3> - -<p>“A moujik was driving along one night -with a load of pots. His horse grew tired, -and all of a sudden it came to a standstill -alongside of a graveyard. The moujik unharnessed -his horse and set it free to graze; -meanwhile he laid himself down on one of -the graves. But somehow he didn’t go to -sleep.</p> - -<p>“He remained there some time. Suddenly -the grave began to open beneath him; he -felt the movement and sprang to his feet. -The grave having opened, out of it came a -corpse, wrapped in a white shroud, and -holding a coffin lid. He ran to the church, -laid the coffin lid at the door, and then set -off for the village.</p> - -<p>“The moujik was a daring fellow. He -picked up the coffin lid and remained -standing beside his cart, waiting to see what -would happen. After a short delay the -dead man came back, and was going to -snatch up his coffin lid—but it was not to -be seen. Then the corpse began to track -it out, traced it up to the moujik, and said: -‘Give me my lid; if you don’t, I’ll tear -you to bits!’</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_115"></a>[115]</span></p> - -<p>“‘And my hatchet—how about that?’ -answered the moujik. ‘Why, it’s I who’ll -be chopping you into small pieces!’</p> - -<p>“‘Do give it back to me, good man!’ -begs the corpse.</p> - -<p>“‘I’ll give it when you tell me where -you’ve been and what you’ve done.’</p> - -<p>“‘Well, I’ve been in the village, and there -I’ve killed a couple of youngsters.’</p> - -<p>“‘Well, then, tell me how they can be -brought back to life.’</p> - -<p>“The corpse reluctantly made answer: -‘Cut off the left skirt of my shroud. Take -it with you, and when you come into the -house where the youngsters were killed, -pour some live coals into a pot and put the -piece of the shroud in with them, and then -lock the door. The lads will be revived by -the smoke immediately.’</p> - -<p>“The moujik cut off the left skirt of the -shroud and gave up the coffin lid. The -corpse went to its grave—the grave opened. -But just as the dead man was descending -into it, all of a sudden the cocks began to -crow, and he had not time to get properly -covered over. One end of the coffin lid -remained standing out of the ground.</p> - -<p>“The moujik saw all this and made a note<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_116"></a>[116]</span> -of it. The day began to dawn; he harnessed -his horse and drove into the village. -In one of the houses he heard cries and -wailing. In he went—there lay two dead -lads.</p> - -<p>“‘Don’t cry,’ said he; ‘I can bring them -to life.’</p> - -<p>“‘Do bring them to life, kinsman,’ said -their relatives. ‘We’ll give you half of all -we possess.’</p> - -<p>“The moujik did everything as the corpse -had instructed him, and the lads came back -to life. Their relatives were delighted, but -they immediately seized the moujik and -bound him with cords, saying: ‘No, no, -trickster! We’ll hand you over to the -authorities. Since you know how to bring -them back to life, maybe it was you who -killed them!’</p> - -<p>“‘What are you thinking about, true -believers? Have the fear of God before -your eyes!’ cried the moujik.</p> - -<p>“Then he told them everything that had -happened to him during the night. Well, -they spread the news through the village, -and the whole population assembled and -stormed into the graveyard. They found -the grave from which the dead man had<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_117"></a>[117]</span> -come out; they tore it open, and they -drove an aspen stake right into the heart -of the corpse, so that it might no more rise -up and slay. But they rewarded the -moujik handsomely, and sent him home -with great honour.”</p> - -<h3><i>The Soldier and the Vampire</i></h3> - -<p>“A certain soldier was allowed to go home -on furlough. Well, he walked and walked -and walked, and after a time he began to -draw near to his native village. Not far off -from that village lived a miller in his mill. -In old times, the soldier had been very -intimate with him: why shouldn’t he go -and see his friend? He went. The miller -received him cordially, and at once brought -out liquor; and the two began drinking -and chattering about their ways and doings. -All this took place towards nightfall, and -the soldier stopped so long at the miller’s -that it grew quite dark.</p> - -<p>“When he proposed to start for his village, -his host exclaimed: ‘Spend the night -here, trooper; it is very late now, and -perhaps you may run into mischief.’</p> - -<p>“‘How so?’</p> - -<p>“‘God is punishing us! A terrible warlock<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_118"></a>[118]</span> -has died among us, and by night he -rises from his grave, wanders through the -village, and does such things as bring fear -upon the very bailiffs; and so how could you -help being afraid of him?’</p> - -<p>“‘Not a bit of it! A soldier is a man who -belongs to the Crown, and Crown property -cannot be drowned in water or burned in -fire. I will be off. I am tremendously -anxious to see my people as soon as -possible.’</p> - -<p>“Off he set. His road lay in front of a -graveyard. On one of the graves he saw -a great fire blazing. What is that? Then -he said: ‘Let’s have a look.’ When he -drew near, he saw that the warlock was -sitting at the fire, sewing boots.</p> - -<p>“‘Hail, brother!’ calls out the soldier.</p> - -<p>“The warlock looked up and said: ‘What -have you come here for?’</p> - -<p>“‘Why, I wanted to see what you were -doing.’</p> - -<p>“The warlock threw his work aside and -invited the soldier to a wedding.</p> - -<p>“‘Come along, brother,’ says he; ‘let’s -enjoy ourselves. There is a wedding going -on in the village.’</p> - -<p>“‘Come along,’ says the soldier.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_119"></a>[119]</span></p> - -<p>“They came to where the wedding was; -they were given drink, and treated with -the utmost hospitality. The warlock drank -and drank, revelled and revelled, and then -grew angry. He chased all the guests and -relatives out of the house, threw the wedded -pair into a slumber, took out two phials and -an awl, pierced the hands of the bride and -bridegroom with the awl, and began drawing -off their blood. Having done this, he said -to the soldier: ‘Now, let’s be off.’</p> - -<p>“Accordingly, they went off. On the way -the soldier said: ‘Tell me, why did you -draw off their blood in those phials?’</p> - -<p>“‘Why, in order that the bride and -bridegroom might die. To-morrow morning -no one will be able to wake them. I -alone know how to bring them back to life.’</p> - -<p>“‘How’s that managed?’</p> - -<p>“‘The bride and bridegroom must have -cuts made in their heels, and some of their -blood must then be poured back into these -wounds. I’ve got the bridegroom’s blood -stowed away in my right-hand pocket, and -the bride’s in my left.’</p> - -<p>“The soldier listened to this without letting -a single word escape him. Then the -warlock began boasting again.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_120"></a>[120]</span></p> - -<p>“‘Whatever I wish,’ says he, ‘that I -can do.’</p> - -<p>“‘I suppose it’s quite impossible to get -the better of you,’ says the soldier.</p> - -<p>“‘Impossible? If anyone were to make -a pyre of aspen boughs, a hundred loads of -them, and were to burn me on that pyre, -then he’d be able to get the better of me. -Only he’d have to look sharp in burning me, -for snakes and worms and different kinds -of reptiles would creep out of my inside, -and crows and magpies and jackdaws -would come flying up. All these must be -caught and flung on the pyre. If so much -as a single maggot were to escape, then -there’d be no help for it. In that maggot -I should slip away.’</p> - -<p>“The soldier listened to all this and did -not forget it. He and the warlock talked -and talked, and at last they arrived at the -grave.</p> - -<p>“‘Well, brother,’ said the warlock, -‘now I’ll tear you to pieces, otherwise -you’ll be telling all this.’</p> - -<p>“‘What are you talking about? Don’t -you deceive yourself, for I serve God and -the Empire.’</p> - -<p>“The warlock gnashed his teeth, howled<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_121"></a>[121]</span> -aloud, and sprang at the soldier, who drew -his sword and began laying about him -with sweeping blows. They struggled and -struggled; the soldier was all but at the -end of his strength. ‘Ah,’ thinks he, -‘I’m a lost man, and all for nothing!’ -Suddenly the cocks began to crow. The -warlock fell lifeless to the ground.</p> - -<p>“The soldier took the phials of blood out -of the warlock’s pockets, and went to the -house of his own people. When he had -got there and exchanged greetings with his -relatives, they said: ‘Did you see any -disturbance, soldier?’</p> - -<p>“‘No, I saw none.’</p> - -<p>“‘There, now! Why, we’ve a terrible piece -of work going on in the village. A warlock -has taken to haunting it.’</p> - -<p>“After talking a while they lay down to -sleep. The next morning the soldier awoke -and began asking: ‘I’m told you’ve got -a wedding going on somewhere here.’</p> - -<p>“‘There was a wedding in the house of -a rich moujik,’ replied his relatives, ‘but -the bridegroom has died this very night—what -from nobody knows.’</p> - -<p>“‘Where does this moujik live?’</p> - -<p>“They showed him the house. Thither<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_122"></a>[122]</span> -he went without speaking a word. When -he got there he found the whole family -in tears.</p> - -<p>“‘What are you mourning about?’ -says he.</p> - -<p>“‘Such and such is the state of things, -soldier,’ say they.</p> - -<p>“‘I can bring your young people to life -again. What will you give me if I do?’</p> - -<p>“‘Take what you like, even were it half -of what we have got.’</p> - -<p>“The soldier did as the warlock had instructed -him, and brought the young people -back to life. Instead of weeping there began -to be happiness and rejoicing: the soldier -was hospitably treated and well rewarded. -Then—left about face! Off he marched to -Starosta and told the burgomaster to call -the peasants together and to get ready a -hundred loads of aspen wood. Well, they -took the wood into the graveyard, dragged -the warlock out of his grave, placed him -on the pyre, and set it in flames. The -warlock began to burn. His corpse burst, -and out of it came snakes, worms, and -all kinds of reptiles, and up came flying -crows, magpies, and jackdaws. The peasants -knocked them down and flung them<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_123"></a>[123]</span> -into the fire, not allowing so much as a -single maggot to creep away! And so -the warlock was thoroughly consumed, and -the soldier collected his ashes and strewed -them to the winds. From that time there -was peace in the village.</p> - -<p>“The soldier received the thanks of the -whole community.”</p> - -<p>In Russian folk-lore there is a class of -demons known as “heart devourers,” who -touch their victim with an aspen or other -twig credited with magical properties; the -heart then falls out and may be replaced -by some baser one. There is a Moscovian -story in which a hero awakes with the heart -of a hare, the work of a demon while the -man was asleep. He remained a coward -for the rest of his life. In another instance -a very quiet, reserved, inoffensive peasant -received a cock’s heart in exchange for his -own, and afterwards was for ever crowing -like a healthy bird.</p> - -<p>The following is taken from the <i>Lettres -Juives</i> of 1738:—</p> - -<p>“In the beginning of September there -died in the village of Kisilova, three -leagues from Graditz, an old man who -was sixty-two years of age. Three days<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_124"></a>[124]</span> -after he had been buried, he appeared -in the night to his son, and asked him -for something to eat; the son having given -him something, he ate and disappeared. -The next day the son recounted to his -neighbours what had happened. That -night the father did not appear, but the -following night he showed himself and asked -for something to eat. They know not -whether the son gave him anything or not; -but the next day he was found dead in his -bed. On the same day, five or six persons -fell suddenly ill in the village, and died one -after the other in a few days.</p> - -<p>“The officer or bailiff of the place, when -informed of what had happened, sent an -account of it to the tribunal of Belgrade, -which despatched to the village two of -these officers and an executioner to examine -into this affair. The imperial officer from -whom we have this account repaired thither -from Graditz to be a witness of what took -place.</p> - -<p>“They opened the graves of those who had -been dead six weeks. When they came to -that of the old man, they found him with -his eyes open, having a fine colour, with -natural respiration, nevertheless motionless<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_125"></a>[125]</span> -as the dead: whence they concluded -that he was most undoubtedly a vampire. -The executioner drove a stake into his -heart; they then raised a pile and reduced -the corpse to ashes. No mark of vampirism -was found either on the corpse of the son or -on the others.”</p> - -<p>The following story is told by Madame -Blavatsky in <i>Isis Unveiled</i>, who states that -she had the account from an eye-witness -of the occurrence:—</p> - -<p>“About the beginning of the nineteenth -century there occurred in Russia one of the -most frightful cases of vampirism on record. -The governor of the province of Tch—— -was a man of about sixty years of age, of a -cruel and jealous disposition. Clothed with -despotic authority, he exercised it without -stint, as his brutal instincts prompted. He -fell in love with the pretty daughter of a -subordinate officer. Although the girl was -betrothed to a young man whom she loved, -the tyrant forced her father to consent to -his having her marry him; and the poor -victim, despite her despair, became his -wife. His jealous disposition soon exhibited -itself. He beat her, confined her to her -room for weeks together, and prevented her<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_126"></a>[126]</span> -seeing anyone except in his presence. He -finally fell sick and died. Finding his -end approaching, he made her swear never -to marry again, and with fearful oaths -threatened that in case she did he would -return from his grave and kill her. He was -buried in the cemetery across the river, and -the young widow experienced no further -annoyance until, getting the better of her -fears, she listened to the importunities of -her former lover, and they were again -betrothed.</p> - -<p>“On the night of the customary betrothal -feast, when all had retired, the old mansion -was aroused by shrieks proceeding from her -room. The doors were burst open, and the -unhappy woman was found lying on her bed -in a swoon. At the same time a carriage -was heard rumbling out of the courtyard. -Her body was found to be black and blue -in places, as from the effect of pinches, and -from a slight puncture in her neck drops -of blood were oozing. Upon recovering, she -stated that her deceased husband had suddenly -entered her room, appearing exactly -as in life, with the exception of a dreadful -pallor; that he had upbraided her for her -inconstancy, and then beaten and pinched<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_127"></a>[127]</span> -her most cruelly. Her story was disbelieved; -but the next morning the guard -stationed at the other end of the bridge -which spans the river reported that just -before midnight a black coach-and-six had -driven furiously past without answering -their challenge.</p> - -<p>“The new governor, who disbelieved the -story of the apparition, took nevertheless -the precaution of doubling the guards -across the bridge. The same thing happened, -however, night after night, the -soldiers declaring that the toll-bar at their -station near the bridge would rise of itself, -and the spectral equipage would sweep -past them, despite their efforts to stop it. -At the same time every night the watchers, -including the widow’s family and the servants, -would be thrown into a heavy sleep; -and every morning the young victim would -be found bruised, bleeding, and swooning as -before. The town was thrown into consternation. -The physicians had no explanations -to offer; priests came to pass -the night in prayer, but as midnight -approached, all would be seized with the -same terrible lethargy. Finally the archbishop -of the province came and performed<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_128"></a>[128]</span> -the ceremony of exorcism in person. On -the following morning the governor’s widow -was found worse than ever. She was now -brought to death’s door.</p> - -<p>“The governor was finally driven to take -the severest measures to stop the ever-increasing -panic in the town. He stationed -fifty Cossacks along the bridge, with orders -to stop the spectral carriage at all hazards. -Promptly at the usual hour it was heard -and seen approaching from the direction -of the cemetery. The officer of the guard -and a priest bearing a crucifix planted -themselves in front of the toll-bar and -together shouted: ‘In the name of God -and the Czar, who goes there?’ Out of -the coach was thrust a well-remembered -head, and a familiar voice responded: -‘The Privy Councillor of State and Governor -C——!’ At the same moment the -officer, the priest, and the soldiers were -flung aside, as by an electric shock, and -the ghostly equipage passed them before -they could recover breath.</p> - -<p>“The archbishop then resolved as a last -expedient to resort to the time-honoured -plan of exhuming the body and driving an -oaken stake through its heart. This was<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_129"></a>[129]</span> -done with great religious ceremony in the -presence of the whole populace. The story -is that the body was found gorged with -blood, and with red cheeks and lips. At -the instant that the first blow was struck -upon the stake a groan issued from the -corpse and a jet of blood spouted high into -the air. The archbishop pronounced the -usual exorcism, the body was reinterred, -and from that time no more was heard of -the vampire.”</p> - -<hr /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_130"></a>[130]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX<br /> -<span class="smaller">MISCELLANEA</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p>Voltaire was surprised that in the enlightened -eighteenth century there should -still be people found who believed in the -reality of vampires, and that the doctors of -the Sorbonne should give their <i>imprimatur</i> to -a dissertation on these unpleasant creatures. -Yet from 1730 to 1735 the subject of -vampirism formed a principal topic of -conversation, and may be said to have been -a mania all over the world, with Europe -as a particular centre. Pamphlets on the -subject streamed from the press, the newspapers -vied with one another in recording -fresh achievements of the spectres, and -though the philosophers scoffed at and -ridiculed the belief, yet sovereigns sent -officers and commissioners to report upon -their misdeeds. The favourite scenes of<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_131"></a>[131]</span> -their exploits were Hungary, Poland, Silesia, -Bohemia, and Moravia, and in those countries -a vampire haunted and tormented -almost every village.</p> - -<p>In some parts of Scandinavia a singular -method was adopted for getting rid of -vampires, viz. by instituting judicial -proceedings against them. Inhabitants -were regularly summoned to attend the -inquest; a tribunal was constituted; -charges were preferred with the usual -legal formalities, accusing them of molesting -the houses and introducing death -among the inhabitants; and at the end -of the proceedings judgment was proclaimed. -The priest then entered with -holy water, Mass was celebrated, and it -was held that complete conquest had been -gained over the goblins.</p> - -<p>Sir Walter Scott, in his translation of -<i>Eyrbyggia Saga</i>, relates a traditional story -of several vampires who committed dreadful -ravages in Iceland in the year 1000, so -that in a household of thirty servants -no less than eighteen died.</p> - -<p>Saxo Grammaticus, the earliest chronicler -and writer upon Danish history and folk-lore, -in his <i>Danish History</i> (book i.), dealing<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_132"></a>[132]</span> -with the origin of the Danes, relates the -following story:—</p> - -<p>One Mith-othin, who was famous for -his juggling tricks, was quickened, as -though by an inspiration from on High, -to seize the opportunity of feigning to -be a god; and, wrapping the minds of -the barbarians in fresh darkness, he led -them by the renown of his jugglings to -pay holy observance to his name. He said -that the wrath of the gods could never -be appeased nor the outrage to their -deity expiated by mixed and indiscriminate -sacrifices, and, therefore, forbade that -prayers for this end should be put up -without distinction, appointing to each of -those above his especial drink-offering. -But when Odin was returning, he cast away -all help of jugglings, went to Finland to -hide himself, and was there attacked and -slain by the inhabitants. Even in his -death his abominations were made manifest, -for those who came nigh his barrow were -cut off by a kind of sudden death; and, -after his end, he spread such pestilence -that he seemed almost to leave a filthier -record in his death than in his life; it was -as though he would extort from the guilty<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_133"></a>[133]</span> -a punishment for his slaughter. The inhabitants -being in this trouble, took the -body out of the mound, beheaded it, and -impaled it through the breast with a -sharp stake, and herein that people found -relief.</p> - -<p>In book ii. we have the story of Aswid -and Asmund. Aswid died and was buried -with horse and dog. Asmund died and -was buried with his friend, food being -put in for him to eat. Later on the -grave opened, when Asmund appeared and -said: “By some strange enterprise of -the power of hell the spirit of Aswid was -sent up from the nether world, and with -cruel tooth eats the fleet-footed (horse) -and has given his dog to his abominable -jaws. Not sated with devouring the horse -or hound, he soon turned his swift nails -upon me, tearing my cheek and taking off -my ear. Hence the hideous sight of my -slashed countenance, the blood spurts in -the ugly wound. Yet the bringer of horrors -did it not unscathed; for soon I cut off -his head with my steel, and impaled his -guilty carcase with a stake.”</p> - -<p>In Malaysia the vampires are mostly -females, and are credited with a great<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_134"></a>[134]</span> -fondness for fish. They are known as -Langsuirs, and Skeat, in <i>Malay Magic</i>, gives -the following charm for “laying” a Langsuir:—</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">O ye mosquito-fry at the river’s mouth,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">When yet a great way off ye are sharp of eye;</div> - <div class="verse indent0">When near, ye are hard of heart.</div> - <div class="verse indent0">When the rock in the ground opens of itself,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Then (and then only) be emboldened the hearts of my foes and opponents!</div> - <div class="verse indent0">When the corpse in the ground opens of itself,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Then (and then only) be emboldened the hearts of my foes and opponents!</div> - <div class="verse indent0">May your heart be softened when you behold me,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">By grace of this prayer that I use, called Silam Bayn.</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>Abercromby, in his work on the Finns, -says that the Ceremis imagine that the -spirits that cause illness, especially fever -and ague, are continually recruited on the -death of old maids, murderers, and those -that die a violent death. Whenever anyone -becomes dangerously ill, the Lapps feel -sure that one of his deceased relatives wants -his company in the region of the dead, -either from affection or to punish him for -some trespass. The Truks of Altai have -a similar belief. The soul after death -willingly lingers for some time in the house -and leaves it unwillingly, and often takes<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_135"></a>[135]</span> -with it some other members of the family -or some of the cattle.</p> - -<p>Codrington, in his descriptive work on -the Melanesians, says that there is a belief -in Banks Islands in the existence of a -power like that of vampires. A man or a -woman would obtain this power out of -a morbid desire for communion with some -ghost, and in order to gain it would steal -and eat a morsel of a corpse. The ghost -of the dead man would then join in a close -friendship with the person who had eaten, -and would gratify him by afflicting anyone -against whom his ghostly power might be -directed. The man so afflicted would feel -that something was influencing his life, and -would come to dread some particular person -among his neighbours, who was, therefore, -suspected of being a <i>talamur</i>. This name -was also given to one whose soul was -supposed to go out and eat the soul or -lingering life of a freshly dead corpse. -There was a woman, some years ago, of -whom the story is told that she made no -secret of doing this, and that once on the -death of a neighbour she gave notice that -she should go in the night and eat the -corpse. The friends of the deceased therefore<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_136"></a>[136]</span> -kept watch in the house where the -corpse lay, and at dead of night heard a -scratching at the door, followed by a -rustling noise close by the corpse. One -of them threw a stone and seemed to hit -the unknown thing; and in the morning -the <i>talamur</i> was found with a bruise on her -arm, which she confessed was caused by -a stone thrown at her while she was eating -the corpse.</p> - -<p>Baron von Haxthausen, in his work on -Transcaucasia, tells us that there once dwelt -in a cavern in Armenia a vampire called -Dakhanavar, who could not endure anyone -to penetrate into the mountains of Ulmish -Altotem or count their valleys. Everyone -who attempted this had in the night his -blood sucked by the monster from the -soles of his feet until he died. The vampire -was, however, at last outwitted by two -cunning fellows. They began to count -the valleys, and when night came on they -lay down to sleep—taking care to place -themselves with the feet of the one under -the head of the other. In the night the -monster came, felt as usual, and found a -head; then he felt at the other end and -found a head there also. “Well,” cried he,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_137"></a>[137]</span> -“I have gone through the whole 366 -valleys of these mountains, and have sucked -the blood of people without end, but never -yet did I come across anyone with two -heads and no feet!” So saying, he ran -away and was never more seen in that -country, but ever after the people knew that -the mountain has 366 valleys.</p> - -<p>Even America is not free from the belief -in the vampire. In one of the issues of the -<i>Norwich</i> (U.S.A.) <i>Courier</i> for 1854, there -is the account of an incident that occurred -at Jewett, a city in that vicinity. About -eight years previously, Horace Ray of Griswold -had died of consumption. Afterwards, -two of his children—grown-up sons—died -of the same disease, the last one dying about -1852. Not long before the date of the newspaper -the same fatal disease had seized -another son, whereupon it was determined -to exhume the bodies of the two brothers -and burn them, because the dead were -supposed to feed upon the living; and so -long as the dead body in the grave -remained undecomposed, either wholly -or in part, the surviving members of the -family must continue to furnish substance -on which the dead body could feed. Acting<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_138"></a>[138]</span> -under the influence of this strange superstition, -the family and friends of the deceased -proceeded to the burial-ground on -June 8th, 1854, dug up the bodies of the -deceased brothers, and burned them on -the spot.</p> - -<p>Dr Dyer, an eminent physician of Chicago, -also reported in 1875 a case occurring -within his own personal knowledge, where -the body of a woman who had died of -consumption was taken from her grave -and her lungs burned, under the belief that -she was drawing after her into the grave -some of her surviving relatives. In 1874, -according to the <i>Providence Journal</i>, in the -village of Placedale, Rhode Island, Mr -William Rose dug up the body of his own -daughter and burned her heart, under the -belief that she was wasting away the lives -of other members of the family.</p> - -<p>The vampire is not an unknown spectre -in China, where the measures adopted for -the riddance of the pest are generally the -burning of the mortal remains of the corpse, -or removing to a distance the lid of the -coffin after the vampire has started on his -nocturnal rounds. It is held that the air -thus entering freely into the coffin will<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_139"></a>[139]</span> -cause the contents to decay. Another -Chinese cure for vampires is to watch any -suspected coffin until the corpse has quitted -it, and then strew rice, red peas, and bits of -iron around it. The corpse, on returning, -will find it impossible to pass over these -things, and will thus fall an easy prey to -his captors.</p> - -<p>The following story of a Chinese vampire -is related by Dr J. J. M. de Groot in his -<i>Religious System of China</i> (vol. v. p. 747):—</p> - -<p>“Liu N. N., a literary graduate of the -lowest degree in Wukiang (in Kiangsu), -was in charge of some pupils belonging to -the Tsaing family in the Yuen-hwo district. -In the season of Pure Brightness he returned -home, some holidays being granted him to -sweep his ancestral tombs. This duty -performed, he returned to his post, and -said to his wife: ‘To-morrow I must go; -cook some food for me at an early hour.’ -The woman said she would do so, and rose -for the purpose at cockcrow. Their village -lay on the hill behind their dwelling, facing -a brook. The wife washed some rice at that -brook, picked some vegetables in the garden, -and had everything ready, but when it was -light her husband did not rise. She went<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_140"></a>[140]</span> -into his room to wake him up, but however -often she called he gave no answer. So -she opened the curtains and found him -lying across the bed, headless, and not a -trace of blood to be seen.</p> - -<p>“Terror-stricken, she called the neighbours. -All of them suspected her of adultery -with a lover, and murder, and they warned -the magistrate. This grandee came and -held a preliminary inquest; he ordered the -corpse to be coffined, had the woman put -in fetters, and examined her; so he put her -in gaol, and many months passed away -without sentence being pronounced. Then -a neighbour, coming uphill for some fuel, -saw a neglected grave with a coffin lid bare; -it was quite a sound coffin, strong and solid, -and yet the lid was raised a little; so he -naturally suspected that it had been opened -by thieves. He summoned the people; -they lifted the lid off and saw a corpse with -features like a living person and a body -covered with white hair. Between its arms -it held the head of a man, which they -recognised as that of Liu, the graduate. -They reported the case to the magistrate; -the coroners ordered the head to be taken -away, but it was so firmly grasped in the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_141"></a>[141]</span> -arms of the corpse that the combined -efforts of a number of men proved insufficient -to draw it out. So the magistrate -told them to chop off the arms of the -<i>kiangshi</i> (corpse-spectre). Fresh blood -gushed out of the wounds, but in Liu’s head -there was not a drop left, it having been -sucked dry by the monster. By magisterial -order the corpse was burned, and the -case ended with the release of the woman -from gaol.”</p> - -<hr /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_142"></a>[142]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X<br /> -<span class="smaller">LIVING VAMPIRES</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p>There is, however, the living vampire, -distinct and separate from the dead species. -In Epirus and Thessaly there is a belief in -living vampires, who leave their shepherd -dwellings by night and roam about, biting -and tearing men and animals and sucking -their blood. In Moldavia and in Wallachia, -the <i>murony</i> are real, living men who -become dogs at night, with the backbone -prolonged to form a sort of tail. They -roam through the villages, and their main -delight is to kill cattle.</p> - -<p>In some countries the belief prevails that -the soul of a living man, often of a sorcerer, -leaves its proper body asleep and goes -forth, perhaps in visible form of a straw or -fluff of down, slips through the keyholes, -and attacks its sleeping victim. If the -sleeper should wake in time to clutch this<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_143"></a>[143]</span> -tiny soul-embodiment, he may through it -have his revenge by maltreating or destroying -its bodily owner.</p> - -<p>The following account was contributed -by me to the <i>Occult Review</i> for July 1910. -The particulars are given exactly as I -wrote them down in shorthand from the -narrator’s dictation. My informant is a -well-known medical practitioner in the -West End of London, who has held various -official appointments in the tropics, and I -received his assurance that the incidents -recorded happened exactly as they are described. -Whether the Indian referred to -is still alive or not is unknown, but certainly -the two other principals, at the time of -writing, are.</p> - -<p>Some years ago a small number of English -officials were stationed in a small place in -the tropics. Their residences were about -a quarter of a mile from each other, three -of the bungalows standing in their own -compounds and on separate elevations. -Suddenly one of the officials fell ill, but the -district medical officer was quite unable to -trace the cause of the illness. The official -in question made several applications to -the Colonial Office for transfer to another<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_144"></a>[144]</span> -station, saying he felt he should die if he -remained there. At first the application -was refused, but the man got worse and -fell into a very depressed mental condition. -He eventually wrote again, saying that if -his application for transfer could not be -granted he would be compelled to throw -up his appointment—a serious matter for -him, as he had no private means. The -application was then granted; he was -transferred, and he recovered his health.</p> - -<p>About eighteen months later another -official had a slight attack of fever, from -which he fully recovered; but after this -attack he began to complain of lassitude -until he went beyond a certain distance from -his residence. The moment he returned to -within this distance he said he felt as though -a wet blanket had been thrown over him, -and nothing could rouse him from the depression -which seized him. He, too, fell -into a low state of health, and on his request -was transferred to another station.</p> - -<p>Shortly after this transfer the wife of the -district medical officer, living within the -same area, began to fail in health and -became terribly depressed, apparently from -no cause whatever. Previously she had<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_145"></a>[145]</span> -been a cheerful, happy woman, indulging -in games and outdoor sports of all kinds, -but now she became most depressed and -miserable. At last, one night, about twelve -o’clock, she woke up shrieking. Her husband -rushed into her room, and she said -she had woken up with a most awful -feeling of depression, and had seen a creature -travelling along the cornice of the -room. She could only describe it as having -a resemblance to something between a -gigantic spider and a huge jelly-fish. Her -husband ascribed it to an attack of nightmare, -but he was disturbed in the same -manner on the following night, when his -wife said she had been awake for a quarter -of an hour, but had not had the strength -to call him before. He found her in a -state of collapse, pulse exceedingly low, -temperature three degrees below normal, -pallid, and in a cold sweat. He mixed her -a draught which had the effect of sending -her to sleep.</p> - -<p>In the morning she said she must leave -the station and go home, as to stop there -would mean her death. Thinking to divert -her attention, her husband took her away -on a pleasure trip, when he was glad to<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_146"></a>[146]</span> -see that she entirely recovered her former -cheerful expression and high spirits. This -state of things lasted until, returning home -in a rickshaw alongside her husband’s, her -face changed and she resumed her gloomy -countenance.</p> - -<p>“There,” she said, “is it not awful? I -have been so well and happy all the week, -and now I feel as though a pall had been -thrown over me.”</p> - -<p>Matters got worse, and she became more -depressed than ever, and only a few nights -passed before her husband was again called -to her bedside about midnight. He found -his wife in a state of considerable weakness, -although it was not so acute as on -the previous occasion. She said to him: -“I want you to examine the back of my -neck and shoulders very carefully and see -if there is any mark on the skin of any -kind whatever.”</p> - -<p>Her husband did so, but could not find -a mark.</p> - -<p>“Get a glass and look again. See if you -can find any puncture from a sharp-pointed -tooth.”</p> - -<p>He made a microscopical examination, -but found absolutely nothing.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_147"></a>[147]</span></p> - -<p>“Now,” said his wife, “I can tell you -what is the matter. I dreamed that I was -in a house where I lived when I was a girl. -My little boy called out to me. I ran down -to him, but when I reached the bottom of -the stairs a tall, black man came towards -me. I waved him off, but I could not -move to get away from him, though I -pushed the boy out of his reach. The -man came towards me, seized me in his -arms, sat down at the bottom of the stairs, -put me on his knee, and proceeded to suck -from a point at the upper part of the spine, -just below the neck. I felt that he was -drawing all the blood and life out of me. -Then he threw me from him, and apparently -I lost consciousness as he did so. I -felt as though I was dying. Then I woke -up, and I had been lying here for a quarter -of an hour or twenty minutes before I was -able to call you.”</p> - -<p>“Have you ever experienced anything -of this character before?” asked her husband.</p> - -<p>“No, I have not; but night after night -for many months I have woken up in -exactly the same state, and that has been -the sole cause of my mental depression. I<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_148"></a>[148]</span> -have not said anything about it because it -seemed so foolish, but now I have had -this definite dream I cannot hold my -tongue any longer.”</p> - -<p>She soon passed into a peaceful sleep, -and on discussing the matter the following -morning with her husband she said: “I -have a feeling somehow that it will not -happen again. I feel quite well and strong, -and all my depression is gone.”</p> - -<p>In the afternoon husband and wife were -going together to the club, when around -the corner of the jungle came a tall Indian, -the owner of a large number of milch cattle, -and reputed to be a wealthy man. The -surgeon’s wife suddenly stopped, turned -pale, and said immediately: “That is the -man I saw in my dream.”</p> - -<p>The husband went directly up to the -man and said to him: “Look here, I will -give you twelve hours to get out of this -place. I know everything that happened -last night at midnight, and I will kill you -like a dog if I find you here in twelve -hours’ time.”</p> - -<p>The Indian disappeared the same night, -taking with him only a few valuables and -a little loose money. He left behind him<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_149"></a>[149]</span> -the money that was deposited in the bank, -as well as the whole of his property. His -forty head of cattle, worth eighty dollars -each, were impounded, and no news had -been heard of him five years afterwards. -Since his departure no one has complained -of depression and lassitude in that area.</p> - -<hr /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_150"></a>[150]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI<br /> -<span class="smaller">THE VAMPIRE IN LITERATURE</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p>The subject of vampirism does not appear -to have attracted litterateurs greatly. True, -there are the operas of Palma, Hart, Marschner, -and von Lindpainter; and Philostratus -and Phlegon of Tralles have discoursed -upon the phenomena. There are not, however, -many works of fiction based upon the -topic, or many poems in which the subject -is introduced. There is an Anglo-Saxon -poem with the title <i>A Vampyre of the -Fens</i>, and a long, wearisome novel, full of -gruesome details, entitled <i>Varney the Vampire</i>. -Among modern authors, Mr Bram -Stoker has made the vampire the foundation -of his exciting romance <i>Dracula</i>; but -mention of these works almost exhausts -the references to separate works upon the -subject.</p> - -<p>Nor are the references to vampires and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_151"></a>[151]</span> -vampirism in the ancient Greek authors -more numerous. The phantom of Achilles -is represented by Euripides (<i>Hec.</i>, 109, -599) as appearing on his tomb clad in -golden armour and appeased by the sacrifice -of a young virgin, whose blood he drank. -Œdipus also in Sophocles (<i>Œd. Col.</i>, 621), -when foretelling a defeat which the Thebans -would sustain near his tomb, declares that -his cold, dead body will drink their warm -blood. Human victims were offered at the -funeral pyre of Patroclus in the <i>Iliad</i> -(vol. i.).</p> - -<p>Though human beings are not sacrificed -in the <i>Odyssey</i>, yet the blood of slaughtered -sheep was eagerly lapped up by the ghosts -consulted by Odysseus (xi. 45, 48, 95, -96, 153, etc.). A sheep was also to be -sacrificed at the tombs of mortals, and its -blood was supposed to be an offering acceptable -to the departed spirit.</p> - -<p>Pausanias, Strabo, Ælian, and Suidas -relate the legend of Ulysses in his wanderings -coming to the town of Temesa, in Italy, -where one of his associates was stoned to -death by the townsmen for having ravished -a virgin. His ghost forthwith haunted -the inhabitants, and caused them such<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_152"></a>[152]</span> -annoyance that many were thinking seriously -of leaving the town when they were -told by Apollo’s oracle that to appease -him they must build the hero a temple, -and sacrifice to him yearly the most beautiful -virgin they had among them. The -temple was accordingly raised: access to -the sacred enclosure was prohibited to all -except the priests, on penalty of death. An -engraving of the evil spirit that is alleged -to have infested Temesa is given on page -18 of Beaumont’s <i>Treatise on Spirits</i> (ed. -1705).</p> - -<p>Philostratus, in his <i>Life of Apollonius of -Tyana</i> (iv. 25, p. 165), says that the long -intercourse which took place between a -female spectre and the Corinthian Menippus -was but a prelude to the feast of flesh -and blood in which she meant to revel -after their marriage.</p> - -<p>Some have described the Hebrew <i>lilith</i> -as a vampire, but the <i>Jewish Encyclopædia</i> -states that: “There is nothing in the -Talmud to indicate that the <i>lilith</i> was a -vampire.” She was regarded as a nocturnal -demon, flying about in the form of a -night-owl, and stealing children, and was -held to have permission to kill all children<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_153"></a>[153]</span> -sinfully begotten, even from a lawful wife. -The <i>lilith</i> is held to have the same signification -as the Greek <i>strix</i> and <i>lamiæ</i>, who -were sorceresses or magicians, seeking to -put to death new-born children. The -ancient Greeks believed that these <i>lamiæ</i> -devoured children, or sucked away all their -blood until they died. Euripides and the -scholiast of Aristophanes mention the <i>lilith</i> -as a dangerous monster, the enemy of -mortals; and Ovid describes the <i>strigæ</i> as -dangerous birds, which fly by night and -seek for infants to devour them and nourish -themselves with their blood. The <i>aluka</i> -of Proverbs xxx. 15 is more akin to the -vampire. It is a blood-sucking, insatiable -monster; the word is synonymous with -<i>algul</i>, the well-known demon of the Arabian -popular stories, “the man-devouring demon -of the waste,” known as the ghoul or goule -in the translated edition of the <i>Arabian -Nights</i>.</p> - -<p>Goethe, in his ballad <i>The Bride of Corinth</i>, -describes how a young Athenian visits a -friend of his father, to whose daughter he -had been betrothed, and is disturbed at -midnight by the appearance of the vampire -spectre of her whom death has prevented<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_154"></a>[154]</span> -from becoming his bride, and who, when -detected, says:—</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">From my grave to wander I am forc’d,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Still to seek The Good’s long-sever’d link,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Still to love the bridegroom I have lost,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">And the life-blood of his heart to drink;</div> - <div class="verse indent8">When his race is run,</div> - <div class="verse indent8">I must hasten on,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">And the young must ’neath my vengeance sink.</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>There is one scant reference to the -subject in Shelley’s poems. Byron, in -his poem <i>The Giaour</i>, has the following -passage:—</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">But first on earth as vampire sent</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Thy corse shall from its tomb be rent:</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Then ghastly haunt thy native place,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">And suck the blood of all thy race.</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>Dryden relates:—</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">Lo, in my walks where wicked elves have been,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">The learning of the parish now is seen—</div> - <div class="verse indent0">From fiends and imps he sets the village free,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">There haunts not any incubus but he:</div> - <div class="verse indent0">The maids and women need no danger fear</div> - <div class="verse indent0">To walk by night and sanctity so near.</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>Scott, in <i>Rokeby</i>, has the following -lines:—</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">For like the bat of Indian brakes,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Her pinions fan the wound she makes,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">And soothing thus the dreamer’s pains,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">She drinks the life-blood from the veins.</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_155"></a>[155]</span></p> -<p>The following legend is related in vol. ii. -of <i>Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border</i>, and is -referred to in a footnote to Southey’s -<i>Thalaba the Destroyer</i> (p. 108, ed. 1814):—</p> - -<p>In the year 1058 a young man of noble -birth had been married in Rome, and during -the period of his nuptial feast, having gone -with his companions to play at ball, he put -his marriage ring on the finger of a broken -statue of Venus in the area, to remain while -he was engaged in recreation. Desisting -from the exercise, he found the finger on -which he had put his ring contracted firmly -against the palm, and attempted in vain -either to break or disengage the ring. He -concealed the circumstances from his companions, -and returned at night with a -servant, when he found the finger extended -and the ring gone. He dissembled the -loss and returned to his wife; but when -he attempted to embrace her he found -himself prevented by something dark and -dense, which was tangible if not visible, -interposing between them; and he heard -a voice saying: “Embrace me! for I am -Venus, whom this day you wedded, and I -will not restore your ring.” As this was -constantly repeated, he consulted his relatives,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_156"></a>[156]</span> -who had recourse to Palumbus, the -priest, skilled in necromancy. He directed -the young man to go at a certain hour of -the night to a spot among the ruins of -ancient Rome where four roads meet, and -wait silently till he saw a company pass -by, and then, without uttering a word, to -deliver a letter which he gave him to a -majestic being who rode in a chariot after -the rest of the company. The young man -did as he was directed, and saw the company -of all ages, classes and ranks, on horse and -on foot, some joyful and others sad, pass -along; among whom he distinguished a -woman in a meretricious dress, who, from -the tenuity of her garments, seemed almost -naked. She rode on a mule; her long hair, -which flowed over her shoulders, was bound -with a golden fillet; and in her hand was a -golden rod with which she directed her -mule. In the close of the procession a -tall, majestic figure appeared in a chariot -adorned with emeralds and pearls, who -fiercely asked the young man what he did -there. He presented the letter in silence, -which the demon dared not refuse. As -soon as he had read, lifting up his hands to -heaven, he exclaimed: “Almighty God!<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_157"></a>[157]</span> -how long wilt Thou endure the iniquities -of the sorcerer Palumbus!” and immediately -despatched some of his attendants, -who, with much difficulty, extorted the -ring from Venus and restored it to its -owner, whose infernal banns were thus -dissolved. This legend was made the -foundation of Liddell’s poem, <i>The Vampire -Bride</i>.</p> - -<p>Dion Boucicault wrote and produced a -vampire play entitled <i>The Phantom</i>, the -scene of which was laid in the ruins of Raby -Castle. Anyone remaining in these ruins -for one night met with certain death before -the morning. The only sign of violence -to be found was a wound on the right side -of the throat, but no blood was to be seen. -The face of the victim was white and the -gaze fixed, as though the person had died -from fright.</p> - -<p>In April 1819 a story entitled “The -Vampyre” appeared in <i>Colburn’s New -Monthly Magazine</i>, which was attributed -to Lord Byron, but which was really from -the pen of Dr John William Polidori (uncle -of William Michael Rossetti), who was for -a time Lord Byron’s travelling physician. -The work was also published separately,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_158"></a>[158]</span> -but the authorship was denied by Lord -Byron. Polidori immediately claimed responsibility -for the work, and the correspondence -and statement of facts published -in Rossetti’s <i>Diary of Doctor John William -Polydori</i> show how the mistake occurred.</p> - -<p>The following poem appears in the <i>Life -of James Clerk Maxwell</i>, by Lewis Campbell -and William Garnett, and was written -by Maxwell in 1845, when he was fourteen -years of age:—</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse center">THE VAMPYRE</div> - <div class="verse center"><span class="smcap">Compylt into Meeter by James Clerk Maxwell</span></div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">Thair is a knichte rydis through the wood,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">And a douchty knichte is hee.</div> - <div class="verse indent0">And sure hee is on a message sent,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">He rydis sae hastilie.</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Hee passit the aik, and hee passit the birk,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">And hee passit monie a tre,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Bot plesant to him was the saugh sae slim,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">For beneath it hee did see</div> - <div class="verse indent0">The boniest ladye that ever hee saw,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">Scho was sae schyn and fair.</div> - <div class="verse indent0">And thair scho sat, beneath the saugh,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">Kaiming hir gowden hair.</div> - <div class="verse indent0">And then the knichte—“Oh ladye brichte,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">What chance has broucht you here?</div> - <div class="verse indent0">But say the word, and ye schall gang</div> - <div class="verse indent4">Back to your kindred dear.”</div><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_159"></a>[159]</span> - <div class="verse indent0">Then up and spok the ladye fair—</div> - <div class="verse indent4">“I have nae friends or kin,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Bot in a little boat I live,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">Amidst the waves’ loud din.”</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Then answered thus the douchty knichte—</div> - <div class="verse indent4">“I’ll follow you through all,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">For gin ye bee in a littel boat,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">The world to it seemis small.”</div> - <div class="verse indent0">They goed through the wood, and through the wood,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">To the end of the wood they came:</div> - <div class="verse indent0">And when they came to the end of the wood</div> - <div class="verse indent4">They saw the salt sea faem.</div> - <div class="verse indent0">And then they saw the wee, wee boat,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">That daunced on the top of the wave,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">And first got in the ladye fair,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">And then the knichte sae brave.</div> - <div class="verse indent0">They got into the wee, wee boat,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">And rowed wi’ a’ their micht;</div> - <div class="verse indent0">When the knichte sae brave, he turnit about,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">And lookit at the ladye bricht;</div> - <div class="verse indent0">He lookit at her bonnie cheik,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">And hee lookit at hir twa bricht eyne,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Bot hir rosie cheik growe ghaistly pale,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">And schoe seymit as scho deid had been.</div> - <div class="verse indent0">The fause, fause knichte growe pale wi’ frichte,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">And his hair rose up on end,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">For gane-by days cam to his mynde,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">And his former luve he kenned.</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Then spake the ladye—“Thou, fause knichte,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">Hast done to me much ill,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Thou didst forsake me long ago,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">Bot I am constant still;</div> - <div class="verse indent0">For though I ligg in the woods sae cald,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">At rest I canna bee</div><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_160"></a>[160]</span> - <div class="verse indent0">Until I sucks the gude lyfe blude</div> - <div class="verse indent4">Of the man that gart me dee.”</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Hee saw hir lipps were wet wi’ blude,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">And hee saw hir lufelesse eyne,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">And loud hee cry’d, “Get frae my syde,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">Thou vampyr corps encleane!”</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Bot no, hee is in hir magic boat,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">And on the wyde, wyde sea;</div> - <div class="verse indent0">And the vampyr suckis his gude lyfe blude,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">Sho suckis hym till hee dee.</div> - <div class="verse indent0">So now beware, whoe’er you are,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">That walkis in this lone wood:</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Beware of that deceitfull spright,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">The ghaist that suckis the blude.</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>Mr Reginald Hodder, in <i>The Vampire</i> -(William Rider & Son, Ltd.), has developed -a theory which is a novel one in the annals -of vampirism. The principal character is a -living woman, a member of a secret sisterhood, -who is forced to exercise her powers as a vampire -to prevent loss of vitality. This power, -however, is exercised through the medium of -a metallic talisman, and the main thread of -the story turns on the struggle for the possession -of this talisman. It is wrested ultimately -from the hands of those who would use it for -malignant purposes, but its recovery is only -accomplished by means of a number of -extraordinary—though who would dare say -impossible?—occult phenomena.</p> - -<hr /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_161"></a>[161]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII<br /> -<span class="smaller">FACT OR FICTION?</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p>While some writers, belonging mainly to -what is popularly known as the orthodox -school of theology or professing a materialistic -philosophy, have expressed an entire -disbelief in the alleged phenomena, others, -on the other hand, accepting generally the -spiritistic or spiritualistic philosophy, have -admitted the possibility of the phenomena, -though not pledging their acceptance of all -or any of the many stories told concerning -the deeds, or rather the misdeeds, of the -apparitions.</p> - -<p>Dr Pierart, the well-known French <i>savant</i>, -maintained that “the facts of vampirism are -as well attested by inquiries made as are -the facts of catalepsy,” and that “the facts -of vampirism are as old as the world,” and -pointed to the fact that Tertullian and -St Augustine spoke of them.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_162"></a>[162]</span></p> - -<p>Gabriele D’Annunzio was another firm -believer in their existence. In his <i>Triumph -of Death</i>, translated by Georgina Harding, -we read: “What have they not done? -Candia told of all the different means they -had tried, all the exorcisms they had -resorted to. The priest had come and, -after covering the child’s head with the -end of his stole, had repeated verses from -the Gospel. The mother had hung up a -wax cross, blessed on Ascension Day, over a -door, and had sprinkled the hinges with holy -water and repeated the Creed three times -in a loud voice; she had tied up a handful -of salt in a piece of linen and hung it round -the neck of her dying child. The father -had ‘done the seven nights’—that is, for -seven nights he had waited in the dark -behind a lighted lantern, attentive to the -slightest sound, ready to catch and grapple -with the vampire. A single prick with -the pin sufficed to make her visible to the -human eye. But the seven nights’ watch -had been fruitless, for the child wasted away -and grew more hopelessly feeble from hour -to hour. At last, in despair, the father had -consulted with a wizard, by whose advice -he had called a dog and put the body<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_163"></a>[163]</span> -behind the door. The vampire could not -then enter the house till she counted every -hair on its body.”</p> - -<p>Calmet’s explanation of the spectres so -much talked of in Hungary, Moravia, -Poland, and elsewhere is that they are -nothing but persons that are still alive in -their graves, though without motion or -respiration; and that the freshness and -ruddy colour of their blood, the flexibility -of their limbs, and their crying out when -their hearts were run through with a stick, -or their heads cut off, were demonstrative -proofs of their being still alive. “But -this,” he says, “does not affect the principal -difficulty at which I stick, namely, how they -come out of and go into their graves, -without leaving any mark of the earth’s -being removed; and how they appear to -carry former clothes. If they are not really -dead, why do they return to their graves -again and not stay in the land of the living? -Why do they suck the blood of their -relations, and torment and pester persons -that should naturally be true to them and -never give them any offence? On the other -hand, if it be nothing but a mere whim of -the persons infested, whence comes it that<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_164"></a>[164]</span> -these carcases are found in their graves -uncorrupted, full of blood, with their limbs -pliant and flexible, and their feet dirty, the -next day after they have been patrolling -about and frightening the neighbourhood, -whilst nothing of this sort can be discovered -in other carcases that were buried -at the same time and in the same mound? -Whence is it that they come no more after -they are burned or impaled?”</p> - -<p>Other writers have accepted the theory -that the subjects are not really dead, but -are only in a death-like condition. The -Germans express this condition of apparent -death and of the perfect preservation of -the living body by the term <i>scheintod</i>, -which is, perhaps, better than the English -term “suspended animation.” Dr Herbert -Mayo describes the special condition of -vampires as a “death-trance”—a positive -status, a period of repose, the duration of -which is sometimes definite and predetermined, -though unknown, and says that the -patient sometimes awakes suddenly when -the term of the death-trance has expired. -During this trance-period the action of the -heart, breathing, voluntary motion, as well -as feeling and intelligence and the vegetable<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_165"></a>[165]</span> -changes in the body, are said to be suspended. -Two instances of the death-trance -are quoted.</p> - -<p>Cardinal Espinosa, prime minister under -Philip the Second of Spain, died, as it was -supposed, after a short illness. His rank -entitled him to be embalmed. Accordingly, -the body was opened for that purpose. -The lungs and heart had just been brought -into view, when the latter was seen to beat. -The cardinal, awakening at the fatal moment, -had still strength enough left to seize -with his hand the knife of the anatomist.</p> - -<p>On the 23rd of September 1763, the Abbé -Prévost, the French novelist and compiler -of travels, was seized with a fit in the forest -of Chantilly. The body was found and -conveyed to the residence of the nearest -clergyman. It was supposed that death -had taken place through apoplexy. But -the local authorities, desiring to be satisfied -of the fact, ordered the body to be examined. -During the process the poor Abbé uttered -a cry of agony. It was too late.</p> - -<p>Among Theosophists and Continental -spiritists a solution to the problem is -found in their teaching concerning the -astral body and the astral plane, as<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_166"></a>[166]</span> -conveyed by Madame Blavatsky in <i>Isis -Unveiled</i>.</p> - -<p>It is held that so long as the astral -form is not entirely separated from the -body there is a liability that it may be -forced by magnetic attraction to re-enter it. -Sometimes it will be only half-way out when -the corpse, which presents the appearance -of death, is buried. In such cases the astral -body voluntarily re-enters the mortal frame, -and then one of two things happens—either -the unhappy victim will writhe in the -agonising torture of suffocation, or if he -has been grossly material he becomes a -vampire. It is held that this ethereal form -can go wherever it pleases, and that it is -possible for this astral body to feed on -human victims and carry the sustenance -to the corpus lying within the tomb by -means of an invisible cord of connection, -the nature of which is at present unknown; -but psychical researchers—and these number -many eminent scientists—have of late years -devoted their efforts towards the elucidation -of the phenomenon known as the projection -of the double; and this, if scientifically -and satisfactorily explained, will give the -clue to many of the phenomena of vampirism.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_167"></a>[167]</span></p> - -<p>This “double” may sometimes during life -be projected unconsciously, and sometimes -purposely, by means of hypnotism or provoked -somnambulism. An example of the -former appeared in the <i>Journal du Magnétisme</i> -for October 1909, and the translation of -the account was published in the <i>Annals -of Psychical Science</i> for January-March -1910, and is here reproduced. The narrator -is M. Antonio Salazar of Mexico.</p> - -<h3>“<i>A Romantic Case of Projection of the -Double</i></h3> - -<p>“In 1889 I lived at Juatlahuaca, in the -state of Oaxaca, Mexico. For a long time -I passionately loved the woman who afterwards -became my wife.</p> - -<p>“At the beginning of 1890, through one -of those unfortunate disagreements which -occasionally arise between parents and their -children, those of my beloved one, wishing -to put an end to our mutual love, separated -us by taking her to the mountains; but -this only increased our love, because of the -difficulties and our desire to see each other.</p> - -<p>“Several months passed after our separation, -and though the distance between us -was not great, we had to take into account<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_168"></a>[168]</span> -the vigilance with which she was surrounded, -and which was a greater obstacle than the -difficulties of the road.</p> - -<p>“One night, when I was feeling, as usual, -very sad and gloomy, the thought came to -me to say to my servant: ‘Jeanette, if -any morning you come into my room and -do not find me, do not look for me; take the -keys and open the shop. If at midday I -have not arrived, you can seek for me in -the mountains.’</p> - -<p>“‘Ah, sir,’ she replied, ‘I would never -oppose myself to your commands, if what -you tell me did not concern persons whom -I love and respect, because you will never -thereby accomplish your object.’</p> - -<p>“I knew that she was right, and I thought -that the best thing I could do was to go to -sleep and try to calm my imagination. -She also retired, much distressed, and imploring -all the saints, to whom she prayed, -to prevent any unfortunate incident which -would threaten the lives of three persons—my -<i>fiancée</i>, her father, and myself.</p> - -<p>“The following day I awoke with the -same project in my mind, but before carrying -it out I wished to inform my <i>fiancée</i> as to -the day and hour at which I hoped to speak<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_169"></a>[169]</span> -to her. She replied by showing me the -rashness of my project, and offering to do -all she could to overcome the obstacles -which prevented her from returning to live -in the town, which she hoped to do in a -few days, and which came to pass as she -had predicted. I reckoned, however, on -my sagacity and youthful ardour to realise -my project before my <i>fiancée</i> was able to -return.</p> - -<p>“One day, when my mind was indulging -itself in all kinds of fancies, I thought it -would be quite easy to elude the vigilance -of all those who were around my <i>fiancée</i>, -and who were opposed to our meeting. -When night came on I continued to think of -my project, and I resolved to lie down and -try to sleep.</p> - -<p>“I passed a very disturbed night, waking -frequently, and when the day began to -break, the servant came to my room to bid -me ‘good morning,’ and to ask for the -keys of the shop.</p> - -<p>“‘How have you passed the night, sir?’ -she asked.</p> - -<p>“‘Rather badly, Jeanette. I have -dreamed continually, and it is impossible -for me to give you an idea of all the dangers<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_170"></a>[170]</span> -and precipices which I thought I overcame -and crossed; it seems to me that I went -over the mountain road which leads to the -farm, but it was a very different road. I -dreamed that our interview was prevented, -I do not know how, and that I had a long -walk home again. What can it all mean?’</p> - -<p>“‘It is only the result of your wishes -and preoccupation in regard to the young -lady. She will soon return, and then -these follies will disappear.’</p> - -<p>“I very soon forgot all about what I have -just described, and so did my servant, for -neither of us attached any importance to a -dream; but, after a short time, a messenger -from the farm handed me a letter, in which -my <i>fiancée</i> reproached me for my violence, -my bad conduct and disobedience in going -there in defiance of the commands and -wishes of her father.</p> - -<p>“‘What? I? No. Never! Tell your -mistress that, although I have thought of -going to see her, I have never carried out -my desires; if I have not done so, it has -not been through lack of courage and will -on my part, but only because of my desire -to please her and not to oppose her wishes.’</p> - -<p>“‘But we saw you.’</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_171"></a>[171]</span></p> - -<p>“‘Me?’</p> - -<p>“‘Yes, sir—you.’</p> - -<p>“‘You are telling an untruth. I have -not been out. My servant can corroborate -that; and, further, I have nothing to lose -by telling the truth.’</p> - -<p>“‘That may be as you please, but it is -true that you spoke to me; you questioned -me on the subject of Mademoiselle—desired -me to tell her that you were there and wished -to speak to her.’</p> - -<p>“‘These are illusions on your part; you -have been dreaming.’</p> - -<p>“‘That is possible; but there were two, -three, all the servants, who also saw you. -You did not arrive until nearly midnight; -you were dressed as you are now, and riding -a white horse, which you fastened to the -gnarled oak. We could all recognise you -by the moonlight, and you were going towards -the side door when I stopped you -from entering.</p> - -<p>“‘Hearing our voices, the dogs began to -bark, which caused all the servants to get -up. You were recognised by my master -and the young lady, who fell on her knees -before her father, beseeching him not to -fire on you. Without showing any fear,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_172"></a>[172]</span> -you returned step by step to your horse -and went down the mountain again. My -master was much annoyed with you, called -his confidential servant Marino, ordered -him to follow you and not to be afraid, but -to fire on you two or three times, as he -would be responsible. Marino set out, and, -although he walked quickly and tried all -he could to catch you up, he could not do -so. A curious phenomenon aroused his -attention, which was that he always saw -you going at the same pace, and he had not -the courage to fire his rifle.</p> - -<p>“‘You arrived at the entrance to the -town about five o’clock in the morning; the -moon was setting and the day commencing -to break. Before you arrived at the first -crossing of the streets you began to run, -and turned quickly along the first street -in the town; and though Marino ran after -you, he lost sight of you at the next -crossing.’</p> - -<p>“My persecutor, frightened by what he -had seen, returned immediately to the farm -to inform his master of what had taken -place, and which seemed very extraordinary -and supernormal.</p> - -<p>“For a long time this adventure, of which<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_173"></a>[173]</span> -I was the unconscious hero, made a great -stir in the town.”</p> - -<p>Colonel de Rochas, a distinguished French -savant, has made this question of the externalisation -or projection of the double -and of the motricity and sensibility of -the subject his special and patient study, -and has embodied the results of many of -his experiments in separate works. Some -have also been published in the pages of -the <i>Annals of Psychical Science</i>, so that -the reader who is particularly interested in -the question will have no difficulty in finding -material for further consideration and study.</p> - -<p>The Société Magnétique de France has -also conducted extensive experiments in -this field of research, particulars of which -are published from time to time in the -<i>Journal du Magnétisme</i>. The following -theoretical explanation given at the conclusion -of the report of a series of these -experiments is reprinted from the <i>Annals</i> -for July-September 1910:—</p> - -<p>“We know that the phantom is the -psychical body projected from the physical -body. It is that which enjoys or suffers, -thinks, wishes, judges, and perceives all<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_174"></a>[174]</span> -sensations. It is constantly animated by -extremely rapid vibratory movements -which are certainly the same as when it -is within the body. This principle being -admitted, we understand that, when it -animates the body, its vibratory movements -are not projected outside, and that it -exercises no appreciable action on other -organisms in its neighbourhood. But when -it is outside the body its movements are -easily externalised. Then the phantom and -another person, vibrating in unison, represent -two stringed instruments which -sound at the same time when one only is -touched. If I can obtain this transmission -at great distances, we can explain this -strange and unexpected phenomenon by the -theory of wireless telegraphy or telephony.”</p> - -<p>The results of the many experiments -conducted by and under the auspices of -French scientists in particular tend to -indicate that in the near future an explanation -of the phenomena of vampirism will be -forthcoming.</p> - -<hr /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_175"></a>[175]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="BIBLIOGRAPHY">BIBLIOGRAPHY</h2> - -</div> - -<div class="hanging"> - -<p>Abercromby’s <i>Finns</i>.</p> - -<p>Leo Allatius.</p> - -<p>Barth’s <i>The Religions of India</i>.</p> - -<p>Bartholin’s <i>de Causa contemptûs mortis</i>.</p> - -<p>Beaumont’s <i>Treatise on Spirits</i>.</p> - -<p>Blavatsky’s <i>Isis Unveiled</i>.</p> - -<p>Calmet’s <i>Dissertation upon Apparitions</i>.</p> - -<p>Calmet’s <i>The Phantom World</i>.</p> - -<p>Hugh Clifford’s <i>In Court and Kampong</i>.</p> - -<p>Codrington’s <i>Melanesians</i>.</p> - -<p>Conway’s <i>Demonology and Folk-lore</i>.</p> - -<p>William Crooke’s <i>Popular Religion and Folk-lore of -Northern India</i>.</p> - -<p>Gabriele D’Annunzio’s <i>The Triumph of Death</i>.</p> - -<p>De Schartz, <i>Magia Postuma</i>.</p> - -<p>C. M. Doughty’s <i>Arabia Deserta</i>.</p> - -<p>Eaves’ <i>Modern Vampirism</i>.</p> - -<p><i>Encyclopædia Britannica.</i></p> - -<p>Eyre’s <i>Discoveries in Central Australia</i>.</p> - -<p>Farrer’s <i>Primitive Manners and Customs</i>.</p> - -<p>Fornari’s <i>History of Sorcerers</i>.</p> - -<p>Fortis’ <i>Travels into Dalmatia</i>.</p> - -<p>Frazer’s <i>Golden Bough</i>.</p> - -<p>Goethe’s <i>Bride of Corinth</i>.</p> - -<p>Baring Gould’s <i>Book of Were Wolves</i>.</p> - -<p>Grimm’s <i>Teutonic Mythology</i>.</p> - -<p>J. J. Morgan de Groot’s <i>Religious System of China</i>.</p> - -<p>Baron von Haxthausen’s <i>Transcaucasia</i>.</p> - -<p>Hikayat Abdullah.</p> - -<p>Reginald Hodder’s <i>The Vampire</i>.</p> - -<p><i>Jewish Encyclopædia.</i></p> - -<p>Keightley’s <i>Fairy Mythology</i>.</p> - -<p>T. S. Knowlson’s <i>Origin of Popular Superstitions</i>.</p> - -<p>Leake’s <i>Travels in Northern Greece</i>.</p> - -<p>Liddell’s <i>The Vampire Bride</i>.</p> - -<p>Mackenzie and Irby’s <i>Travels in the Slavonic Provinces of -Turkey in Europe</i>.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_176"></a>[176]</span></p> - -<p>Mayo’s <i>On the Truths contained in Popular Superstitions</i>.</p> - -<p><i>Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border</i> (vol. ii.).</p> - -<p>More’s <i>Antidote against Atheism</i>.</p> - -<p>Nider’s <i>Formicarius</i>.</p> - -<p>Laurence Oliphant’s <i>Scientific Religion</i>.</p> - -<p>Pashley’s <i>Crete</i> (vol. ii.).</p> - -<p>Polidori’s <i>The Vampyre</i>.</p> - -<p>Michael Psellus’ <i>Dialogus de Operationibus Dæmonum</i>.</p> - -<p>Ralston’s <i>Russian Folk Tales</i>.</p> - -<p>Ralston’s <i>Songs of the Russian People</i>.</p> - -<p>Roussel’s <i>Transfusion of Human Blood</i>.</p> - -<p>Rycaut’s <i>The Present State of the Greek and Armenian -Churches</i>.</p> - -<p>Rymer’s <i>Varney the Vampire</i>.</p> - -<p>St Clair and Brophy’s <i>Bulgaria</i>.</p> - -<p>Saxo Grammaticus’ <i>Danish History</i>.</p> - -<p>Sayce’s <i>Ancient Empires of the East</i>.</p> - -<p>Scoffern’s <i>Stray Leaves of Science and Folk-lore</i>.</p> - -<p>Sir Walter Scott’s translation of <i>Eyrbyggia Saga</i>.</p> - -<p>Siegbert’s <i>Chronicle</i>.</p> - -<p>W. W. Skeat’s <i>Malay Magic</i>.</p> - -<p>Skeat and Blagden’s <i>Pagan Races of the Malay -Peninsula</i>.</p> - -<p>Southey’s <i>Thalaba the Destroyer</i>.</p> - -<p>Bram Stoker’s <i>Dracula</i>.</p> - -<p>R. Campbell Thompson’s <i>The Devils and Evil Spirits -of Babylonia</i>.</p> - -<p>J. Pitton de Tournefort’s <i>A Voyage into the Levant</i>.</p> - -<p>Tozer’s <i>Researches in the Highlands of Turkey</i>.</p> - -<p>Trumbull’s <i>Blood Covenant</i>.</p> - -<p>Turner’s <i>Nineteen Years in Polynesia</i>.</p> - -<p>Tylor’s <i>Primitive Culture</i>.</p> - -<p>Voltaire’s <i>Dictionnaire Philosophique</i>.</p> - -<p>Horace Walpole’s <i>Reminiscences</i>.</p> - -<p>Westermarck’s <i>Origin and Development of Moral -Ideas</i>.</p> - -<p>William of Newbury.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_177"></a>[177]</span></p> - -<h3><span class="smcap">Periodical Literature</span></h3> - -<p><i>All the Year Round</i> (vol. xxv.).</p> - -<p><i>Annals of Psychical Science.</i></p> - -<p><i>Blackwood’s Magazine</i> (vol. lxi.).</p> - -<p><i>Borderland.</i></p> - -<p><i>Chambers’s Journal</i> (vol. lxxiii.).</p> - -<p><i>Colburn’s Magazine</i> (vol. vii.).</p> - -<p><i>Contemporary Review</i> (July 1885).</p> - -<p><i>Gentleman’s Magazine</i> (July 1851).</p> - -<p><i>Household Words</i> (vol. xi.).</p> - -<p><i>Journal du Magnétisme.</i></p> - -<p><i>Journal Indian Archipelago</i> (vol. i.).</p> - -<p><i>Lippincott’s Magazine</i> (vol. xlvii.).</p> - -<p><i>London Journal</i> (March 1732).</p> - -<p><i>New Monthly Magazine</i> (1st April 1819).</p> - -<p><i>Nineteenth Century</i> (September 1885).</p> - -<p><i>Notes and Queries.</i></p> - -<p><i>Occult Review.</i></p> - -<p><i>Open Court</i> (vol. vii.).</p> - -<p><i>Revue Spiritualiste</i> (vol. iv.).</p> - -<p><i>St James’s Magazine</i> (vol. x.).</p> - -<p><i>Wonderful Magazine</i> (1764).</p> - -</div> - -<p class="titlepage smaller">PRINTED BY NEILL AND CO., LTD., EDINBURGH</p> - -<hr /> - -<div class="ad"> - -<p class="center larger">THE VAMPIRE</p> - -<p class="center">A ROMANCE OF THE UNCANNY</p> - -<p class="center larger">6/=</p> - -<p class="center"><span class="smcap">By REGINALD HODDER</span></p> - -<p class="center smaller">AUTHOR OF “A SOLDIER OF FORTUNE,” ETC.</p> - -<p class="center"><i>Crown 8vo, Cloth Gilt, Coloured Frontispiece</i></p> - -<p>“The story is really exciting, and the ordinary reader who merely -wishes to be thrilled will gain his desire and find Mr Hodder’s -pages most engrossing. 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Frings</span>. <i>Crown 8vo. 2s. 6d. net.</i></p> - -<p class="smaller">“There are a great many people to whom this book, which is seriously intended, will -appeal; and the ‘conclusion’ is plainly the result of much thought.”—<i>The English -Review.</i></p> - -<p class="smaller">“His work will probably take many readers further along this path once they have -started on it.”—<i>The Athenæum.</i></p> - -<p class="smaller">“The book is a very spirited and successful attempt to justify the Occult Arts on a -purely scientific basis. It is written very clearly and convincingly, and shows that the -author has a fine grasp of both the occult and the scientific sides of the question.”—<i>Review -of Reviews.</i></p> - -<p class="hanging"><b>WHAT IS OCCULTISM?</b> A Philosophical and Critical -Study. By “<span class="smcap">Papus</span>.” Translated from the French by <span class="smcap">F. Rothwell</span>. -<i>Crown 8vo, Cloth. 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The treatise -has been ably translated.”—<i>The Sunday Times.</i></p> - -<p class="center">LONDON:<br /> -WILLIAM RIDER & SON, LIMITED<br /> -8-11 PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C.</p> - -</div> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Vampires and Vampirism, by Dudley Wright - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VAMPIRES AND VAMPIRISM *** - -***** This file should be named 62873-h.htm or 62873-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/2/8/7/62873/ - -Produced by deaurider and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive) - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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