WITCHES, GHOSTS, SPIRIT FUNERALS. & HAUNTED HOUSES

Otago Witness, Issue 2814, 19 February 1908, Page 88

WITCHES, GHOSTS, SPIRIT FUNERALS. & HAUNTED HOUSES

(By Rev. Willtui Thomson*.)

How many in Dunodin believe in witch-PS, ghost>«. sphit funerals, and haunted houses? Yet, not so veiy long since, magistrates and parsons held it to be part of their " sacred " duty to hunt those possessed with the familiar spirit out of th<? woild. Poor, ignorant, misguided women — especially if wanting in reueon and fond, somewhat, of a black cat — were hauled before the douce bailies and judges extraordmary to give an account of their fellowship with the devil, who wa«. of coui^-c, too expeiience "a sheep faimer"' not to brand them on some part of their peison in <.ome mysterious way The offices of" the "Witch Coiut." eager to find t>otne evidence which would consign their innocent victims to the stake, caiefully made search for the ' deNil'e mark" — ami usually found it. They could not help finding it. By the same menus 90 out of evoiy 100 women who are now safely housed in New Zealand asylums and benevolent homes would make a bonfire to grace a rabble holiday, and afford so suitable opportunity foi parsons to show their gifts in peisuading to repentance. I have many times wished that some competent historian would publish a work on the hindrance which stupid, brainless, and bigotrycursed pai^ons and ministers of religion have been to the Kingdom of God. Nowadays we have ceafed to believe iti the witch, the ghost, or anything uncanny fiom the demon world. This is well for I the witch. As for the ghost, no police- j man "succeeds in collaring him. So pro- I gressive have we become, that we laugh ! at superstition and superstitious people. ' It is the ruling fashion to be thoroughly i "i.p to cTate." and the lemarkablo featiue' of our modern life is that eveiy man, I without exception, is so absolutely, m- ; dppendently, and without the slightest doubt. a pioeie«sivo, up to-date and " tlnnk-for-mys'lf " gentleman. Any leader who wishes to continue in this belief will take a kind advice and never under any pretext ask question*?, analyse, or seriously request an explanation of something pertaining to the supernatural. Do so, and how many up-to-date men who have gnen up all leligion and joined the Deists. Tbeosophists, Freethinkers, Christian Scientists, and lots of others, will tumble fiom their twentkth-centurv pedestal to tenth, eleventh, and twelfth centuries' superstition, visions, witchcraft, and spiiit worship? For example, the versatile editor of the Review of Reviews told his leadeis gome years a»o that he hoard a. voice come to him when he was in Holloway gaol. Can anyone think where the voice came from? Wo have ?een the nhotogiaphs of spirits, which appealed from time to time in his magazine ! Why don't they appear at mid-day for the arU«t to the Otago Witness to reproduce them? Table-tapping, chair-gigs, foitunetelling or hunting, hand-reading, and all water compared with the good old Highland women, who could gallop fleet as the northern wind over moorland and lea in the shiipp of hares. It is said that Highlander are vpry eupeistitlous. I deny it. l'hev are like their neighbours in the- Lowlands, or a-cro=s the Tweed, with this difference, that being more poetical, they like their witche« to be more enterprising and amusing, and "Old Nick." who must be piesumed to know his business, very kindly accommodates his servants to the public ta.ste. I do not pioposc to dogmatise, which 1 leave to our " psychological metaphysicians." as a street preacher lately asserted at the Fountain, but to give an example or two of •each, from which your readers will learn how vivid the Celtic imagination can be, and how remarkable the power it conferred on its not to willing actors. A very famous witch, known as Ishbel Eairich. lived in Kesolis, in Ross-shire, about the closing years of the eighteenth and the beginning of the nineteenth centuiies. This woman was hated and dreaded all over the country side. She was known to posses powers from the devil of -a very extraordinary kind. She could raise storms, take the milk from cows, the good from the coin, and smite cattle, dogs, pigs, and horses, with feaiful curses. She could turn into the shape of a hare — iv which form she was frequently seen — and race the fleetest steed in Scotland. Ishbel's tongue was loud and venomous. Her woids were never too choice. One beautiful autumn morning the landlord of Poynt/.field went hunting. A number 'of splendid horses, gallantly mounted, and a full score of well-bied hounds made up the meet. On the western 6ide of Braelangwell they started a haro. '" With bark, and whoop, and wild hullo,' they puisued the flying game over ditches, burns, and peat bogs, until, marvellous to relate, the haio dashed into Ishbel's house, and immediately Ishbfl cime foith. all miuldy, dirty, and panting br-eatlile»«Jv. Her face wa* burning red. bor eves shot like flame, her 'uirvw n shower of peispiration, and hey wli'lc l.uro trembling convulsively. TMibol wa- -\p h.ire. No doubt about that. She was not slow in oalline all her devilish P'ts to hor aid. She pursed his horses, his dogs, and all he had. He turned to so home, and ere he i cached .his own gate the faithful hounds be^an to die, his hordes to sink under their lideis, and calamities of a very dreadful kind befol himself and his housp. The Dairymaid of Dalneigh (near Inverness) was a witch of wonrleiful achievements, although she was not known to havo caused any actual harm. She ent attained a very great respect for her batchelor master, and began to evince a strong desire that he should be converted to her cause. She flouiished about the same time that lelibel did. In those times the witches weie accustomed to hold occasionil meeting on thf wild= of Mulbuie at the dread 1" in of the nicht. when it wa" known

that his Satanic Majesty used to grace ' their company with his presence. Thither the Dairymaid lesorted, and delighted afterwards in relating to her master the ! pleasant times they had. She invariably j ended her tale by urging him to attend, at least one meeting, sure that if he did so he would join their craft. Wearied j with her importunity, he consulted his ■ minister, who told him that he might attend, but in no way was he to r.gree to any proposal, and in case of any danger arieintt from his refusal he was to draw a circle lound him in the name of the Father, Son. and Holy Ghost, inside of which lt<? would be safe. Having received this adv» : ee, he determined to satisfy his curiosity, and to the Dairymaid's delight told her he would attend their next meeting. When the evening came ho saddled his best horse, cio.'-.sed Ke^sock Feri}-, and set out for Mulbuie at a smart trot. Picscntly his Dahymaid came v.p with him, and tripped along by his hoibe's side as lightly as the wind. Anxious to test her capabilities he went faster and faster, until he was going at full gallop, still the Daiivmaid quite unwearied kept the pier. For several miles the race continued, and although the good steed was now covered with foam, the 'Maid seemed more nimble as they travelled. At length, aniving at the spot, he hitched hi« horse to a tiee. and. guided by the female Achilles. h° wn.s led onwards through copse and wild bushes, where he distinctly heard various voice*, speaking in accents low and hoaise The w itchea were gathering to the conference. Soon he entered a hall mode of brushwood and the tiunks of ninny a pine tiee. Heie hundreds of witches were assembled, presided over by a man fashionably nttiied in black morning coat, white tie. stiiped trousers, and of suave manncs and address. He welcomed the sti anger with a gieat show of affability, and assured him that tin's would be the happiest meeting of his Yi f e. He cave him the chair of honour beside Ins own Dairymaid. The polit^ chairman offcied the farmer food, which he declined with thanks'. Various subjects were discussed, and reports given in by witches of work done since last meeting. The chaiiman now nroposed a dance, and stood vp to set the fiddle, which hung from a beam. At that moment the farmer noticed that he had cloven hoofs, which settled the question a® to his identity. He was the Devil. Aft ei wards the farmei was asked to join their league. He was promised power over the winds and waves of the Beaulv Firth, over the health and properties of all his neighbours ; he could turn into a stag, hare, or hound, and outpace the wind in travelling ; he could become a mouse and sail to France and back again in one night in the shell of an c?g. But to all he turned a denf ear. He was caiolcd. flattered, urged, but to no pmposp. Then he wae threatened, and springing to his feet he drew a circle around him in the name of the Trinity, as directed by his minitter. In. a moment the " hellish legion " flew at him. Thoy screamed, yelled, cursed, and shrieked with fury indescribable, but were powerless to come within the circle. For hours he was obliged to bear the siege of hell. At last the morning rays began to climb the eastern heavens, and Satan and his troop, unable to bear the light, took their departure. The pine trees shook as if a sudden blast had gone through them. The farmer, left alone, ventured out of the hall ; already the lark began to i*ain it 6 melodies from the sky, the corncrake was uttering its last cries. For a moment ho stood to view the clouds empurpled gloriously by the rising sun, then mounting hisi horse he rode quickly home, where he ai rived at 5 a.m. and found his Dairymaid busily milking the cows. Highland ghosts weie accustomed to appear to all sorts of .nen, but usually at night. They appeared before a d-eath, and j sometimes immediately after one. A Highlander in Inverness-shhe was one night going home when his attention was suddenly arrested by a light which rose from a churchyard and travelled to a neighbour's house. It then returned to the churchyard, accompanied by another light. Soon afterwards he saw what he supposed to be the same light travelling to the same house again, and again returning to ' the chuichyard, but this time with a smaller light. He felt certain that the curious vi&ion foreboded death, and in a few days two young 'people died in that house and were buried in that churchyard. A Presbyterian minister assured me jf the truth of this s.*ory. When I was a boy attending the Inverness Academy, there was a tailor in the Leakin (about three miles from town), who had a very unenviable reputation. One morning, about 3 o'clock, he committed suicide by hanging himself. There was a certain man who Ihed within a mile of the tailor's house, who derided crhosts, in whose leality he scorned to be-li-eve. On this particular night s-omeone in his house became very ill. and he decided to go for a nuiv.e, who lived about 200 yards further down on the Leakin. When he knocked at the nurse's door he trembled with tear. In due time he mas admitted, and the muse, noticing that he looked pale and frightened, asked wliat wis! the matter. He replied, '"that he would not leturn to his house alone that night if be got the woild for doin£ it. Ido not know what's goinc; on we.st the Leakin.'' — rcferrins to the tailo r 's house — " but I think all the devils in hell nn;st be there, for I never henul such yelling and screaming in all my lifetime." That w-as the very hour when the poor t.tilor was committing «uicide. It would be a very easy matter to fill volumes with tales of this kind. The spiiit funeral is eor.iewiiat diffeicnt fiom the ordinary chost. in tlwt it is usually s^en by those gifted with second sight. It is the certain omen of death, and is seen in tlii.s way: A man is walking along a road which leads to a comet eiy or graveyaid. Presently h-B hears voices but cannot distinguish what the wmds are. He hear*, too, the footfalls, sees the foims i of men walking solemnly alons, and*

observes the shape of a coffin. So full is the road of these spirits that the man stands on one side to let them pa6s. A few days after the vision is seen its fulfilment occurs by a funeral passing the road on the way to the graveyard. Men have been know n to see their own spirit-funerals, although this is wry rare. I have frequently heard old men discuss what they always called "the funeral," and which they desciibed in detail very much as the above, but I have never heard any explanation that was satisfactory. Haunted houses are well established in the annals of the supernatural. They are found, here and there, throughout the whole of the Old Land, and the phenomena, connected with them so well known that discussion is almost irrelevant. Only in one case have the facts been so assured to me that I should be glad if any of your readers who know anything of the psychical society would offer an explanation. There is a certain house in Rcesshire where a man and his family have lived for more than 25 years. Shortly after he went there, his then young wife and himself began to hear footsteps as if a man was going along the passage way into the kitchen, and coming to the wall-press gave it a severe knock with the palm of his hand and immediately all was silent. This continued at short intervals. The fiist feeling was one of fear, but the spirit intruder, persisting in his nocturnal visits, it became changed to one of anger, and the gentleman in question resolved to stop him. He accoidingly purchased a revolver and a strong mastiff dog. The dog he kept in the kitchen all night. He had in his possession a trusty sword, and now he thought to match the unwelcome visitor. One night he heard the step going through his passage as before, the dog barked furiously, and, springing out of bed, he picked up the revolver, fully loaded, and with the sword in the other hand hastened to catch the distuiber. It was uselefs. He sa-.v nothing. The dog trembled, and every hair from neck to tail stood upright. The ghost has continued his visits* now for more than a quarter of a century, changing occasionally the modus operandi. Hie latest artifice is to count over the papeis in a writing table, which he is distinctly beard to do in an adjoining room. This gentleman assured me of the truth of this story in presence of hie wife, who confirmed all he said. The daughters, who" are young girls of nearly 20 years, told me they were so accustomed to the ghost now that they pay no atention to it. I have no doubt whatever that the gentleman whose house is haunted in this way told me the truth. I believe him, corroborated as he is by his wife and family, but what it means I cannot explain. The witch tales are very easily understood. Ishbel Earrich's tongue would readily account for the character she had of being in league with the devil in an age which had not lost belief in t.'ie supernatural of the kind indicated. It is well known that a hare, when hard pressed, will rush into a house, but who can wonder nowadays at Ishbel's wrath at the landlord trespassing on her little patch of land and destroying her precarious means of getting a living. The rest i 6 pure myth, and as truthful os the story of the Great Pan. The Dairymaid of Daineigh was probably an industrious maiden anxious to secure her fanner master as her husband. The other qualifications attributed to her were no doubt the cieation of rival jealousies, which are not unknown even in the Highland capital. Those who have read "Witch Stories," by E. Lynn Linton, and " Demonology," by Sir Walter Scott, will realise th<* tremendous hold which the cruellest of superstitions had on the public mind not so long ago. We extol the good old times ; it is perhaps as well that we live in the "bad" new times!