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Show DOWN THE DALMATIAN COAST Strange Superstitions of the Mixed People That Live Along the Adriatic A much mixed, backward, and strangely superstitious people are those who dwell along the eastern shores of the Adriatic sea, according to a bulletin of the National Geographic Geo-graphic society. Greek colonies and Roman niunielpia; Byzantian officials and sick Franks abandoned on the rocks of Zara by Crusaders ; Italians exiled during the centuries of strife among their petty states or brought thither by trade ventures; the flood of Slavonian and, later, of Ottoman, Invasion In-vasion ; all these are the elements of the people liviug along Austria-Hungary's seacoast. Vampires, diabolical ghosts, witches, "vllen," and vengeful spirits are held In great respect throughout this country, coun-try, and the folklore is rich In their doings and in the common mortal's philosophy of self-preservation in a world filled with such discouraging things. The "alp," or nightmare. Is a bitter old maid, recognizable by her garb, who sits on the back or breast of the sleeper and torments him, mayhap fatally. She cannot, for some reason or other, sit upon the sleeper's side, and the true Dalmatlon never thinks of sleeping in any other way than on his side. The vampire pursues Its peculiar Dalmatian orgies In the guise of a man or woman, lately dead and of faulty existence, and is said to be merely a human skin filled with blood and covered with a shroud. Witches are bad-weather creatures; their evil Is unfettered only with the storm and mist. To kill them, one throws three grains of corn and a wax candle at the lightning before the thunder sounds. Thus, they are best killed while the storm Is yet a great way off. "Vilen. are maids with horse's hoofs. Mostly these "vilen," or wood creatures, arts good and tolerant of human happiuess, i |
