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diff --git a/16538.txt b/16538.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b186815 --- /dev/null +++ b/16538.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6317 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Alleged Haunting of B---- House, by Various + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere 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 + + +Title: The Alleged Haunting of B---- House + +Author: Various + +Editor: A. Goodrich-Freer and John, Marquess of Bute + +Release Date: August 17, 2005 [EBook #16538] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ALLEGED HAUNTING *** + + + + +Produced by Clare Boothby, Jeannie Howse and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + +[Transcriber's Note: The Author uses lines of spaced periods to mark +the passing of time, this has been preserved in this edition.] + + + +THE ALLEGED HAUNTING + +OF B---- HOUSE + + + +[Illustration: ATTICS] + +[Illustration: SECOND FLOOR] + +[Illustration: GROUND FLOOR L. Lift. A. Iron gate in Area.] + +[Illustration: BASEMENT] + + + + + THE ALLEGED HAUNTING + + OF + + B---- HOUSE + + INCLUDING + + A JOURNAL KEPT DURING THE TENANCY OF + COLONEL LEMESURIER TAYLOR + + + EDITED BY + A. GOODRICH-FREER (MISS X) + AND + JOHN, MARQUESS OF BUTE, K.T. + + + LONDON + GEORGE REDWAY + 1899 + + + + + "I visited B---- representing that Society [S.P.R.], ... and + decided that there was no such evidence as could justify us in + giving the results of the inquiry a place in our + _Proceedings_."--_The Times_, June 10, 1897. + + FREDERIC W.H. MYERS, + _Hon. Sec. of the Society for Psychical Research_. + +_Compare pages 189 et seq._ + + * * * * * + + + + +THE ALLEGED HAUNTING OF B---- HOUSE + + +It was in 1892 that Lord Bute first heard of the matter. It was not, +as stated by _The Times_ correspondent in that journal for June 8, +1897, in or from London, but at Falkland, in Fifeshire, and in the +following manner:-- + +There is no public chapel at Falkland, and the private chapel in the +house is attended by a variety of priests, who usually come only from +Saturday to Monday. Lord Bute's diary for the second week in August +1892 contains the following entries:-- + +"_Saturday, August 6th._--Father H----, S.J., came. + +"_Sunday, August 7th._--In afternoon with Father H---- and John [Lord +Dumfries] to Palace, and then with him to the Gruoch's Den. He gives +us a long account of the psychical disturbances at B----; noises +between his bed and the ceiling, like continuous explosion of petards, +so that he could not hear himself speak, &c. &c. + +"[Mr. Huggins afterwards recommended the use of a phonograph for these +noises, in order to ascertain absolutely whether they are objective or +subjective, and I wrote so to S---- of B----.] + +"_Monday, August 8th._--Father H---- went away. + +"_Tuesday, August 9th._--Mr. Huggins [now Sir William Huggins], +outgoing President of the British Association, and Mrs. Huggins came. + +"_Saturday, August 13th._--Father H---- came. + +"_Sunday, August 14th._--In afternoon with the children, &c., to the +Palace, leaving Mr. Huggins as much as possible alone with Father +H---- (both being with us), in order to interrogate him about the +psychical noises he heard recently at B----, when there, to give a +Retreat to some nuns. + +"_Monday, August 15th._--Father H---- went away after luncheon." + +Lord Bute recalls that Father H---- told him that he had been at B---- +for the purpose of giving a Retreat [a series of sermons and +meditations] to some nuns, who were charitably allowed by Mr. S---- to +take a sort of holiday, at a house called B---- Cottage, which had +been originally built and occupied by the late Major S----, when he +first took up his residence at B----, which at the time was let. + +Father H---- told Lord Bute that in consequence of the disturbance his +room had been several times changed, and he expressed surprise that +the sounds did not appear to be heard by anybody except himself. He +also said that he had spoken of the matter to Mr. S----, who expressed +an idea that the disturbances might be caused by his uncle, the late +Major S----, who was trying to attract attention in order that prayers +might be offered for the repose of his soul. The sounds occurred +during full daylight, and in a clear open space between his bed and +the ceiling. He did not know to what to compare them, but as he said +they were explosive in sound, Lord Bute suggested that they might be +compared to the sounds made by petards, which are commonly used in +Italy for firing _feux de joie_. Father H---- answered, "Yes perhaps, +if they were continuous enough." He said that the sound which alarmed +him more than any other was as of a large animal throwing itself +violently against the bottom of his door, outside. A third noise which +he had heard was of ordinary raps, of the kind called "spirit-raps." +He mentioned a fourth sound, the nature of which Lord Bute does not +remember with the same certainty as the others, but believes it was a +shriek or scream. Such a sound is described by other witnesses during +the subsequent occupation of the house by the H---- family. The fact +that the sounds appear to have been inaudible to every one except +Father H---- is a strong argument in favour of their subjective, or +hallucinatory, character. It will be found that this was very often +the case with the peculiar sounds recorded at B----, and even when +they were heard by several persons at the same time, there does not +appear to be any ground for refusing to recognise them as collective +hallucinations. + +Lord Bute's diary and recollections have been here quoted, not as +differing from, but only as being antecedent to, the following +account, which has been furnished by Father H---- himself:-- + +"I went to B---- on Thursday, July 14th, 1892, and I left it on +Saturday, July 23rd. So I slept at B---- for nine nights, or rather +one night, because I was disturbed by very queer and extraordinary +noises every night except the last, which I spent in Mr. S----'s +dressing-room. At first I occupied the room to the extreme right of +the landing [No. 8],[A] then my things were removed to another room +[No. 3] (it seems to me at this distance of time that _this_ room +faced the principal staircase, or was a little to the left of it). In +both these rooms I heard the loud and inexplicable noises every night, +but on two or three nights, in addition to these, another noise +affrighted me--a sound of somebody or something falling against the +door outside. It seemed, at the time, as if a calf or big dog would +make such a noise. Why those particular animals came into my head I +cannot tell. But in attempting to describe these indescribable +phenomena, I notice now I always do say it was like a calf or big dog +falling against the door. Why did I not hear the noises on the ninth +night? Were there none where I was? These are questions the answers to +which are not apparent. It may be there _were_ noises, but I slept too +soundly to hear them. One of the oddest things in my case, in +connection with the house, is that it appeared to me somehow that (1) +Somebody was relieved by my departure; (2) that nothing could induce +me to pass another night there, at all events alone, and in other +respects I do not think I am a coward." + +For the benefit of those who are not aware of the fact, it may be as +well to state that the class of people known as spiritualists, hold +that when raps are heard, it is the best thing for the hearer to say +aloud, "If you are intelligent, will you please to rap three times?" +and if this is done, to ask the intelligence to rap three times for +_yes_, once for _no_, and twice for _doubtful_. It is obvious that +considerable conversation can be carried on by such a code, and where +it is inadequate, as, for instance, in obtaining proper names, it is +usual to propose to repeat the alphabet slowly, asking the +intelligence to rap once when the proper letter is reached. This +simple method was entirely unknown to Father H----. He had done +nothing but throw holy water about his rooms, and repeat the prayer +_Visita quaesumus_, which invokes the Divine protection of a house and +its inhabitants against all the snares of the Enemy, and which, +therefore, in no way concerned any person or thing which is not +associated with the powers of darkness. It was natural that no result +should be produced. + +Sir W. Huggins told Lord Bute, as the result of his examination of +Father H----, that he felt absolutely certain that what the latter had +experienced was not the outcome of morbid hallucination, but that it +was possible that the sounds themselves might be hallucinatory or +subjective. To ascertain whether this were so, or whether they had any +physical cause, he suggested the use of a phonograph, as this would at +least show whether the sounds were accompanied by atmospheric waves. +Lord Bute happened to know Mr. S---- slightly, having met him +accidentally while travelling abroad. He accordingly wrote to him, and +communicated Sir William Huggins's suggestion. Mr. S----, after a +delay of some days, refused absolutely to allow any scientific +investigation to be made, a refusal remarkably coincident with the +recent refusal of his son, the present proprietor, to allow any +similar investigation with seismographical instruments. It would seem +a legitimate conclusion that neither father nor son doubted that the +sounds are of a psychical character. As regards the present +proprietor, such a conclusion renders it obvious that we must +understand in some peculiar sense the letter published in _The Times_, +dated June 10, 1897, in which he says, "As to the stories contained in +the article [_i.e._ of the anonymous _Times_ correspondent], they are +without foundation." These words must, however, be, in any case, +accepted in a special sense, considering the part taken by members of +his own family, as well as by tenants and agents, in attesting the +stories in question. + +Lord Bute states that Father H---- did not, upon the occasion of his +visit to Falkland, say anything as to having seen the brown wooden +crucifix (see pp. 132, 142, 154), but after this apparition had been +seen by two other persons separately, Lord Bute wrote to Father H---- +to inquire whether he could remember anything of the sort. His reply +was as follows:-- + +"When you mention the brown wooden crucifix, you awaken a new memory +in me. I now seem to live some of those hours over again, and I +recollect that between waking and sleeping there appeared before my +eyes--somewhere on the wall--a crucifix, some eighteen inches, I +should say, long, and, _I think_, of _brown_ wood. + +"My own crucifix is of black metal, and just the length of this page +(seven inches); and though I usually have it with me in my bag, I +cannot for certain say that it was in my bag at B----." + +The following further communication from Father H---- carries the +record further back:-- + +"In August 1893 it was that I met, quite by accident, a person who +knew something about B---- House and its strange noises. + +"Though, on my leaving his house, Mr. S---- begged me not 'to give the +house a bad name,' I did not understand by this that, as a point of +honour, I should refrain from ever mentioning the subject. I respected +his request to the extent of not alluding indiscriminately to the +noises that disturbed my nights there. But I did speak to several +people about them, and they had so impatiently and incredulously heard +my statements, that I at last refused to repeat them, even when +pressingly requested to do so. It was, therefore, quite a surprise to +find myself talking about B---- House, or rather, listening with rapt +attention to another talking about the place. + +"Miss Y----, I think her name was, kept house for a priest at----. One +evening, while on a visit there, I found her knitting as I passed the +kitchen door, and bidding her the time of day, I discovered from a +remark she made that she had in former days filled more important +posts. She soon settled down when she found me an attentive listener +to a somewhat detailed account of by no means a short life. + +"'Had she been in Scotland?' 'Yes, sir; and in a very beautiful part +of Scotland, in P----shire.' 'Indeed!' In short she told me that she +had been, twelve years ago, governess in the S---- family at B---- +House. (I need not say that I was now intensely interested.) 'Why did +she leave?' 'Well, sir, so many people complained of queer noises in +the house, that I got alarmed and left.' I asked her had she seen +anything? She said No, and the noises were only heard in certain +rooms, and the servants inhabited quite a different part of the house. +When I closely questioned her she located the queer noises precisely +in the two rooms I had successively occupied. She did not learn from +me that I had ever been there. Pressed for a concrete case of fright +and abrupt leavetaking (I _think_), she told me two military officers +had 'left next morning.' + +"In conclusion, as against all the above, my own, and this good +woman's account, I must set it down that, before I left the house, two +young ladies, relatives of the family, occupied the rooms in +question, and certainly, to my surprise, did not seem at breakfast as +if they had spent an unquiet night." + +Inquiry shows that Miss Y----'s residence at B---- must have been +about the years 1878-80. + +The earliest witnesses in chronological sequence would be the S---- +family themselves; but though much information has been contributed by +them to various persons interested in B---- House during the tenancy +both of Mr. H---- and Colonel Taylor, the present Editors are +unwilling to make use of it without permission. + +A statement in _The Times_ article, of the character of which the +reader can here judge for himself, elicited the following letter from +Mrs. S----, which is to be found in the issue of that journal for June +18, 1897:-- + +"May I ask of your courtesy to insert this in the next issue of your +paper. Seeing myself dragged into publicity in _The Times_ of June 8, +as 'having made admissions under pressure of cross-examination,' I beg +to state that I as well as the rest of my family had not the remotest +idea that our home was let to other than ordinary tenants. In my +intercourse with them I spoke as one lady to another, never imagining +that my private conversations were going to be used for purposes +carefully concealed from me--a deceit which I deeply resent." + +It will be observed that Mrs. S---- here leaves no doubt as to the +nature of the information with which she was so good as to favour Miss +Freer, but, notwithstanding this fact, and the language which Mrs. +S---- has considered it right to use--or, at least, to sign--with +regard to Miss Freer, Miss Freer prefers to continue to treat Mrs. +S----'s statements as confidential, and blanks will accordingly be +found in the Journal under the dates on which such conversations +occurred. Miss Freer extends the same regard for a privacy, which the +S---- family have themselves violated, to communications made by other +members. There have, however, been several witnesses unconnected with +them, some of whom are referred to in the Journal. Not only the +villagers and persons in the immediate neighbourhood, but many +accidentally met with in visits to show-places and in excursions for +twenty miles round B----, were ready to pour out traditions and +experiences which are not here quoted, as, though often suggestive, +not always evidential. + +The Rev. P. H----, already referred to, quotes a witness who testifies +to processions of monks or nuns having been seen by Mr. S---- from a +window, and of a married couple who, "relating the events of the +night, declared they could not hear each other's voices for the noise +overhead between them and the ceiling," which was especially +interesting to him, as corroborative of his own experience. + +A former servant at B---- has voluntarily related, at great length, +the story of the alleged hauntings, which shows that they have +occurred at intervals during the past twenty years. He is of opinion +that as the earlier hauntings were ascribed to the late Major S----, +so their revival may be referred to the late proprietor; but his +reasons, as well as his narrative, are of a nature which might cause +annoyance to the S---- family, and are therefore withheld. + +Dr. Menzies, a correspondent of _The Times_, June 10th, who speaks of +himself as an old friend of Major S----, refers to a still earlier +haunting--a tradition current at the time of the Major's succession in +1844. + + * * * * * + +In August 1896, B---- House, with the shooting attached, was let by +Captain S----, the present proprietor, for a year to a wealthy family +of Spanish origin. Their experience was of such a nature that they +abandoned the house at the end of seven weeks, thus forfeiting the +greater part of their rent, which had been paid in advance. The +evidence of Mr. H---- himself, of his butler, and of several guests, +will be found in due chronological sequence. + + * * * * * + +When Colonel Taylor, one of the fundamental members of the London +Spiritualist Alliance, a distinguished member of the S.P.R., whose +name is associated both in this country and in America with the +investigation of haunted houses, offered to take a lease of B---- +House, after the lease had been resigned by Mr. H----, the proprietor +made no objection whatever. Indeed, the only allusion made to the +haunting was the expression of a hope on the part of Captain S----'s +agents in Edinburgh, that Colonel Taylor would not make it a subject +of complaint, as had been done by Mr. H----, in reply to which they +were informed that Colonel Taylor was thoroughly well aware of what +had happened during Mr. H----'s tenancy, and would undertake to make +no complaint on the subject. Captain S---- having thus thrown the +house into the open market, and let it to the well-known expert, with +no reference whatever to the subject of haunting, except that it +should not be made a ground of complaint, it is obvious that he +deprived himself of any right to complain as to observations upon the +subject of local hallucination, any more than of observation upon the +habits of squirrels or other local features. Nor had he any more right +to complain upon this ground, as vendor of the lease, than any other +vendor of articles exposed for public sale, such as a hatter, who +after selling a hat to Lord Salisbury, might complain that he had been +induced to provide headgear for a Conservative. At the same time, both +Colonel Taylor and his friends were well aware, from a vexatious +experience, that phenomena of the kind found at B---- are very often +associated with private matters, which the members of a family +concerned might object to see published, just as they might object to +the publication of the results of an examination of some object--say, +old medicine-bottles--found in the house let by them to a strange +tenant. + +Acting upon this knowledge, it has been the general rule of the +Society for Psychical Research to publish the cases investigated by it +under avowedly false names, as private cases are published in medical +and other scientific journals. Out of a courteous anxiety that nothing +should occur which could in any way annoy any member of the S---- +family, no one was admitted to the house for the purpose of observing +the phenomena, except on the definite understanding that they were to +regard everything as confidential, and it was always intended that any +publication on the subject was to be made with all names and +geographical indications avowedly fictitious. + +As certain points of Gaelic orthography were found to be involved, it +was decided to mention the house as standing in a bi-lingual district +upon the borders of Wales, and Lord Bute arranged with Sir William +Lewis to have these linguistic points represented by Welsh instead of +Gaelic. + +The affairs of the inquiry, and of any phenomena which might occur, +were thus protected, it was believed, by a confidence even more +absolute than that usually observed in such affairs of a household as +to which honour dictates that a guest should be silent. + +The appreciation with which the S---- family responded to this +courteous and careful consideration for their possible feelings, was +made manifest to the world by the tone which they adopted when, +immediately on the appearance of the anonymous article in _The Times_, +they rushed into the newspapers, and published everything concerning +themselves, their family property, predecessors, and tenants, with all +the proper names at full length. After that outburst it has, of +course, been rendered impossible to keep the identity of the place and +people any longer secret. + +Out of deference to other members of the family who did not take part +in this, the matter in the present volume remains in as private a form +as the newspaper correspondence now leaves possible. + +The names given in full are those mostly very indirectly concerned; +other names, including that of the house, are given under the real +initials, with the exception of a few of the less prominent, when the +real initials would create confusion; and in these latter cases they +are taken from letters of the alphabet not already used, and are +placed in inverted commas; _e.g._ the real initial of a Mr. S---- is +changed, in order to avoid confusion with the name of the S---- family +themselves, the proprietors of B----. + +The contents of the book are, except in one respect, arranged upon the +simple chronological system. They commence with a short sketch of the +history of the S---- family, based in its earlier part upon Douglas's +"Baronage of Scotland"; and all information which the writers possess +as to the phenomena which have occurred since the death of Major S---- +in 1876, except that supplied by the S---- family, is set forth in +succession. + +The family of S---- date from the earlier part of the middle of the +fifteenth century, and were settled upon the river T---- within that +century, while they have possessed B---- at least since the earlier +half of the century following. + +A stone, carved with their arms, belonging to the old mansion-house, +is built into the wall, and dated 1579. The present house is modern, +and does not even occupy the site of the older one. + +The particular proprietor whose arms are so represented, Patrick +S----, married Elizabeth B----, who survived him and married a second +time. James S----, his son, in 1586, married Mary C----, and after her +death, in 1597, Elizabeth R----. + +Robert S----, his son by his first marriage, married Margaret C----. +John S----, son of Robert, was killed by the Cromwellians, leaving no +issue, and was succeeded by his brother, Patrick S----, who married +Elizabeth L----. + +It is not obvious when they adopted the principles of the Reformation, +but it is to be remarked that this Patrick stood high in the favour of +James II. (and VII.). + +Charles S----, son of the foregoing, married Anne D----, and was +succeeded by his third son, another Charles, who married Grizell +M----, and died in 1764. + +Robert S----, his son, married Isabel H----. Charles S----, his eldest +son, died unmarried in 1783. + +H---- S----, second son of R---- S----, married Louisa M----, died in +1834, and had issue--Robert, two other sons, and six daughters. + +Robert S----, born January 1806, in 1825 entered the military service +of the East India Company, from which he retired with the rank of +Major in 1850, _i.e._ sixteen years after succeeding to the property. +He died in April 1876. His two brothers both died unmarried, and of +his six sisters, three married, and a fourth, Isabella, entered a +nunnery. She there professed under the name of "Frances Helen" in +1850, the year of her brother's return from India, and died February +23, 1880, aged sixty-six. + +Major S----, by his will dated June 8, 1853, bequeathed B---- to the +representatives of his married sister Mary, and on his death was +accordingly succeeded by her second (but eldest surviving) son, John, +who on succeeding assumed the name of S----. + +Major S---- was a Protestant, but this John was a Roman Catholic, like +his aunt Isabella. His eldest brother died without issue in 1867, but +he had a younger brother, married, with issue, and two sisters, Louisa +and Mary, whom Major S----, by a codicil of December 14, 1868, +carefully excluded from all benefit under his will. + +The register of the parish of L----, in which B---- House is situated, +mentions under the date July 14, 1873, the death of Sarah N----, +housekeeper of B---- House (single), aged twenty-seven years, daughter +of John N----, farmer, and Helen R----. (In Scottish legal documents +married women are described by their maiden name.) It is said that her +last illness was very short, lasting only three days. Mrs. S---- had +the great charity to attend her on her deathbed. It is mentioned in +the register, that the official intimation of Sarah N----'s death was +given, not by her parents nor by Major S----, but by her uncle, Neil +N----. + +Major S---- seems to have been somewhat eccentric, and was very fond +of dogs, of which he kept a considerable number. He had very strong +views upon psychical subjects. He was a believer in spirit-return, and +many witnesses have attested that he frequently spoke of his own +return after death. Among these psychic beliefs were two relating to +animals; and as they are of a kind not very commonly discussed even +among spiritualists, and enter, to some extent, into the following +narrative, it is convenient here to state them at length. It is very +commonly held that the soul or living personality of man, which will +survive the change called by us "death," is capable of entering living +bodies and making use of their organs. The form in which this belief +is most commonly met with, is that of the alleged inspiration of +trance mediums by the souls of the dead. Such a case is that of Mrs. +Piper, said to have been animated by the soul of Dr. Phinuit and other +personalities now disincarnated. It has naturally been argued that if +it is possible for the disembodied spirit to occupy and animate the +body of a human being, it would, _a fortiori_, be easy for it to do +the same with the body of a beast, where the resistance of will would +presumably be less. + +This idea, coupled with the belief that the soul can be separated from +the body during life, so producing a kind of temporary death, while +leaving the body in such a state that it is capable of being again +inhabited and animated, lies at the bottom of the numerous statements +as to sorcerers and sorceresses changing themselves into hares, +wolves, or cats, which are to be found in the records of witch trials. + +That this was possible, at least after death, was evidently a strong +belief upon the part of Major S----. We are informed that he +frequently intimated his intention of entering the body of a +particular black spaniel which he possessed, and so strong a belief +was attached to his words, that after his death all his dogs, +including the spaniel in question, were shot, apparently in order to +render impossible any such action upon his part. The policy of the +measure adopted was short-sighted. If the Major had thoroughly +succeeded in animating the body of the living spaniel, the physical +resources at his disposal would have been too limited to have enabled +him to give much trouble. As it is, a series of witnesses attest +apparitions of this spaniel, and of at least one other dog, which may +naturally be regarded as much more disturbing. + +The second point is possibly the same as the last, but it appears to +be more probably based upon the belief held by Major S----, in common +with a large number of those who have made a serious study of +apparitions--and certainly a large number of the members of the +S.P.R.--that such apparitions are really hallucinations or false +impressions upon the senses, created, so far as originated by any +external cause, by other minds either in the body or out of the body, +which are themselves invisible in the ordinary and physical sense of +the term, and really acting through some means at present very +imperfectly known. Such an opinion of course reserves the question of +the possible action of unseen forces upon what is commonly called +matter involved in 'spirit'-photography, materialisation, levitation, +the passage of matter through matter, and other forms of _apport_, +although such a distinction, if logically carried out, becomes +somewhat tenuous in face of the generally accepted fact that all +mental processes are accompanied by physical processes in the brain. +In the following pages will be found instances of the phenomenon of +the apparent removal of bed-clothing, which raise a question as to the +propriety of regarding as exhaustive an explanation based solely upon +the hypothesis of subjective hallucination which otherwise would +appear to be generally applicable. It would stand to reason that if +such an intelligence can produce an hallucination of the appearance of +the human figure, it would be at least equally easy for it to produce +an hallucination of the appearance of a beast. A belief to this effect +seems to be the explanation of the fact mentioned in a letter to _The +Times_ of June 10, 1897, by Dr. Menzies, who refers to Major S---- as +"an old and dear friend." He writes, "I have no doubt that he created +much scandal by saying to his gardener that he had better take care to +keep up the garden properly, for when he was gone his soul would go +into a mole and haunt the garden and him too." + +This theory of the possibility of producing by mental force the +hallucination audible or visual of a beast, may also be the +explanation, not only of the apparition of the large dog which has +been seen, as well as that of a spaniel, but also of the phenomenon, +attested by several witnesses, of their having heard the sound as of a +large dog throwing itself from the outside against the lower part of +their doors. + +Major S---- died, as already stated, in 1876, and was buried beside +Sarah N---- and, it is said, an old Indian manservant. The grave is in +the middle of the parish churchyard. No monument marks their +resting-place, but a high enclosure, which surrounds it, is a +prominent object. The whole of his dogs, fourteen in number, including +the spaniel already mentioned, were killed after his death. + + * * * * * + +The S.P.R. some years ago published a census of hallucinations based +upon the interrogation of seventeen thousand persons, who were not +only taken casually, but from whom those were excluded whose replies +were foreseen. From the analysis of these statistics, it appears that +the great majority of these phantasms are figures of people who were +living and continue to live, although research seems to point to the +fact that their bodies are either always, or very often, in a state of +apparent unconsciousness at the moment of the phenomenon. Among the +minority, _i.e._ of apparitions of the dead, the frequency seems to be +in inverse proportion to the time which has elapsed since death. Those +which appear at the moment of death are very frequent, whereas, on the +other hand, those of persons who have been very long dead are almost +unknown; _e.g._ the apparition seen by Lady Galway a few years ago at +Rufford Abbey, where the form represented a person who must have been +dead for about three hundred years, belongs to a class of which +examples are very few. + +A haunted house (or any other locality) is merely a place where +experience shows that hallucinations are more or less localised, and +the only especially interesting question about it is, why the +hallucinations should be localised at a particular place, and what +causes them there. + +Such Phantasms of the Living have been discussed in the monumental +work of Mr. Myers and the late Mr. E. Gurney. They need be no further +remarked upon here, than to observe that the following pages contain +at least one example, viz. that of the apparition of the Rev. P. +H----. (See p. 119.) + +It is very difficult to judge of the forces which may act in the +conditions of what we are accustomed to call "another world," but a +plausible explanation might be found in the Divine Word, "Where your +treasure is, there will your heart be also." The thoughts and +affections appear to dwell for a time where they have been already +fixed during life, but changes here, including the gradual reunion on +the other side, of all those who are loved with those who love them, +the advancing dissociation of the mind with things here, and, no +doubt, the evolution of a different life under different conditions, +seem gradually to efface the ties of earthly memory, connecting the +feelings with particular spots on earth. + +Such thoughts not infrequently include repentance, a desire for the +remedy of acts of injustice, and an eagerness for the compassion and +sympathetic prayers of those whom we call the living. + +It is natural, therefore, to suppose that haunting, such as that met +with at B----, would be connected with persons who had died within +some such period as a century at the outside. Now the number of the +members of the S---- family and others, whose thoughts, memories, +feelings, and affections may presumably have dwelt largely at B----, +and who have died within the last hundred years, is very considerable; +but--saving the tradition referred to by Dr. Menzies (see p. 22), only +to be dismissed--there seems to have been no idea of the place being +haunted before the deaths of Sarah N---- and of Major S----, whereas +since that time the peculiar phenomena have been constantly attested. + +John S----, his successor, was, as stated, the second son of Major +S----'s sister Mary, and assumed the name of S---- upon succeeding to +the property. He was a Roman Catholic; he was married, and had several +children, of whom the eldest son is the present proprietor. One of the +younger sons is a Jesuit, but not yet a priest. + +In January 1895 Mr. S---- went to London on family business, and was +there killed by being run over by a cab in the street. It was stated +on the authority of three persons, not counting members of his own +family, that on the morning on which he left B---- for the last time, +while he was talking to the agent in his business-room, there were +raps so violent as to interfere with conversation. The earliest +written notice of this circumstance, so far as can be discovered, is +the following entry in Lord Bute's journal for January 17, 1896:-- + +"I hear that the morning the late S---- of B---- left home for the +last time, spirits came and rapped to him in his room--doubtless to +warn him--so that his death was really owing to the cruel superstition +which had prevented him allowing them to be communicated with." + +Lord Bute's informant appears to have been the Rev. Sir David Hunter +Blair, as the journal mentions his arrival at Falkland on that day, +and none of the other guests in the house were people who were likely +to have heard anything about it. + +Mr. S---- was succeeded by his eldest son, Captain S----, who showed +no hesitation in throwing the house into the public market, with its +4400 acres of shooting. The alleged haunting was not mentioned +beforehand to the first tenant, as it afterwards was to Colonel +Taylor. + +This tenant was Mr. J.R. H---- of K---- Court, C----, in G----shire, +and the following is the account of experiences during his visit, as +given by his butler:-- + + +ON THE TRAIL OF A GHOST + +_To the Editor of "The Times"_ + +"SIR,--In your issue of the 8th, under the above heading, 'A +Correspondent' tries at some length to describe what he calls a most +impudent imposture. I having lived at B---- for three months in the +autumn of last year as butler to the house, I thought perhaps my +experience of the ghost of B---- might be of interest to many of your +readers, and as the story has now become public property, I shall not +be doing any one an injury by telling what I know of the mystery. + +"On July 15, 1896, I was sent by Mr. H----, with two maidservants, to +take charge of B---- from Mr. S----'s agents. I was there three days +before the arrival of any one of the family, and during that time I +heard nothing to disturb me in any way; but on the morning after the +arrival of two of the family, Master and Miss H----, they came down +with long faces, giving accounts of ghostly noises they had heard +during the night, but I tried to dissuade them from such nonsense, as +I then considered it to be; but on the following two or three nights +the same kind of noises were heard by them, and also by the +maidservants, who slept in the rooms above, and they all became +positively frightened. I heard nothing whatever, though the noises, as +they described them, would have been enough to wake any one much +farther away than where I slept, for the noises they heard were made +immediately over my room. I suggested the hot-water pipes or the twigs +of ivy knocking against the windows, but no--nothing would persuade +them but that the house was haunted; but as the noises continued to be +heard nightly, I suggested that I should sit up alone, and without a +light, outside their bedroom doors, where the footsteps and other +rustling noises were heard. I think one other member of the family, or +two young gentlemen, had arrived at this time, and they had also heard +the noises. I told them of my intention to sit up alone, for as one +of them had a revolver I did not want to run the risk of being shot +for a ghost. However, I took my post on the landing at 11.30 and kept +watch, I am certain, until half-past one; then I must have fallen +asleep, for about two o'clock Master H----, hearing the knocking as +usual, came out of his room to hear if I had seen or heard anything, +but found me fast asleep on the floor, which gave him a greater fright +than the knocking, for he supposed for the moment that I had been +slain by the ghost. + +"This kind of thing went on nightly, and for three weeks I heard +nothing, although nearly every one in the house heard these noises +except myself; but my turn had yet to come, although I firmly held the +opinion during that time that it was the hot-water pipes, and I only +laughed at the others for their absurd nonsense, as I then considered +it to be; but my first experience was that of being awakened three +successive nights, or rather mornings, at about 3.30. I heard nothing, +but seemed to be wide awake in an instant, as though some one had +touched me. I would stay awake for some little time and then go to +sleep again; but on the fourth night, on being awakened as before, and +lying awake for perhaps two minutes, I heard tremendous thumping just +outside my door. I jumped out of bed quickly, and opened my door, and +called out in a loud voice, 'Who is there?' but got no answer. I +ascended the stairs and listened for a few minutes, but heard no +further knocking. I then went back to my room, but did not sleep again +that morning. + +"I may mention that my room was the one described by 'A Correspondent' +as the butler's room under No. 3, the room where most noises were +heard, and the staircase was the service one, and as there is a door +at the top, if any one had come there to make the noise I should +certainly have heard them beating a retreat. + +"The same thing happened with variations almost nightly for the +succeeding two months that I was there, and every visitor that came to +the house was disturbed in the same manner. One gentleman (a colonel) +told me he was awakened on several occasions with the feeling that +some one was pulling the bedclothes off him; sometimes heavy +footsteps were heard, at others like the rustling of a lady's dress; +and sometimes groans were heard, but nearly always accompanied with +heavy knocking; sometimes the whole house would be aroused. One night +I remember five gentlemen meeting at the top of the stairs in their +night-suits, some with sticks or pokers, one had a revolver, vowing +vengeance on the disturbers of their sleep. During the two months +after I first heard the noises I kept watch altogether about twelve +times in various parts of the house, mostly unknown to others (at the +time), and have heard the noises in the wing as well as other parts. + +"When watching I always experienced a peculiar sensation a few minutes +before hearing any noise. I can only describe it as like suddenly +entering an ice-house, and a feeling that some one was present and +about to speak to me. On three different nights I was awakened by my +bedclothes being pulled off my feet. But the worst night I had at +B---- was one night about the second week in September, and I shall +never forget it as long as I live. I had been keeping watch with two +gentlemen--one a visitor, the other one of the house. We were sitting +in room No. 2, and heard the noises that I have described about +half-past two. Both gentlemen were very much alarmed; but we searched +everywhere, but could not find any trace of the ghost or cause of the +noises, although they came this time from an unoccupied room. (I may +mention that the noises were never heard in the daytime, as stated by +'A Correspondent,' but always between twelve, midnight, and four in +the morning, generally between two and four o'clock.) After a thorough +search the two gentlemen went to bed sadder, but not wiser men, for we +had discovered nothing. I then went to my room, but not to bed, for I +was not satisfied, and decided to continue the watch alone. So I +seated myself on the service stairs, close to where the water-pipes +passed up the wall, so as to decide once and for all if the sounds +came in any way from the water-pipes. + +"I had not long to wait (about twenty minutes) when the knocking +recommenced from the same direction as before, but much louder than +before, followed, after a very short interval, by two distinct +groans, which certainly made me feel very uncomfortable, for it +sounded like some one being stabbed and then falling to the floor. +That was enough for me. I went and asked the two gentlemen who had +just gone to bed if they had heard anything. One said he had heard +five knocks and two groans, the same as I had; while the other (whose +room was much nearer to where the sounds came from) said he had heard +nothing. I then retired to my bed, but not to sleep, for I had not +been in bed three minutes before I experienced the sensation as +before, but instead of being followed by knocking, my bedclothes were +lifted up and let fall again--first at the foot of my bed, but +gradually coming towards my head. I held the clothes around my neck +with my hands, but they were gently lifted in spite of my efforts to +hold them. I then reached around me with my hand, but could feel +nothing. This was immediately followed by my being fanned as though +some bird was flying around my head, and I could distinctly hear and +feel something breathing on me. I then tried to reach some matches +that were on a chair by my bedside, but my hand was held back as if +by some invisible power. Then the thing seemed to retire to the foot +of my bed. Then I suddenly found the foot of my bed lifted up and +carried around towards the window for about three or four feet, then +replaced to its former position. All this did not take, I should +think, more than two or three minutes, although at the time it seemed +hours to me. Just then the clock struck four, and, being tired out +with my long night's watching, I fell asleep. This, Mr. Editor, is +some of my experiences while at B----. + +"As to 'A Correspondent's' interviews with local people:-- + +"As to the old caretaker, she is an old woman, very deaf, and she +always occupied a room on the ground floor, where, during the three +months that I was there, nothing whatever was heard, as my two footmen +slept there, and they did not hear any noises. As to the intelligent +gardener, if it is the same one that was there when I was there, he, +surely, has not forgotten the night he spent with me in my room; he +was nearly frightened out of his wits, and declared he would not +spend another night in my room for any money--a fact that the factor +or steward and others well know. + +"There are many other incidents in my experience with the mystery of +B----, but I hope this is sufficient for the purpose I intend +it--namely, for the truth to be known, for I have no other motive in +writing this letter; for I have left the service of the house some +months now. But as to your correspondent's statement that some of the +house were doing it, it is simply absurd; for in turn they were all +away from B---- for a week or fortnight, and still these noises were +heard. Another thing; is it possible for any one to keep up a joke +like that for three months? or, if any one had been doing it, I should +certainly have caught them; and I can assure you that the house were +very much annoyed with it, not only for themselves, but for their +visitors, for I have sat up all night with some of them, who were +afraid to go to their beds: and I think that if 'A Correspondent' had +stayed as long in B---- as I did, and had had some of my experiences, +he would have a very different tale to tell, although up to my going +to B---- I would laugh at any one who told me there were such things +as ghosts; and even now I am not quite convinced; but of one thing I +am certain--that is, that there is something supernatural in the +noises and things that I heard and experienced at B----. Thanking you, +dear sir, in anticipation of your inserting this letter, I remain your +obedient servant, + + "HAROLD SANDERS. + "CHIDCOCK, NEAR BRIDPORT, DORSET." + + +The passage in _The Times_ article is as follows:-- + +"An intelligent gardener whom I questioned told me that he had kept +watch in the house on two separate occasions, abstaining from sleep +until daylight appeared at seven o'clock, but without hearing a sound. +A caretaker, who had spent months in the house, and who had to keep a +stove alight all night, never heard a sound, probably because there +was no one to make any." + +The gardener's evidence on this point will be found on p. 218. + +Without admitting, for one moment, the theory that a servant's +evidence may not be of equal value with that of the so-called educated +classes, it was thought desirable, before admitting that of Sanders, +to make some inquiries as to his character, intelligence, and capacity +for observation. His employer spoke well of him, and Colonel Taylor +had the advantage of a personal interview with him, which he thus +describes:-- + +"_July 18th, 1897._--I went to Coventry yesterday, and saw Sanders the +butler. He is a slight, dark young man, and, as far as I could judge, +quite honest and serious over the B---- affair. He assured me that he +had written the letter to _The Times_ without any advice or +assistance, and that all he wrote was absolutely true. I gathered from +him, indirectly, that before his B---- experience he knew nothing of +ghosts, spiritualism, or any occult matter, and does not now. He was +much astonished when I told him that the feeling which he describes as +like walking into an ice-house was a common one under the +circumstances. He said he omitted in his letter many small personal +matters, such as the following:-- During the manifestation in his +room, when his bed was shifted, and when he felt as if some one was +making 'passes' over him, and breathing in his face, he made the sign +of the Cross, on which the 'influence' receded from him, but +approached again almost at once. After repeating this a few times with +the same result, he crossed his arms over his chest, and holding the +bedclothes close up to his chin, went to sleep. He was at no time +afraid. He said things were more active during the stay of Father 'I.' +than at any other time, and that one of the young H----s had seen a +veiled lady pass through his room." + +The following paragraph in the letter of _The Times_ correspondent +called forth the subjoined letter from Mr. H---- himself, the tenant +of B----:-- + +"The only mystery in the matter seems to be the mode in which a +prosaic and ordinary dwelling was endowed with so evil a reputation. I +was assured in London that it had had this reputation for twenty or +thirty years. The family lawyer in P---- asserted most positively +that there had never been a whisper of such a thing until the house +was let for last year's shooting season to a family, whom I may call +the H----s. I was told the same thing in equally positive terms by +the minister of the parish, a level-headed man from B----shire, who +has lived in the place for twenty years. He told me that some of the +younger members of the H---- family had indulged in practical jokes, +and boasted of them. One of their pranks was to drop or throw a weight +upon the floor, and to draw it back by means of a string. Another +seems to have been to thump on bedroom doors with a boot-heel, the +unmistakable marks of which remain to this day, and were pointed out +to me by our hostess. If there are really any noises not referable to +ordinary domestic causes, it is not improbable that these practical +jokers made a confidant of some one about the estate, who amuses +himself by occasionally--it is only occasionally that the more +remarkable noises are said to be heard--repeating their tricks. The +steward or factor on the estate concurs with the lawyer and the +minister in denying that the house had any reputation for being +haunted before the advent of the H---- family. Yet he is a Highlander, +and not without superstition; for he gave it as his opinion that _if_ +there was anything in these noises, they must be due to Black Art. +Asked what Black Art might be, he said he could not tell, but he had +often heard about it, and had been told that when once set going it +would go on without the assistance of its authors. He was quite clear, +however that if there is Black Art, it came in with the H---- family." + +Mr. H----'s rejoinder, which appeared in _The Times_, was dated June +10th:-- + + +_To the Editor of "The Times"_ + +"SIR,--I must ask you to be good enough to publish, on behalf of the +tenant of B----, a few remarks on the article that appeared in your +paper of the 8th inst. with the heading 'On the Trail of a Ghost.' The +writer of that article finds a very easy solution to the mystery by +attacking a private family who happened to be tenants of B---- for a +short time, and making them a 'scapegoat' for his argument. I do not +quite understand if your correspondent pretends to assert that the +place had not the reputation of being haunted previous to my tenancy +for three months last year; probably he does not charge me with +originating such reports, as he mentions a story of the visit of a +Catholic Archbishop to the house to exorcise the ghost. This must have +happened some time ago, and proves that the house was then supposed to +be haunted. What your correspondent does state as a fact is, that the +younger members of my family played practical jokes, which have given +rise to Lord Bute's investigations. My object in writing to you is to +deny most emphatically this statement. The principal proof that is +brought forward to corroborate this slander is, that the doors are +marked by the blows struck to produce the noises heard. Surely no one +could be frightened after the cause and reason of the noises were once +ascertained by the boot-marks! But there were no such marks on the +doors when we left B----. Some of our guests were with us until very +shortly before my family left, and can testify to this, for the good +reason that in the endeavour to localise the extraordinary noises, all +doors and other parts of the house were constantly examined up to the +very last. When I went to B---- at the beginning of August, my family +had already been there a few days, and at once they told me they had +found out the house was supposed to be haunted, and that they had +heard most unaccountable noises. I had the greatest difficulty to +persuade all my people to stay in the place, and after all, we left +Scotland about the end of September, two months earlier than usual. I +personally did not give any importance to the rumours that B---- House +is haunted, and attributed the very remarkable noises heard to the +hot-water pipes and the peculiar way in which the house is built. In +fact, I have to confess I cannot believe in ghosts, and, consequently, +I did my best to persuade everybody that B---- was not haunted, but I +am afraid I was not always successful. I hope you will forgive me for +taking up so much valuable space in your paper, but I had to do so in +self-defence against a false accusation.--Yours faithfully, H----." + +It is believed that, in consequence of this letter, Mr. H---- was +threatened with legal proceedings, which, however, have not yet been +initiated. + +The following is the account given of the same period by Miss "B.," a +lady of some position in the literary world:-- + +"... We arrived there on Wednesday the 25th August, the house being +then tenanted by Mr. J.R. H---- of K---- Court, C----, G----shire. The +household consisted of Mr. and Mrs. H----, three sons, Miss H----, my +sister and I, and two other guests, Colonel A---- and Major B----. + +"We had rooms in the wing on the ground floor of the house, opening +off the main hall, divided from the rest of the house by a long +passage, and shut off by a swing-door. Our rooms opened off each +other, and the inner room opened off a little sitting-room, which had +a door with glass panels leading into the passage. The only other +person who slept in that wing of the house was Mr. Willie H----, whose +room was exactly opposite the door of our room. + +"We heard a great deal of discussion about the 'ghost' when we +arrived, and so that night my sister made me sleep in the inner room +with her. We heard nothing that night. The next night I slept in the +outer room, and neither of us heard anything. The third night, my +sister being still a little nervous, I slept in the inner room with +her. The door of the outer room was locked, the door between the rooms +was locked, and there was a wardrobe placed against the door leading +into the sitting-room. We both, having taken these precautions, fell +sound asleep. + +"I wakened suddenly in the middle of the night, and noticed how quiet +the house was. Then I heard the clock strike two, and a few minutes +later there came a crashing, _vibrating_ batter against the door of +the outer room. My sister was sleeping very soundly, but she started +up in a moment at the noise, wide awake. + +"'Some one must have done that,' she said; 'such a noise could never +have been made by a ghost!' + +"But neither of us had the courage to go out into the passage! The +noise lasted, I should say, for only two or three _seconds_, and +ceased as suddenly as it had begun. We lay awake till the light came +in, but the house was quite quiet. I may mention, as against the +'supernatural' origin of the sound, that it came against the outer +door, did not pass in to the inner one, and avoided the glass-panelled +door of the sitting-room, which would certainly have been shivered by +the application of force sufficient to produce such noise. Another +very curious thing was, that on the nights when it came to our door +(_we_ only heard it once, but other visitors heard it often) Willie +H---- heard nothing; whereas on the nights when he was disturbed, we +heard nothing, yet the rooms were close together. + +"The following night my sister and Miss H---- and two of her brothers +sat up all night in the morning-room, which opened off the main hall. +We sat with the door open and in the dark, but neither heard or saw +anything; the house was absolutely still. + +"The next night my sister and I stayed in Miss H----'s room, watching +with her. It was on the third storey of the house, and on a line with +the specially haunted room, then occupied by Colonel A----. Two of the +men sat up downstairs. + +"After 2.30 Mr. Eustace H---- came and told his sister we need not sit +up later, as everything was so quiet, and the noises seldom came after +that hour. He went to his room then, but his door was scarcely closed +when we all heard a loud knocking at Colonel A----'s door. We ran out, +without waiting a moment, into the passage, where the lamps were still +burning brightly, but it was absolutely empty and quiet. We heard it +several times that night in distant parts of the house, and once we +heard a scream, which seemed to come from overhead. We stayed six days +in the house after this, but heard nothing more ourselves, though +every one else in the house was disturbed nightly." + +The Major B---- mentioned in the above statement has been good enough +to furnish the following note as to his personal impressions:-- + +"On 22nd August 1896 I arrived at B----, and remained there until the +2nd September. During this period I slept in the room on the first +floor, which is at the end of a short corridor running from the top of +the back stairs to my room [No. 1]. + +"Colonel A---- occupied the room next to me [No. 3]. It was a double +room, connected by a door, and was situated just at the top of the +back stair. + +"August 24th, about 3.30 A.M., I heard very loud knocking, apparently +on Colonel A----'s door, about nine raps in all--three raps quickly, +one after the other, then three more the same, and three more the +same. It was as if some one was hitting the door with his fist as hard +as he could hit. I left my room at once, but could find nothing to +account for the noise. It was broad daylight at the time. I heard the +same noises on the 28th and 30th August at about the same hour, viz. +between 3 and 4 A.M." + +The following, which adds somewhat to the above, was contained in a +private letter written in January 1897 from Major B---- to the Hon. +E---- F----:-- + +"Between two and four in the morning there used to be noises on the +door (of Colonel A----'s room), as if a very strong man were hitting +the panels as hard as ever he could hit, three times in quick +succession--a pause, and then three times again in quick succession, +and perhaps another go. It was so loud that I thought it was on the +door of his dressing-room, but he said he thought it was on his +bedroom door. One theory is, that it was the hot water in the pipes +getting cold, which, I am told, would make a loud throbbing noise. I +tripped out pretty quick the first time I heard it, but could see +nothing. Of course it is broad daylight in Scotland then. + +"The same banging was, I believe, heard on one of the bedroom doors +down the passage, in the wing on the ground floor, and on +investigation I found there were hot-water pipes just outside that +door as well. There were yarns innumerable while I was there about +shrieks and footsteps heard, and bedclothes torn off. But I did not +experience these.... I don't think the noises were done by a +practical joker, as there were too many people on the alert...." + +The Hon. E---- F---- wrote to Miss Freer on March 4th:-- + +"... [Major] B---- is now in London, and I have seen him twice. He +says (1) the hot-water pipe theory is not his own, but was suggested +by an engineer friend. He should not himself have thought that +hot-water pipes could make so big a noise. Besides, Colonel A---- +described the noise as a banging either against the door itself, or +against the door of the wardrobe inside the room.... (2) He, B----, +heard the noise himself several times and bolted out into the passage +at once, but saw nothing. The noise sounded like a very loud banging +at A----'s door.... (3) He confirms the story about A---- being unable +to sleep, and says he used to go to sleep on the moor in consequence." + +During Colonel Taylor's tenancy similar noises were heard, both when +the water was totally cut off and when, from some defect in the +apparatus, it never reached a high temperature. + +The Colonel A---- referred to, corroborates this account, as follows, +in a letter to Major B----: + +"MY DEAR B----, You write asking me about B---- House and its spook. +Well, I never _saw_ anything, and what I heard was what you heard, a +terrific banging at one's bedroom door, generally about from 2 to 3 +A.M., about two nights out of three. Of course there were other yarns +of things heard, &c., but I personally never heard or experienced +anything else than this banging at the door, which I never could +account for...." + +Before passing from the subject of Colonel A----, it is as well to +mention that after leaving B---- he went to stay at another country +house, and the butler there spoke to him of the haunting of B----, +where he himself was a servant some years before. This butler was +asked for further information, but sent only the following reply:-- + +"Your note to hand regarding B----. I am afraid what I saw or heard +would be of little value to your book, therefore I would rather say +nothing." + +It will be observed that, so far from denying the facts, he admits +that he saw and heard certain things, which he refuses to describe; +but as this evidence is circumstantial rather than direct, it is +inserted here rather than in the place to which, chronologically, it +would, if fuller, properly have belonged. + +Mr. and Mrs. "G." were also guests at B---- during the occupation of +the H----s. Mrs. "G." published an account of her experiences in a +magazine article, of course with fictitious names; but she affirms +that she has in no sense "written up" the story, which, indeed, is +entirely corroborated by other evidence:-- + +"_October 9th, 1896._--Some friends of mine took the place this year +for the shooting, and, relying on the glowing description they had +received, took it on trust, and in July last took possession of it +without having previously seen it. For a few days all went well; the +family established themselves in the old part of the house, leaving a +new wing for their guests. The haunted room (for so I may justly call +it) was inhabited by two or three persons in succession, who were so +alarmed and disturbed by the violent knockings, shrieks, and groans +which they heard every night, and which were also heard by many others +along the same corridor, that they refused to sleep there after the +first few nights. Those who serve under her Majesty's colours are +proverbially brave; they will gladly die for their country, with sword +in hand and face to the foe. For this reason a distinguished officer +[Colonel A----, above quoted] was the next occupant of the haunted +chamber, and was told nothing of its antecedents. The morning after +his arrival he came down refreshed, and keen for the day's sport. I +may here mention, no one is ever disturbed the first night of their +stay. During the succeeding nights, however, he was continually roused +from his slumbers by the most terrific noises, and want of sleep would +cause him to become drowsy when out shooting on the moor, and would +tempt him to make a bed of the purple heather and fragrant myrtle. + +"A friend of mine, a man of great nerve and courage, next inhabited +the room, and went through the same experiences. He took every +possible means to discover the cause of the sounds, and failed in +accounting for them in any way. He said the blows on the door were so +violent he often looked, expecting to see it shattered to atoms. Since +he left no one has been put into this room, but the noises continue, +and are heard throughout the house. Even the dogs cannot be coaxed +into this room, and if forced into it, they crouch with marked signs +of fear. + +"The disturbances take place between 12 and 4.30, and never at any +other time. A young lady, of by no means timid disposition, and +possessed of great presence of mind, has often heard the swing-door +pushed open and footsteps coming along the corridor, pausing at the +door. She has frequently looked out and seen nothing. The footsteps +she has also heard in her room, and going round her bed. Many persons +have had the same experiences, and many have heard the wild unearthly +shriek which has rung through the house in the stillness of the night. + +"I will now give my own experience. I arrived with my husband and +daughter on September 17, having been duly warned by my friends of the +nocturnal disturbances. We were put in rooms adjoining, at the end of +the new wing. I kept a light in my room, but the first night all was +still. Next night, about 2 A.M., a succession of thundering knocks +came from the end of our passage, re-echoing through the house, where +it was heard by many others. About half-an-hour afterwards my husband +heard a piercing shriek; then all was still, save for the hooting of +the owls in the neighbouring trees. When the grey dawn stole in it was +welcome; so was the cheery sound of the bagpipes, as the kilted piper +took his daily round in the early morning. The next night and +succeeding ones we heard loud single knocks at different doors along +our passage. The last night but one before we left I was roused from +sleep by hearing the clock strike one, and immediately it had ceased +six violent blows shook our own door on its hinges, and came with +frightful rapidity, followed by deep groans. After this sleep was +impossible. The next night, our last in Scotland, my husband and +others watched in our passage all night, and though the sounds were +again heard in different directions, nothing was to be seen. As I +write, at the commencement of October, the house on the lonely +hillside is deserted; the tenants have gone southwards; an old +caretaker (too deaf to hear the weird sounds which nightly awaken the +echoes) is the sole occupant. Even she closes up all before dusk, and +retires into her quarters below; though she hears not, her sight is +unimpaired, and she perhaps dreads to meet the hunchback figure which +is said to glide up the stairs, or the shadowy form of a grey lady who +paces with noiseless footfall the lonely corridor, and has been seen +to pass through the door of one of the rooms. Within the last two +months a man with bronzed complexion and bent figure has been seen by +two gentlemen, friends of mine. They both describe him as having come +through the door and passed through the room in which they were about +three in the morning. I have tried to give a faithful and accurate +account of these strange events. I leave it to each and all to form +their own opinion on the matter." + +Some passages in private letters to Miss Freer and Lord Bute written +by Mrs. "G.," should be quoted as bearing upon some points in the +above:-- + +"_February 9th._--I am going to ask you if you do go there [B---- +House] if you would let me know if you see or hear anything. I am +immensely interested in it, as we stayed there in the autumn with some +friends who took it, and anything more horribly haunted could not be. +I never should have believed it if I had not been there." + +After the appearance of _The Times_ correspondent's accusation against +the H---- family, Mrs. "G." wrote as follows to Lord Bute:-- + +"_June 10th._--If the noises complained of by nearly all who have +stayed at B---- were the result of practical jokes perpetrated by the +H----s, how is it that not only were they heard by guests who stayed +there years ago, but are admitted by members of the S---- family to +have been heard by themselves? Miss Freer also has told me, that the +same noises were heard at all hours day and night by herself and her +guests for months after the H---- family and their servants had left +Scotland. This so completely exonerates them from the absurd charge, +that I should hardly have mentioned it, had not Miss Freer seemed +quite under the impression that practical jokes had been played during +the tenancy of the H----s; and as a proof of this, she told me that +the doors, especially of two of the rooms, were marked with nailed +boots, and the panels even split through, and this damage was +attributed by her to the younger members of the H---- family. I am +happy to say I was able to disabuse her mind of this idea, as we were +staying at B---- within a few days of their leaving Scotland, and I +had most carefully examined the doors especially of the two rooms +specified, one of which was our own room. There was not a scratch, nor +the smallest mark or indentation; others can also vouch for this fact. +The H----s had all left B---- for good at that time, except the +eldest son, and Miss Freer agreed with me that whatever damage was +done to the doors, must therefore have been done after the H----s +left, and before her party came in.... The hot-water pipe theory +revived by the writer of the article in _The Times_ is disproved by +Miss Freer, who told me that the hot-water apparatus was not used for +some time, and that the disturbances continued just the same.... The +stories told in connection with B---- were not circulated or started +by the H---- family. They were told _to_ them by persons living around +B----." + +In a letter to Miss Freer, dated June 12th, Mrs. "G." writes, in +reference to the charge of practical joking:-- + +"They are the most unlikely family to do such a thing; and besides, if +further proof were wanted, the young men of the family were away from +B---- when we stayed there ten days, and there was only one night when +we did not hear the noises." + +Miss Freer of course entirely accepts Mrs. "G.'s" statement, and that +of Mr. H---- as published in _The Times_. She had been led to her +earlier conclusions as to the marks of a boot-heel on the upper panels +of the doors by the statements of interested persons. + +A suggestive point in this connection is the fact, to which Miss "G." +has herself testified, that while Mr. and Mrs. "G." were disturbed to +the utmost degree, their daughter, who slept in a room communicating +with that of her mother, heard nothing whatever; from which it would +appear that the noises heard by them were subjective, and that the +alleged evidence of the boot-heel, even were it credible, would be, in +fact, irrelevant. + +The mention of the hallucinatory nature of such phenomena suggests +attention to the intellectual acumen displayed by _The Times_ +correspondent in saying that "Lord Bute ought to have employed a +couple of intelligent detectives" for the purpose of catching +subjective hallucinations. On the same principle, he ought to offer to +his learned friend, Sir James Crichton-Browne, well known as an +alienist, some advice as to the best mode of securing morbid +hallucinations in strait-waistcoats. Is he prepared to propose to take +photographs of a dream, to put thoughts under lock and key, or to +advocate the supply of hot and cold water on every floor of a castle +in the air? + +One of the guests at B---- during Colonel Taylor's tenancy wrote after +his return to London to Miss Freer as follows:-- + +"_March 24th._--I went to call the other day on the 'G.'s' who chanced +to be still in town.... I begin chronologically, and give you what I +was told in all seriousness.... The H----s knew nothing about any +stories of haunting when they took the place, and Miss H---- and one +of the sons went up, most innocently, to prepare for the arrival of +the others. As soon as they entered it the son said to his sister that +he couldn't explain why, but he had a conviction that the house was +haunted. That night, however, nothing happened. But the second night +the bangings began. An old Spanish nurse was in the haunted room, and +was greatly disturbed by the noise upon her door, which seemed as if +it were going to be burst open. She didn't seem to be alarmed in the +least however, and later took steps to secure its remaining shut by +stuffing a towel under the chink (why this should secure it I rather +fail to see, still that was her view). Apparently the ghost resented +this, and one night did actually burst the door open, with such +violence that the towel was precipitated into the middle of the room. +The longer they stayed in the house, the worse things got. The noises +were all over the house more or less, and were by no means confined to +bangings. Miss H---- slept in room No. 8, where the ghost limped round +her bed. She was so alarmed that she fetched her brother in, and he +slept on the sofa. The limping began again, and she asked him if he +heard anything, and he at once agreed that somebody was walking round +the bed. In his own room--I forget which--he twice _saw_ the ghost, +once in the shape of an indeterminate mist, once in the shape of a +man, who came in by the door and vanished in the wall. Mrs. 'G.'[B] +now appears on the scene, and slept in No. 1 (I _think_). She heard +only the bangings, which she declares were indescribably loud. They +were mostly at the door of the haunted room. Traps were laid to catch +unwary jesters; the door, or the surrounding floor, I forget which, +was covered with flour, and wires were stretched across the door; and +if I had the proper mind of a ghost-story narrator, I should say that +the bangings were as bad as ever, and the flour and the wires were +found undisturbed. + +"But as a matter of fact she didn't say that, though doubtless she +intended to, but jumped on to something else. Mr. "G.," who was there +some weeks after his wife, was put down in the wing--I don't know +which room--and had visitations. He heard steps approach down the +passage, followed by a heavy body flinging itself against his door. He +also heard screams, which seemed to him to recede as though the +screamer was passing through the walls. (I couldn't quite understand +this effect, but that was how he described it.) Their chaplain, who +was put into the haunted room, was also greatly worried, and both he +and the Spanish nurse and Colonel A---- all had the sensation that +their bedclothes were being pulled off, and they had to hold on to +them to prevent their departure. The most interesting part of the +story is that Mrs. S---- later admitted to Mrs. "G." that it was quite +true the house was supposed to be haunted, that she had lived there +for twenty years, and at various times there had been outbreaks of +this kind of thing of greater or less duration, but that the outbreaks +had not been often enough for them to think it worth while mentioning +the fact to incoming tenants. It appears also that the story of the +bangings on the table in the daylight on the occasion of the last +interview between the late Mr. S---- and the land-steward, came from +one of the young S----s. It was also said that one of the young S----s +used to sleep in the dressing-room between No. 1 and the haunted room, +and used to complain that somebody kept pulling his bedclothes off. + +"I may add that it is quite clear that the people about the +place--some of whom, on my leaving, I vainly tried to draw--have been +threatened not to talk about the ghost. There was no mystery about it +whatever last year, the station officials being exceedingly loquacious +and full of information...." + +The above are the circumstances which _The Times_ correspondent thus +describes:-- + +"Lord Bute's confidence has been grossly abused by some one. It was +represented to him by some one that he was taking the 'most haunted +house in Scotland,' a house with an old and established reputation for +mysterious if not supernatural disturbances. What he has got is a +house with no reputation whatever of that kind, with no history, with +nothing germane to his purpose beyond a cloud of baseless rumours +produced during the last twelve-month. Who is responsible for the +imposture it is not my business to know or to inquire, but that it is +an imposture of the most shallow and impudent kind there can be no +manner of doubt. I interviewed in P---- a man who has the district at +his finger-tips, and was ready to enumerate in order all the shooting +properties in the valley. He had never heard until the moment I spoke +to him of B---- possessing any reputation, ancient or modern, for +being haunted, although he is familiar with the estate, and has slept +in the house. It has no local reputation of the kind even now beyond +the parish it stands in. The whole thing has been fudged up in London +upon the basis of some distorted account of the practical jokes of the +H----s." + +As the writer in question obtained his admission to the house as a +guest by Sir James Crichton-Browne's solicitation through Sir William +Huggins and Lord Bute, it might naturally have been supposed that the +real facts were known to him, at least so far as they were concerned. +It appears, however, that he cherished a voluntary ignorance upon the +subject, to judge from the phrase, "it is not my business to know or +to inquire." Of such a writer, and of such statements, the reader will +now form his own opinion; but that the correspondent in question +should continue to cling to his journalistic anonymity, is little to +be wondered at. + +Colonel Taylor served in the Bedfordshire Regiment. He was afterwards +Professor of Tactics at Sandhurst, and retired in 1894. Possessed of +means, leisure, and intelligence, he chose to make the study of +psychic subjects his particular occupation. He is one of the seven +fundamental members who, in 1895, signed the Articles of Association +of the London Spiritualist Alliance, holds office in the Society for +Psychical Research, and has rendered very valuable services in +investigation of various kinds. Having made the investigation of +houses alleged to be haunted his special province, he may be fairly +considered to be somewhat of an expert in this matter. It may, or may +not, be regarded as a drawback to his usefulness in this direction, +that he is so peculiarly insensitive to subjective impressions, that a +man who is colour-blind would be almost as useful a witness as to +shades of colour as Colonel Taylor upon hallucinations, local or +otherwise; but, as will be seen, he is fertile in expedients, +experienced in research, and careful and observant of the phenomena +experienced by others. + +Lord Bute, who takes some interest in scientific matters, has been +accustomed not infrequently to defray the cost of scientific work +which he is unable to undertake himself, and he offered to meet the +expense of the lease of B---- if Colonel Taylor would take the house, +a proposal which he accepted. + +This is what _The Times_ correspondent of June 8, 1897, thought proper +to describe in the words, "for reasons which are differently stated in +London and in Perth, where the agent for the proprietor is to be +found, Lord Bute did not take the house in his own name, but in that +of Colonel Taylor." + +It would have been equally true to say of the Coptic texts, published +at Lord Bute's expense by Mr. Budge of the British Museum, that Lord +Bute wrote and published these books under the name of Budge. + +Had Colonel Taylor been prevented by circumstances from becoming +tenant of B---- House, Sir William Crookes, the present President of +the British Association and of the Society for Psychical Research, or +Mr. Arthur Smith, Treasurer of the S.P.R., was willing to take the +lease. + +Having thus agreed to Lord Bute's proposal, Colonel Taylor at once +proceeded to make himself acquainted with the history of B---- House. +He naturally placed himself in communication with the late tenant, +assuming that that gentleman would be willing to assist in +investigating the phenomena by which his family and guests had been +annoyed. But the only information which Mr. H---- seemed disposed to +give was an admission that some members of his family had heard +noises, and that the house was locally reported to be haunted. + +However, other sources of information as to the experiences of the +H---- establishment were fortunately available. + +Captain S----'s agents made no scruple about letting the house to the +well-known expert. The Edinburgh agents, Messrs. Speedy, indeed +mentioned the haunting, and expressed the hope that Colonel Taylor +would not make it the subject of complaint, as had been done by the +H---- family, and they received the assurance that this was not a +score upon which he would give trouble. In regard to the letters of +Messrs. R.H. Moncrieff & Co., dated June 12, 1897, which appeared in +_The Times_, it can only be said that the impression which they were +likely to convey was, that Colonel Taylor was an imaginary being like +John Doe or Richard Roe. Their scepticism must have been of recent +origin, since none was manifested on receiving his rent. Their +position is in any case unfortunate, since, even if unclouded by doubt +as to the Colonel's personality, they appear to wish the public to +believe that they seriously thought that one well known as a +Spiritualist in England and America, a retired Professor of Military +Tactics, with a comfortable house at Cheltenham, a member of the +Junior United Service Club in London, a man who neither shoots nor +fishes, had been suddenly seized in his mature years with a desire to +hire an isolated country house in Perthshire, in the depths of winter, +for the purpose of trying his 'prentice hand upon rabbit-shooting on a +small scale. + +Colonel Taylor, who is a widower without a daughter, was at this time +much occupied by the illness and death of a near relative, and was +unable for the moment to take up residence at B---- House. Lord Bute +accordingly expressed a hope that Miss Freer would undertake to +conduct the investigation. Mr. Myers also wrote urgently to her, +saying, "If you don't get phenomena, probably no one will." She was +abroad at the time, but at considerable personal inconvenience +consented to return, and on December 26th she wrote to Lord Bute, +stating that she could reach Ballechin on February 2nd, and adding-- + +"I have been reflecting further on the question of the personality of +investigators. I think the names you suggest, and some others which +occur to me, divide naturally into three classes (assuming, and I +think you agree with me, that it does not follow that every one can +discover a ghost because it is there, nor that their failure to +discover it is any proof that it is not there). (1) Those who have +personal experience of phenomena, and may be expected to be +susceptible to psychic influences; (2) those who have no personal +powers in that line, but are open-minded and sympathetic; and (3) +those who are passively open to conviction. A fourth class, those who +come to look for evidence against the phenomena, but will accept none +for it, should, I think, be left until we have some demonstrable +evidence to show.... Mr. Myers proposes himself for April 14-21.... I +should suggest the keeping of a diary, in which every one willing to +do so should make entries, negative or affirmative." + +The _Times_ Correspondent further criticised the method of inquiry +employed at B----. + +"Lord Bute's original idea was a good one, but it was never properly +carried out. Observing that the S.P.R. had made many investigations in +a perfunctory and absurd manner by sending somebody to a haunted house +for a couple of nights and then writing an utterly worthless report, +he desired in this case a continuous investigation extending over a +considerable period. He ought, therefore, to have employed a couple of +intelligent detectives for the whole term, and thus secured real +continuity. As things are, the only continuity is to be found in the +presence--itself not entirely continuous--of the lady just mentioned. +But simply because she is a lady, and because she had her duties as +hostess to attend to, she is unfit to carry out the actual work of +investigating the phenomena in question. Some of her assistants sat up +all night, with loaded guns, in a condition of abject fright; others, +there is reason to suspect, manufactured phenomena for themselves; and +nearly all seem to have begun by assuming supernatural interference, +instead of leaving it for the final explanation of whatever might be +clearly proved to be otherwise inexplicable." + +It is hardly necessary to repudiate such a condition of mind on the +part of the guests at B----, but it may be well to remark that the +writer of this sapient paragraph seems to be under the impression that +every result of certain forces at present imperfectly understood is +supernatural. The assertion that any one who was in the house during +Colonel Taylor's tenancy believed in the possibility of the existence +of anything supernatural is, so far as the present editors are aware, +a pure fabrication, having no foundation whatever. In their own belief +all things which exist, or can exist, are, _ipso facto_, natural, +although their nature may not belong to the plane of being in which we +are normally accustomed to move. + +In this connection may be usefully quoted the following passages from +Miss Freer's article in _The Nineteenth Century_, August 1897:-- + +"Some of my friends asked me how I proposed to organise a haunted +house research, to which I could only reply that I didn't propose to +do anything of the sort. It seemed to me that among several things to +be avoided was self-consciousness of any kind, that the natural thing +to do was to settle down to a country-house life, make it as pleasant +as possible, and await events.... The subject of the 'haunting' was +never accentuated, and we always tried to prevent talking it over with +new-comers.... As to the guests, for the most part they came on no +special principle of selection.... Several of our visitors had more or +less special interest in the inquiry, but others merely came for a +country-house visit or for sport, and some knew nothing whatever till +after their arrival of any special interest alleged to attach to the +house.... Analysing our list of guests, I find that there were eleven +ladies, twenty-one gentlemen, and _The Times_ Correspondent. Of the +gentlemen, three were soldiers, three lawyers, two were men of +letters, one an artist, two were in business, four were clergy, one a +physician, ... and five, men of leisure." + +It would be unnecessary to quote all the preliminary correspondence; +but the following passages from Lord Bute's letters to Miss Freer help +to explain the situation, and the relation of those concerned:-- + +"_December 20th.--_ ... I am afraid I shall encroach even further upon +your kindness. Myers has all the papers, but I fancy you would rather +know as little as possible, so as not to be influenced by expectation. +It is no case of roughing it. B---- House is, I believe, a luxurious +country house, ample, though not too large, in a beautiful +neighbourhood...." + +A letter of December 22nd refers to a suggestion that the phenomena +were produced by trickery, a fact which is mentioned to show that the +possibility was kept in view from the first. + +On January 23rd, "Not a day should be lost in beginning the +observation, which ought to be continuous. Such a chance has never +occurred before, and may never occur again. Orders have been given to +get the house ready for immediate occupation." + +Miss Freer, accompanied by her friend Miss Constance Moore (a daughter +of the late Rev. Daniel Moore, Prebendary of St. Paul's and Chaplain, +to the Queen), arrived at B---- House on February 3, 1897. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[A] Here and in all references to rooms by their numbers, see +Frontispiece. + +[B] See her own account, p. 64. The account here given, as will be +seen, is not quite accurate as to the precise rooms. Mrs. "G." slept +in the wing. + + + + +JOURNAL KEPT DURING A VISIT TO B---- HOUSE + + + + +JOURNAL KEPT DURING A VISIT TO B---- HOUSE + + + _February 3rd, Wednesday._--Constance Moore and I arrived from + Edinburgh, with Mac., the maid, a little after 10 P.M., having + sent on beforehand the following servants:--Robinson and Mrs. + Robinson, butler and cook; Carter and Hannah, two housemaids. + + I had engaged them on behalf of Colonel Taylor in Edinburgh last + evening. They had all good characters, and were well + recommended. We told them nothing, of course, of the reputation + of the house, and were careful to choose persons of mature age, + and not excitable girls. + + I had seen no plans nor photographs of the house, and merely + desired that any rooms should be prepared for us that were near + together--_i.e._ bedroom, dressing-room, and maid's room. Mr. + C---- [who met us in Edinburgh, and is a lawyer, mentioned + hereafter], who had seen plans, asked what orders we had given, + and remarked that, as far as he knew, we should secure one quiet + night, as the "haunted" part contained, apparently, no + dressing-rooms. + + The house looked very gloomy. It was not cold out of doors, + though thick snow lay on the ground. Inside it felt like a + vault, having been empty for months. None of the stores ordered + had arrived. We had no linen, knives, plate, wine, food, and + very little fuel or oil. Candles and bread and milk and a tin of + meat had been got for us in the village. We ate and went to bed. + The room was so cold that we had to cover our faces, and we had + no bed-linen. We had been very busy all day in Edinburgh, and + soon fell asleep. + + _February 4th, Thursday._--I awoke suddenly, just before 3 A.M. + Miss Moore, who had been lying awake over two hours, said, "I + want you to stay awake and listen." Almost immediately I was + startled by a loud clanging sound, which seemed to resound + through the house. The mental image it brought to my mind was as + of a long metal bar, such as I have seen near iron-foundries, + being struck at intervals with a wooden mallet. The noise was + distinctly as of metal struck with wood; it seemed to come + diagonally across the house. It sounded so loud, though distant, + that the idea that any inmate of the house should not hear it + seems ludicrous. It was repeated with varying degrees of + intensity at frequent intervals during the next two hours, + sometimes in single blows, sometimes double, sometimes treble, + latterly continuous. We did not get up, though not alarmed. We + had been very seriously cautioned as to the possibilities of + practical joking; and as we were alone on that floor in a large + house, of which we did not even know the geography, we thought + it wiser to await developments. We knew the servants' staircase + was distant, though not exactly where. + + About 4.30 we heard voices, apparently in the maid's room, + undoubtedly on the same floor. We had for some time heard the + housemaids overhead coughing, occasionally speaking, and we + thought they had got up and had come down to her room. + + After five o'clock the noises seemed to have ceased, and Miss + Moore fell asleep. About 5.30 I heard them again, apparently + more distant. I continued awake, but heard no more. + + About 8 A.M. the maid brought us some tea. She said she had + slept very badly, had worried over our apparent restlessness, as + she had heard voices and footsteps and the sound of things + dragged about, but that the maids had not been downstairs. We + had never risen, and had spoken seldom, and in low tones, and an + empty room (the dressing-room) intervened between Mac.'s room + and ours. + + In order, as we supposed, to follow up the noises we, later, in + the day moved our rooms to the other side of the house, + especially choosing those from which the sounds seemed to + proceed--Nos. 6 and 7--leaving Mac., the maid, in No. 3. + + The whole day has been occupied with exploring the house, + sending for food and supplies, trying to thaw the rooms, moving + furniture to make things homelike, and trying to arrive at a + little comfort. + + The house will soon be very pleasant, and only needs living in, + but it feels like a vault. It is very roomy and very light. + Nothing less like the conventional "haunted" house could be + conceived. The main body of the house was built in 1806, the + wing about 1883, with the apparent object of providing the + children of the family with rooms outside the "haunted" area. It + is cheerful, sunny, convenient, healthy, and built on a very + simple plan, which admits of no dark corners or mysteries of any + kind. A pleasanter house to live in I would not desire, but it + is constructed for summer rather than for winter use. It has + been added to at least twice, and there is much waste space. The + original mansion, which was, I understand, upon a different + site, was dated 1579; the new wing was built about fourteen + years ago, and consists of four rooms and offices, adapted for + schoolroom or nursery use. But the older walls are of great + thickness. + + After dusk we sat down to rest, and for the first time read the + papers relating to the house,[C] breaking open the envelope in + which Mr. Myers had given them to me. I had done this for my own + satisfaction, as I wanted, if only for a few hours, to have as + unprejudiced a presentation of the place as was possible under + the circumstances. Miss Moore had heard some of the rumours + about the house in Edinburgh from Mr. MacP---- and Mr. C----, + but I had avoided all information as far as I could. + + We now learnt, to our chagrin, that we had done the wrong thing, + and had left rooms alleged to be haunted, and taken two + apparently innocent. We, however, consoled ourselves by the + reflection that we can offer the others to our guests, and that + we are at all events _next_ to No. 8, which has an evil + reputation. + +It is the room in which Sarah N---- died, and in which Miss H---- +heard the limping footsteps walking round her bed. + + As we had been told that the avenue is shunned by the whole + neighbourhood after dark, we went out for a stroll up and down + about six o'clock. We saw nothing, but our dog Scamp growled at + the fir plantation beside the road. + + Mr. L. F---- [eminent as an electrical engineer], arrived about + 10 P.M. We thought it polite to give him a quiet night after so + long a journey, and he is sleeping in No. 5. + + _February 5th, Friday._--Miss Moore and I slept well. We were + both desperately tired. + + Mr. L. F---- awoke suddenly at 2.30. No phenomena. He has an + excellent little apparatus, an electric flashlight, which he is + able to keep under his pillow and turn on at a second's notice, + very convenient for "ghost" hunting--no delay, and no + possibility of blowing it out. + + The maids tell mine that they heard the sounds below them of + continuous speaking or reading, and "supposed the young ladies + were reading to one another." + +This is the first occasion on which there has been mention of the +sound of continuous reading aloud, which afterwards became extremely +familiar. The sound was always that well known to Roman Catholics as +that of a priest "saying his office." It may be as well to remind the +reader that Clerks in Holy Orders of that Church are, like those of +the Anglican, strictly bound to read through the whole of the Daily +Service every day, and it is not permitted to do this merely by the +eye, the lips must utter the words. In practice some are accustomed +to move the lips with hardly any sound, and such, we have ascertained, +is the custom of the Rev. P---- H----; others read it absolutely +aloud, and will retire to their own rooms or other places, where they +may be alone for the purpose. This, we heard, was the invariable +practice of the Rev. Mr. "I.," the chaplain of Mr. and Mrs. "G." + + As a matter of fact, we were sleeping on the other side of the + house, and the rooms under the maids' rooms were empty.... In + the evening, about six o'clock, we strolled down the avenue + again, and Scamp, who never does bark except under strong + excitement, again barked and growled at the copse. + + The Hon. E. F----, a fellow-member of an S.P.R. committee, + arrives to-night. Hospitality constrains us to put him in No. 4, + which is "not haunted." + + I asked after the success of the new kitchenmaid, a local + importation, who arrived yesterday. I was told she had already + gone. The cook told me "she talked all sorts of nonsense about + the house, and the things that had happened in it, and had been + seen in it, all day; and then at night refused to sleep here, + and the butler had to walk home with her at eleven o'clock." + + The Factor [_anglice_: bailiff] came this morning, and I fancied + a special intention in his manner. He was much annoyed about the + kitchenmaid, said such talk was "all havers" [_anglice_: + "drivel"], begged me not to employ her again, and undertook to + get another, lending me a girl in his own service meanwhile. + + I went with him into the wing to get him to see to things there. + We have been too busy in getting the rest of the house into + order to look after it yet; but I find the pipes are out of + order, the cisterns frozen, and the "set-basins" in the three + bedrooms and bath-room out of working order. He promised + attention, but discouraged the use of the wing. "Had we not room + enough without?" and so on. I suggested that, any way, for the + sake of the rest of the house it must be aired and thawed, and + he insisted that the kitchen fire below did that sufficiently. + + I cannot help remembering that this is the scene of the + phenomena recorded by Miss "B----," as Duncan R----, the factor, + is well aware. Also, he was persistent about "keeping out the + natives," and their chatter, if I wanted to keep the servants, + but did not specify the nature of the chatter, and I asked no + questions. + + _February 6th, Saturday._--No phenomena last night. The house + perfectly still. + +During Colonel Taylor's tenancy a good many experiments of different +kinds were made in hypnotism, crystal gazing, and automatic writing. +These, however, belong to a class of matter quite different from that +of spontaneous phenomena, and are therefore not referred to, with the +exception of a single instance of crystal gazing, which, though +relating to B----, was made elsewhere, and one or two occasions of +automatic writing. This latter method of inquiry displayed all the +weakness to which it is usually, and apparently, inherently liable, +and is only mentioned here as explaining other matters. Its chief +interest was that it supplied a name marked by a certain peculiarity +which afterwards became familiar, and that it led to a hypothesis as +to at least one of the personalities by whom certain phenomena were +professedly caused. + +In the afternoon an experiment was made with the apparatus known as a +_Ouija_ board, and this, as is very often the case, resolved itself, +after a time, into automatic writing. There is in the library a +portrait of a very handsome woman, to which no name is attached, but +which shows the costume of the last century. Her name was asked, and +the word _Ishbel_ was given several times. It is not certain whether +this word was meant as an answer to the question, or whether, as often +happens in such cases, it was intended merely as an announcement of +the name of the informant supposed to communicate. + +The word, as given, possesses the following peculiarity. In the +Gaelic language the vowels _e_ and _i_ have the effect of aspirating +an _s_ immediately preceding them, in the same way in which they +effect the _c_ in Italian, or the _g_ in Spanish, so that, as in +Italian _ce_ and _ci_ are pronounced _chay_ and _chee_, so in Gaelic +_se_ and _si_ are pronounced _shay_ and _shee_. The name Isabel is +written in Gaelic _Iseabal_, but the _e_ is absorbed in its effect +upon the _s_ (like the _i_ in the Italian _cio_) and the first _a_ is +so slurred as to be almost inaudible, so that the word is pronounced +"Ish-bel." + +It was obvious, therefore, that the intelligence from which the +writing proceeded (if such existed) could write in English, and was +familiar with the colloquial Gaelic pronunciation of the name, but was +unacquainted with the Gaelic orthography. On this occasion also the +name "Margaret" was given in its Gaelic form of Marghearad (somewhat +similarly misspelt as _Marget_), without any special connection either +with the questions asked, or, so far as could be discovered, with +anything in the mind of any present, none of whom had interested +themselves at that time in the S---- ancestry. + +In reply to questions as to what could be done that was of use or +interest, the writers were told to go at dusk, and in silence, to the +glen in the avenue, and this, rightly or wrongly, some of those +present identified with what had been called Scamp's Copse. They were, +however, perplexed by being told to go "up by the burn," for though +Miss Freer and Miss Moore had twice explored the spot, they had not +observed the presence of water. The journal continues-- + + We decided to walk in the avenue, and to explore "Scamp's Copse" + before dinner, in spite of the fact that we were expecting Mr. + MacP---- [a barrister], Mr. C---- [a solicitor], and Mr. W---- + [an accountant] just about the time that we should be absent. + Miss Moore took the dog off in the opposite direction, and we + walked in silence to the plantation, Mr. L. F----, Mr. F----, + and I. It was quite dark, but the snow gleamed so white, that we + could see our way to the plantation. We went up among the trees, + young firs; the snow was deep and untrodden; and when we got + well off the road, we found that a burn comes down the brae + side. It is frozen hard, and we found it out only by the shining + of the ice. + + We walked on in silence to the left of the burn, up the little + valley, along a small opening between the trees and the railing + which encloses them, Mr. L. F---- first, then I, then Mr. + F----. + + In a few minutes I saw what made me stop. The men stopped too, + and we all stood leaning over the railings, and looking in + silence across the burn to the steep bank opposite. This was + white with snow, except to the left, where the boughs of a large + oak-tree had protected the ground. + + Against the snow I saw a slight black figure, a woman, moving + slowly up the glen. She stopped, and turned and looked at me. + She was dressed as a nun. Her face looked pale. I saw her hand + in the folds of her habit. Then she moved on, as it seemed, on a + slope too steep for walking. When she came under the tree she + disappeared--perhaps because there was no snow to show her + outline. Beyond the tree she reappeared for a moment, where + there was again a white background, close by the burn. Then I + saw no more. I waited, and then, still in silence, we returned + to the avenue. + + I described what I had seen. The others saw nothing. (This did + not surprise me, for though both have been for many years + concerned in psychical investigation, and have had unusual + opportunities, neither has ever had any "experience," so that + one may conclude that they are not by temperament likely to + experience either subjective phenomena or even + thought-transference.) It was proposed that we should ascend the + glen in her track on the other side of the burn. It was very + difficult walking, the snow very deep, and after two or three + efforts to descend the side of the bank we gave it up, and + followed to nearly her point of disappearance, keeping above the + tree, not below as she had done. We saw no more, and returned to + the house, agreeing not to describe what had occurred, merely to + say that as the factor (who looks about eighteen stone) is said + not to like the avenue at dark, we had been setting him and + others a good example. + +In a letter to Lord Bute under date February 25th, Miss Freer +describes this figure with some detail:-- + +"As you know, these figures do not appear before 6.30 at earliest, +therefore there is little light upon their surface. Like other +phantasms seen at dark, they show 'by their own light,' _i.e._ they +appear to be outlined by a thread of light. It is therefore only when +the face appears in profile that one can describe the features, and +this is somewhat prevented by the nun's veil. 'Ishbel' appears to me +to be slight, and of fair height. I am unable, of course, to see the +colour of her hair, but I should describe her as dark. There is an +intensity in her gaze which is rare in light-coloured eyes. The face, +as I see it, is in mental pain, so that it is perhaps hardly fair to +say that it seems lacking in that repose and gentleness that one looks +for in the religious life. Her dress presents no peculiarities. The +habit is black, with the usual white about the face, and I have +thought that when walking she showed a lighter under-dress. She speaks +upon rather a high note, with a quality of youth in her voice. Her +weeping seemed to me passionate and unrestrained." + +The appearance of a nun was entirely unexpected, as the name "Ishbel" +had been associated rather with the portrait of the beautiful woman in +an eighteenth-century dress in the library, and it was she whom the +witnesses, had they expected anything at all, would have expected to +see. Miss Freer, moreover, the first witness, had regarded the +statements of "Ouija" with her habitual scepticism as to induced +phenomena, more particularly those of automatic writing, in which, as +in dreams, it is almost always difficult to disentangle the operations +of the normal from those of the subconscious personality. + +If the name "Ishbel" were really intended to apply to the nun, it +becomes a very curious question who is the person meant. A Robert +S---- of B---- married, as has been already mentioned, Isabella H----, +who died in 1784, but we know of no reason for supposing that she +ever became a nun. + +The portrait may possibly have represented her, but it shows a much +older woman than the phantom so often seen; on the other hand, the +dates are not inconsistent, and a considerable distance of time is +suggested by certain phrases which occurred in the automatic writing. + +The person to whom the mind more naturally reverts is Miss Isabella +S----, the sister, and apparently the favourite sister, of Major +S----. As already mentioned, she professed as a nun under the name of +Frances Helen in 1850, and died in 1880, aged sixty-six. She did not, +therefore, enter her convent till the age of thirty-five, an age much +greater than that shown by the phantom. + +It is, moreover, interesting to note that this lady's name was +Isabella _Margaret_, so that both names, as given automatically, may +have really referred to her. In the seventh edition of "Burke's Landed +Gentry," 1886, there appears for the first time this entry-- + +"_IV. Isabella Margaret, a nun, regular Canoness of the Order of the +Holy Sepulchre, d. 23 Feb. 1880._" + +The editors have obtained from the Nunnery, where she lived and died, +a photograph, representing the dress of the Community, and a +description of herself, which is as follows:-- + +"She died 23rd February 1880, quickly, of an attack of pneumonia or +acute bronchitis. She died a most edifying death, in perfect +consciousness, assisted by the Confessor ... and the Community around +her, and having received the last Sacraments only a few hours before +she expired. As to her appearance, she was short, rather fair, not at +all stout, but not extraordinarily thin. + +"She entered the Community in April 1848, was clothed in May 1849, and +professed May 1850. We do not know whether she could speak Gaelic. She +was very fond of Scotland, and very particular about the pronunciation +of Scotch names. She was a most entertaining companion, being full of +natural wit." + +The dress, which is dignified, is very peculiar and striking, and not +the least like the very ordinary nun's attire in which the phantom +appeared, while it would be difficult to imagine a greater contrast +than that between the merry old lady of the description and the +weeping girl so often seen. + +There was, however, at least one very peculiar reason, which will be +noticed presently, for supposing that this phantom was really intended +to represent the late Rev. Mother Frances Helen, and that its +inaccuracy was owing to the stupid, and rather melodramatic +misconception in the mind which originally imagined it and transferred +it to the witnesses at B----. + + This is our arrangement for to-night:-- + + Room 1 (where we heard noises). Mr. F----. + " 2. Dressing-room communicating with Nos. 1 and 3; doors + opened between. + " 3. Mr. L. F---- (specially "haunted"). + " 4. Mr. MacP----. + " 5. Mr. W----. + " 6. Dressing-room, Miss Moore. + " 7. Myself. + " 8. Mr. C----. (Sounds alleged, see evidence.) + _N.B._--Nothing is alleged against 4 and 5. + + _February 7th, Sunday._--Miss Moore was awakened this morning + soon after one o'clock by a loud reverberating bang, which + seemed close to her bed. She lay awake for a long time + afterwards, but the sound was not repeated. The men heard + nothing. They report that they went to bed soon after eleven, + and very quietly. + + My maid, who has had to give up her room, slept downstairs last + night. She was kept awake nearly all night by noises and + footsteps. The wing is not yet fit for use, as all the pipes are + frozen, and the only downstairs bedroom was insufficiently + aired; so I told her to use that for dressing, and make herself + up a bed on one of the sitting-room sofas, and she slept (or + rather, lay awake) in the drawing-room. She was not frightened, + as she thought all the noises were made by the gentlemen; but + they declare they made no noise. + + I asked her as to the other servants. She says the maids are + still very nervous. I spoke to them for the first time about the + noises to-day. The butler's wife has heard sounds, but her + husband only scoffs. The upper housemaid thinks ghosts the + proper thing, and tolerates them along with the high families to + which she is accustomed. The under housemaid is very shy, is + Highland, and knows little English, and won't talk, but owns to + discomfort, and is scoffed at by the other servants, who think + it all part of her having been only a "general" till she came + here. The kitchenmaid goes home to sleep, but I believe some one + fetches her. + + I have had a girl out of the village to make up the linen, and + she, we notice, is careful to go home before dark. + + This morning we all went to churches of various sorts. When the + men came in to tea they reported that they had had a + conversation with an outdoor servant, who proved to have been + in the service of [Mr. F----'s father] Lord D----, and was + consequently the more communicative. I know him, and have found + him extremely intelligent. + + He says that having heard from the H----s' butler (who slept on + the dining-room floor, in the room my maid is to occupy + to-night) that it was impossible to sleep in a room so noisy, he + induced him to allow him to share his room, that they heard + much, but they dared not show a light for fear of his admission + being discovered (the H----s being much on the alert), and they + saw nothing [_cf._ p. 40 for evidence of the H----s' butler]. + + We did not like to send for him on a Sunday, but decided to have + him in on Monday, and test him as to the intensity of the noise. + + In the evening, while we were all chatting in the drawing-room, + Miss Moore came out into the hall, where she had been looking + after the dog. In spite of the noise we were all making, she + distinctly heard the clang noise upstairs. She had said the same + thing, though with less certainty, once before, and we agreed + that one night some one must sit up in the hall. (This was + afterwards done without result.) + + _February 8th, Monday._--Last night my maid heard footsteps and + the sound of hands fumbling on her door; this she told us when + she came in with our early tea. + + Miss Moore in the early morning, between one and two, heard + again the sharp, reverberating bang as before. We speculated at + breakfast as to whether the sound could have been made by the + men after we had gone upstairs, though they were all sure of + having been quite still before midnight. We made them rehearse + every sound they had in fact made, but nothing was in the least + like it, either in quality or quantity. + + I had been disturbed about 5.30 A.M. by the sound (which we had + not heard hitherto) described by former witnesses as + "explosive." I know of nothing quite like it. I have heard the + Portsmouth guns when at a place eight miles away; the sound was + like that, but did not convey the same impression of distance. I + heard it, at intervals, during half-an-hour. Miss Moore is a + very light sleeper, but she did not awake. At six I got up and + went through my room to the dressing-room door (No. 6), after a + sound that seemed especially near. It was so near, that though I + thought it quite unlikely under the circumstances, I wanted to + satisfy myself that no one was playing jokes on Mr. C----, whose + room was close by. The house was deadly still. I could hear the + clocks ticking on the stairs. As I stood, the sound came again. + It might have been caused by a very heavy fall of snow from a + high roof--not sliding, but percussive. Miss Moore had wakened + up and heard it too. + + (_N.B._--We afterwards found that, as the roof is flat, the snow + is cleared away daily.) + + Mr. W----, an utter sceptic, he declares, left early; then we + all went for a walk. We spent the whole afternoon making + experiments. Miss Moore or my maid or I, as having heard the + noises, shut ourselves up in the room whence they were heard, or + stood in the right places on hall or staircase. + + The experimental noises made were as follows:-- + + 1. Banging with poker or shovel as hard as possible on every + part of the big iron stove in the hall; kicking it, hitting it + with sticks (as Miss Moore and I persisted that the first noise + was as of metal on wood, or _vice versa_). + + 2. Trampling and banging in every part of the house, obvious and + obscure, in cupboards and cistern holes. + + 3. (On the hypothesis of tricks from outside.) Beating on + outside doors with shovels and pokers and wooden things, on the + walls and windows accessible; banging and clattering in outside + coal-cellars and in the sunk area round the house. + (_N.B._--Beating on the front door handle with a wooden racket, + was right in kind, but not nearly enough in degree.) + + Miss Moore, who was familiar with the noise, did it rather well + by going into a coal-cellar (always locked at night, however) + outside and throwing big lumps of coal, from a distance, into a + big pail, but _it wasn't nearly loud enough_. + + 4. Finally the men climbed on to the roof, outside, while Miss + Moore and I shut ourselves into the proper places. They + clattered and walked and stamped and kicked and struck the + slates, but _they couldn't make noise enough_. + + Then we had in the gardener they saw yesterday, and put him in + the butler's room, and the four men made hideous rows as before. + He was grateful and respectful, but contemptuous. _They couldn't + make noise enough._ + + We went out at dusk, having sent Mr. MacP---- and Mr. C---- to + pay a visit (as they had not been told of the brook scene), + intending that the same trio as before should go to the copse. + Mr. L---- F---- couldn't come, and as Mr. F---- and I went on + alone, we met Mr. MacP---- and Mr. C---- returning before they + were expected. On the spur of the moment I asked Mr. C---- to + come with me, leaving Mr. F---- and Mr. MacP---- in the avenue. + The snow had gone, and I saw less distinctly; but I saw the nun + again, and an older woman in grey, who talked earnestly with + her, she answering at intervals. I could hear no words; the ice + was giving, and the burn had begun to murmur. (I tried to + persuade myself that the murmur accounted for the voices, but + the sounds were entirely distinct, and different in quality and + amount.) + +This older woman in grey afterwards became familiar. The name "Marget" +was given to her at first half in fun and simply because this was one +of the two names given by Ouija (_cf._ p. 98). She is apparently the +grey woman referred to in the paper published by Mrs. G---- (_cf._ p. +64). + +The fact of voices being heard by two persons, while one alone saw the +figures, seems a clear proof that the figures were hallucinatory. It +seems probable that the sounds also were hallucinatory, but were what +is called in the vocabulary of the S.P.R. the "collective" +hallucination of two persons. This seems to render it highly probable +that in the case of each the hallucination had a cause external to +both, although common to both; moreover, hallucinations are often +contagious. _The Times_ correspondent states, that "the lady admitted +that the apparition was purely subjective, but in regard to other +matters was not willing to suppose that she might be the victim of +hallucinations of hearing as well as of sight." On the contrary, as +all readers of Miss Freer's published works are aware, she is entirely +of opinion that such sights and sounds are pure sense-hallucinations, +whatever may be their ultimate origin. + + We rejoined the others in silence. Then Mr. MacP---- said to Mr. + C----, "Did you see anything?" "Nothing; I only heard voices." + "What sort of voices?" "Two women. The older voice talked most, + almost continuously. I heard a younger voice, a higher one, now + and then." + + _Note by Mr. MacP----._ + + "I knew previously, though Mr. C---- did not, that Miss Freer + had seen something up the burn; and when waiting for her and Mr. + C----, Mr. F---- told me the whole story." + + _February 9th, Tuesday._--Last night we--Miss Moore and I--heard + the "explosive" noises about 11.30 P.M., and speculated as to + the possibility of their being caused by the wind in the + chimney. There was a little wind last night--very little. It is + worth mentioning, that ever since we have been here the air has + been phenomenally still. One can go outside, as we do + frequently, to feed the birds and squirrels without hats and not + feel a hair stirred. Even when the snow was on the ground we + never felt the cold, owing to the absence of wind, and the thaw + has been imperceptible. Snow is still on the hills. I have + several times thrown open my bedroom window about dawn for an + hour to familiarise myself with the outside noises. There is + nothing human within a quarter of a mile. (_N.B._--The others, + who are much more likely to be accurate as to distance than I, + say the lodges are farther off.) The servants' houses are in a + group of buildings on the hill above the house, but are, I + believe, all empty. We found, and adopted, a deserted cat, whose + condition certainly testified to the nakedness of the land. + There are two inhabited lodges far out of hearing. A gardener + comes round to the houses about 10 or 10.30 P.M., but we have + watched him, and know exactly what sounds he creates. + + _February 10th, Wednesday._--Mrs. W---- arrived this morning + from London; also Miss Langton, who is "sensitive," but wholly + inexperienced. In the evening, at 6 P.M., Colonel Taylor + arrived. He is in No. 8. + + Miss Moore and I moved back into No. 1, and moved Mr. F---- into + No. 3, the room reported (by the H----s) as specially haunted, + where Colonel A---- and Major B---- had slept, and in our time + Mr. L---- F----, who left last night. + + The wing is now ready for habitation, except that the pipes are + out of order, and the "set-basins" useless, also the bath. + (_N.B._--The fact that the pipes are all out of working order, + and not a drop of hot water is to be had except in the kitchen, + does away with a theory, which has been rather emphatically put + forward, that "it is all the hot-water pipes.") + + We are anxious to test the wing. Only one story, Miss "B----'s," + is connected with it, and if there has been any practical joking + anywhere, I personally incline to think that was the occasion. + The wing is new, built, they say, in 1883, and the "ghost" + showed human intelligence in selection of doors and victims. + (After my return to London I had a conversation with Mrs. G----, + which convinced me that I was mistaken in supposing that tricks + had been played upon Miss "B----." See p. 71.) + + An old woman in the village asked Miss Moore to-day with + interest, "Hoo'll ye be liking B----?" She spoke of the + hauntings, and her husband insisted (the Highlander always + begins that way) that there were not any, and so on, and the old + woman explained that it was just the young gentlemen last year + that was having a lark. Later she admitted, "There's nae ghaists + at B----, but the old Major" (who died about twenty years ago); + "he'd just be saying to Gracie if she didn't do as she was told, + that he'd be coming back and belay the decks" (_cf._ p. 136). + + _P.S._--_Monday 15th._--In the kirkyard to-day at L---- we were + shown the Major's grave. It is one of three, inclosed by a rough + stone wall. They have no headstones, and seem quite uncared for. + One is, we are informed, that of his housekeeper, Sarah N----. + The other is said to be that of a black man-servant. + + Last night we slept as follows:-- + + Room 1 and 2. Myself and Miss Moore. + " 3. Mr. F----. + " 4. Miss Langton. + " 5. Mrs. W----. + " 6 and 7. Empty. + " 8. Colonel Taylor. + + Miss Moore lay awake nearly the whole night. She heard, though + in less degree, the old noises; and in the early morning + (compare our first night) heard the sound of women's voices + talking. When I awoke, about 6 A.M., she told me she had been + disturbed, and said she feared that the others had also, as she + had heard Mrs. W---- talking in Miss Langton's room. + + At breakfast Mrs. W---- reported that she had been awakened by + knockings, but had never moved. Miss Langton had heard nothing. + + The Colonel reported that about, or just before, six he had + heard footsteps over his head. There is no room over No. 8, + which is mostly a built-out bow, and the servants had not moved + before 6.30. (If they moved then, it was contrary to their + habits!) We heard later that Hannah had gone, about 6.30, "in + her stocking-feet, only without her stockings," to ask the time + at the cook's door. + + The Colonel (before our inquiries) had imitated the noise by + stamping heavily with striding steps across the library. + + _February 11th, Thursday._--The Colonel moved down into "Miss + B----'s room" in the wing, and Mr. F---- into the room next to + him. + + _February 12th, Friday._--No phenomena. The great business + to-day, which we had specially reserved for the Colonel's + arrival, was the making of sketches and measurements for the + plan of the house. We found no mysteries. The walls are + immensely thick, but all the space is accounted for. + + _February 13th, Saturday._--Miss Moore slept very badly again + last night. She heard the noises at intervals between three and + five; she was awake before and after. They were loudest and most + frequent after four. At 5.30 I was awakened by a loud crash as + of something falling very heavily on the floor above. The maids + sleep there, but can give no account of any fall. Miss Moore, of + course, heard it as, and when, I did. + + Mrs. W---- reports having heard loud raps. She thinks the noise + may have wakened her, but after she was awake enough to get a + light and look at her watch (3.40) she heard what she describes + as "a double knock." + + _February 14th, Sunday._--Our first wet day. The weather so far + has been perfect. We all got very wet coming from church. + + In the evening we did various experiments--thought-transference, + crystal gazing, &c.--but nothing came of it in regard to the + house. + + _February 15th, Monday._--Mr. F---- left early. + + We all walked to the Parish Church, and had some talk with the + sexton, and I had to listen to long yarns about the Major (see + under date February 9th). I was tired, and could not go to the + copse. + + In the evening we played games, and were very lively. Miss + Langton came into my room for a few minutes, and was certainly + not in any nervous condition, nor did we speak of the hauntings. + But this morning (Tuesday) at breakfast she reported having + heard a loud crash almost directly after getting to her room. We + considered possible causes, but could not discover that any one + was moving in the house. The servants had gone to bed some time + earlier, and we had put out the lights ourselves in the hall and + on the stairs. + + _February 16th, Tuesday._--I had an experience this morning + which may have been purely subjective, but which should be + recorded. About 10 A.M. I was writing in the library, face to + light, back to fire. Mrs. W---- was in the room, and addressed + me once or twice; but I was aware of not being responsive, as I + was much occupied. I wrote on, and presently felt a distinct, + but gentle, push against my chair. I thought it was the dog and + looked down, but he was not there. I went on writing, and in a + few minutes felt a push, firm and decided, against myself which + moved me on my chair. I thought it was Mrs. W----, who, having + spoken and obtained no answer, was reminding me of her presence. + I looked backward with an exclamation--the room was empty. She + came in directly, and called my attention to the dog, who was + gazing intently from the hearthrug at the place where I had + expected (before) to see him. + + As the day began with the above, and I had had a quiet rest, I + went to the copse at dusk. The moon was bright, and the twilight + lingered. We waited about in the avenue to let it get darker, + but it was still far from dark when we made our way up the + glen--Miss Moore, Miss Langton, and myself. + + I saw "Ishbel" and "Marget" in the old spot across the burn. + "Ishbel" was on her knees in the attitude of weeping, "Marget" + apparently reasoning with her in a low voice, to which "Ishbel" + replied very occasionally. I could not hear what was said for + the noise of the burn. We waited for perhaps ten or fifteen + minutes. They had appeared when I had been there perhaps three + or four. + + When we regained the avenue (in silence) Miss Moore asked Miss + Langton, "What did you see?" (She had been told nothing, except + that the Colonel, who did not know details then, had said in + her presence something about "a couple of nuns".) She said, "I + saw nothing, but I heard a low talking." Questioned further, she + said it seemed close behind. The glen is so narrow, that this + might be quite consistent with what I saw and heard. Miss Moore + heard a murmuring voice, and is quite certain it was not the + burn. She is less suggestible than almost any one I know. + + The dog ran up while we were there, pointed, and ran straight + for the two women. He afterwards left us, and we found him + barking in the glen. He is a dog who hardly ever barks. We went + up among the trees where he was, and could find no cause. + + Miss Moore and I moved into No. 8 (dressing-room No. 6). It is a + "suspect" room, which I had not tried, and Miss Moore had + scarcely slept all the week in No. 1, and was looking so worn + out, that I decided to move. + + _February 17th, Wednesday._--A most glorious day, still, bright, + and sunny. + + Nothing happened till evening. The Colonel, Mrs. W----, Miss + Langton, Miss Moore, and I were in the drawing-room after + dinner. Some of us, certainly the last four, heard footsteps + overhead in No. 1, which is just now disused. I was lying on the + sofa, and could not get up quickly: but Mrs. W---- and Miss + Langton ran up at once, and found it empty and dark, and no one + about. + + Later, about 10.30, we all five heard the clang noise with which + some of us are so familiar. The servants had gone to bed--or so + we presumed, as all lights were out, except on the upper floor. + It occurred four times. It is of course conceivable they may + have made it, but we do not hear it when we know them to be + about, and we do hear it when we know them not to be about. + + The following quotation is from Miss Langton's private diary:-- + + "On the night of Wednesday, February 17th, I had a curious dream + or vision. I seemed to be standing outside the door of No. 4, + looking up the corridor to No. 2, when suddenly I saw a figure + with his back to the door of No. 2, and quite close to the door + which leads to No. 3. His face was quite distinct, and what + struck me most was the curious way in which his hair grew on his + temples. His eyes were very dark, keen, and deep-set; his face + was pale, and with a drawn, haggard expression. He looked about + thirty-nine years of age. His hair was dark and thick, and waved + back from his forehead, where it was slightly grey. It was a + most interesting and clever face, and one that would always, I + should think, attract attention. He was dressed in a long black + gown like a cassock, only with a short cape, barely reaching to + the elbows." + + A further reference to this vision, which at the time seemed + irrelevant, will be found on page 225. + + _February 18th, Thursday._--This morning's phenomenon is the + most incomprehensible I have yet known. I heard the banging + sounds after we were in bed last night. Early this morning, + about 5.30, I was awakened by them. They continued for nearly an + hour. Then another sound began _in_ the room. It might have been + made by a very lively kitten jumping and pouncing, or even by a + very large bird; there was a fluttering noise too. It was close, + exactly opposite the bed. Miss Moore woke up, and we heard it + going on till nearly eight o'clock. I drew up the blinds and + opened the window wide. I sought all over the room, looking + into cupboards and under furniture. We cannot guess at any + possible explanation. + +Further experience of these curious hallucinatory sounds, combined +with visual hallucination in the same room, taking also into +consideration the interest which our own dogs always displayed in +these phenomena, led us to the conclusion that our first deductions +had been wrong, and that the sounds were those of a dog gambolling. + + (The Rev.) Mr. "Q." (an English vicar), arrived. In the evening, + at 6.30, Miss Langton and I took him down to the glen. It was a + very light evening. I saw the figure of Ishbel, not very + distinctly, in conversation with the second figure, which was + barely defined. We remained in perfect silence as usual. On + regaining the avenue Miss L---- said she had heard voices, and + thought she had seen what might be the white parts of the nun's + dress. Mr. "Q." said he had seen a light under the big tree. The + figures were nearer the tree than usual. Miss Langton went up a + second time with the Colonel, and again heard voices. + +It is worth remarking that Mr. "Q." has, doubtless from some +idiosyncrasy, since developed a faculty of seeing lights where other +people see phantasms. + + _February 19th, Friday._--No phenomena last night. We have spent + the day in A----, the neighbouring town, where I had a fall and + hurt my foot, so that I was obliged to drive home, and could not + go to the glen. Miss Langton and Mr. "Q." went down about seven + o'clock. Mr. "Q." saw the outline of a figure of which he has + written the description. Miss Langton heard the usual voices on + the other side of the burn; they seemed to her to be interrupted + by a third voice, in deeper tones; and she also heard the + footsteps of a man passing behind her, a heavy tread, "not like + a gentleman." + +The following, the account referred to, was contained in a private +letter from Mr. "Q." to Lord Bute. The description of Ishbel in the +Journal of February 26th, was, it will be observed, of later date, +although before Miss Freer had seen the following:-- + +"_February 19th and 20th, 1897._--I had heard only that Miss Freer had +seen two figures by the burn, one of which was that of a nun, the +other a woman, before whom, on one occasion, the nun appeared to be +kneeling. I had always pictured the nun as standing or kneeling with +her back to the spectator. + +"On February 19th, at about 6.45 P.M., I visited the burn with Miss +Langton (_and not Miss Freer_). After looking a little I saw (_a_); +the white was very plain, and the head clearly outlined, but the +vision was for the fraction of a second. I was conscious of it +indistinctly for a few minutes, and there seemed a good deal of +movement. Suddenly I was again conscious of the figure as shown in +(_b_), full-face, as though gazing at me; again the white part was +very distinct, but I could distinguish no features." + +[Illustration: a] + +[Illustration: b] + + _February 20th, Saturday._--This morning we went down to ---- and + had a little talk with the old servant who told us stories the + other day about the Major, and she repeated the story of his + threatened return. The same story was repeated independently this + afternoon by [a local tradesman], who opened conversation by + inquiring whether we had "seen the Major yet." + + Miss Moore and I again this morning heard noises in No. 8, more + especially those of the pattering footsteps, just after + daylight, and a violent jump and scramble, which we thought was + our dog, until we found that he was sleeping peacefully as usual + on his rug at our feet. + +In a letter to Lord Bute, dated February 21, 1897, Mr "Q." gives the +following account:-- + +"On February 20th, at about 6.45 P.M., I visited the burn with Miss +Freer and Miss Langton. I was very briefly conscious of the figure +(_a_) on the bank of the burn, but saw no more till Miss Freer pointed +to the hollow of a large tree, when I again saw (_b_). On each +occasion of seeing (_b_) a curious sensation was noticeable, and I +felt I was being looked at. On speaking afterwards to Miss Freer, I +found her vision of the nun _under the tree_ to be the same as mine at +(_b_), _i.e._ full face, as indeed Miss Freer had seen it on previous +occasions. This is the second sketch I have drawn of the full face +(_b_). The first I showed to Miss Freer, remarking to her, 'I have +made the figure _too broad_' (being unaccustomed to drawing). 'Yes,' +said Miss Freer, 'for the nun is very slight.'" + +It was seen at the same moment also by Miss Freer and Miss Langton. + + _February 21st, Sunday._--Again this morning we heard noises of + pattering in No. 8, and Scamp got up and sat apparently watching + something invisible to us, turning his head slowly as if + following the movements of some person or thing across the room + from west to east. During the night Miss Moore had heard + footsteps crossing the room, as of an old or invalid man + shuffling in slippers. We both heard a bang at the side of the + room about 6.20, some time before any sounds of moving were + heard from the servants above. The noise was muffled in quality, + and had no resonance, and seemed to come from behind a small + wardrobe on the east wall. The room (No. 7) on that side was + unoccupied. [This bang was heard at other times in the same + spot. Experiment showed that no noise made in No. 7 was audible + in No. 8, not even hammering with a poker on the wall, which is + curved at this point.] + + This morning, on coming out of church, I received a letter from + Mr. F----, in which was the following passage:-- + + "... Miss H----, who slept, I believe, in the room occupied by + you when I left, heard sounds of footsteps going round her room, + footsteps with the most unmistakable limp in them. Shortly after + she heard stories connected with the former owner, who used to + go by the name of B----, an aged man [the Major]. She asked if + he could be described. 'No,' said her informant; 'the only thing + he could remember about him was that he had a most peculiar + limp,' and he forthwith gave an exhibition, which tallied + exactly with the limp around the bed." + + In discussing this, Miss Moore and I agreed that, had Miss H---- + slept in No. 8 instead of in No. 1, as Mr. F---- supposed, we + should have considered these limping sounds as probably + identical with those we ourselves had heard. After I had closed + my reply to Mr. F----, Miss Moore discovered Miss "B----'s" plan + of the house (in the packet of evidence of the H----s' tenancy, + see p. 96), which showed that in fact No. 8 _was_ the room + referred to. Hence it appears that the room in which Miss H---- + heard the footsteps was the same as that in which _we_ heard + them. We had been misled by Mr. F---- speaking of "the room you + occupied when I left," a mistake on his part, as, though the + change had been spoken of, we had not left No. 1. + + This afternoon Miss Langton experimented with Ouija at Mr. + "Q.'s" request. + +Lord Bute had suggested various test-questions in relation to the +phantasm of the nun, to be asked the next time the Ouija board was in +operation, and answers to these were attempted at various times, with +the usual result of showing the influence, conscious or sub-conscious, +of the sitters, almost all statements as to matters not actually known +to them being worthless. On this occasion, however, in reply to the +question, "How old was Ishbel when she died?" answers were spelt out +to the effect that she was still living, and that her age was +fifty-nine. + +This may perhaps be taken as throwing light upon the intended +personality of Ishbel, and supplying a possible clue to the identity +of the mind of which she seems to be an imaginary creation. + +Fifty-nine was the age of the late Rev. Mother Frances Helen in the +year 1873, when Sarah N---- died. They are not people who are at all +likely to have met each other upon "the other side" any more than upon +this. + +It is a generally recognised fact that the conditions which we call +"time and space" exist on in the world beyond in a form so very +different from those in which they are conceived of by us, that from +our point of view they can hardly be said to exist at all. It is +natural, therefore, to seek the utterer of this remarkable statement +in some person connected with B---- who did not know the late Mother +Frances Helen (supposing her to be the person for whom Ishbel was +intended), but had heard of her. + + _February 22nd, Monday._--Mr. "Z----" _came_. + +The whole matter of the inquiry had been made known to Mr. "Z----," +the proprietor of a prominent Scottish newspaper, of course in the +strictest confidence, which was carefully made a condition of the +admission of any one to the house, a confidence which he most +honourably observed. It was arranged that if anything occurred within +the observation of himself or his son, the scientific value of which +rendered it, in their judgment, desirable to publish a notice of it in +_The ----_, the notice should be published under avowedly false names +and geographical indications. Mr. "Z----" was unable to come himself, +but his son arrived this day. + + Mr. "Endell" (a Member of the S.P.R.) arrived while we were out, + and made a tour of inspection alone of the outside of the house + and the ground-floor rooms. He intuitively fixed on the window + of No. 3 as that of a "haunted" room, and has since, equally by + intuition, diagnosed the drawing-room and library as "creepy," + and the dining-room as definitely cheerful. (This coincides with + our experience.) + + My own experiences to-day were confined to ejection from a high + waggonette, while waiting at the station for Mr. "Z----," the + horse having bolted at the appearance of the train. + + No phenomena. We are putting Mr. "Z----", at his own request, in + No. 3, the "ghost-room." + + _February 23rd, Tuesday._--Pouring wet. No phenomena. Visit to + glen impossible. + + Mr. and Mrs. R---- (local residents) came to lunch. Though in + great pain I was able to see them for a few minutes, and both + inquired whether we had had any experience of the reported + hauntings, of which, however, they could give us no details. + + _February 24th, Wednesday._--Mr. "Z----" left early. (_N.B._--No + phenomena reported by any one during his visit; he himself slept + soundly in the "haunted" room, but does it the justice to + acknowledge that he "could sleep through an earthquake.") + + Miss "N." (the daughter of a landowner of the district) arrived. + + Mr. Garford (an old friend and excellent observer) came from + London. We sleep to-night as follows:-- + + In the wing, in the two rooms alleged by guests of the H----s + to be haunted, the Colonel and Mr. "Endell." + + No. 1. Mr. Garford. + " 3. Mr. "Q." ("ghost-room"; he has just asked to be + removed from his former room in the wing). + " 4. Miss Langton. + " 5. Mrs. W----. + " 7. Miss "N." + " 8. Miss Moore, myself, and dog. + + _February 25th, Thursday._--Mr. "Endell" reported this morning + having heard a sound he could in no way account for, which seems + to us to correspond with the "clanging" noise. We asked how he + would imitate it as to volume and quality, and he said that a + large iron kettle, about the size of the dinner-table (we are + dining eight), boiling violently, so that the lid was constantly + "wobbling," might produce it. + + (_N.B._--Mr. "Endell's" opinion later is that a pavior's crowbar + heavily dropped, so as to produce a prolonged reverberation, is + a better illustration.) + + Mr. Garford, who was not told that any sounds might be expected + in No. 1, says he was awakened by a violent banging at the door + of communication between Nos. 1 and 2 (No. 2 is empty). Mr. + "Endell," Mr. "Q.," and Miss Moore went up later in the day to + experiment on the door, and found that it would _open_ with the + slightest push. Mr. Garford had closed it on going to bed, and + found it closed in the morning. He had not been alarmed, and had + almost called out to his supposed visitors, before he remembered + supernormal possibilities. He described the sound as a muffled + bang, and in order to reproduce it to his satisfaction one of + the party held a thick rug on the inner side while another + hammered on the panels without. + + Mr. "Q.'s" experiences in No. 3 will be reported by himself. The + groans which he heard coming from No. 2 some of our party + suggested might have been made in sleep by the occupant of No. + 1, but on trying experiments it was found that no sounds of the + kind which he could make in his room were audible in No. 3. + + Mr. "Q." left. + + Miss Langton went up the glen with Mr. Garford, and was + perplexed by seeing the grey figure when looking for the nun; + she saw it but dimly, but later in the evening recovered it in + the crystal, more clearly and in greater detail. + +The following is Mr. "Q.'s" account of his experience, written on +February 24th and March 4th, in private letters to Lord Bute, but, in +order to avoid the possibility of suggestion to others, not +contributed at the time to this journal. The Editors have been +permitted also to read another account written by Mr. "Q." of this and +of his subsequent experience, written immediately after the occasion, +which agrees with his letters to Lord Bute in every particular. + +"_February 24th, 1897._--I slept in room No. 3. I knew it had a 'bad' +reputation, also I had heard through Ouija of probable appearances and +noises at 3 A.M. and 4.30 A.M. I noted the time of retiring in passing +the clock on the staircase, _i.e._ 12.10. + +"Before going to bed I sat in a chair with my back to a small mahogany +cupboard, placed against the wall of the dressing-room, into which my +room (No. 3) opens. About 1 A.M. I was much startled at hearing behind +me very distinctly a loud groan, coming, apparently, from the +dressing-room, in the direction of the mahogany cupboard. The sound +was very distinct, and but for the fact of there being no one visible, +I should have estimated its origin as _in_ the room, its distinctness +being such that, coming from the next room, with the door closed, it +would have sounded slightly muffled. So distinct was it that I heard +what I can only describe as the throat vibration in the tone. + +"I tried to ascribe it to the bubbling of the hot-water pipe of a +washing basin fixed in the dressing-room, as I supposed, against the +wall of the bedroom, but saw next day that the basin in question was +fixed against the opposite wall of the dressing-room. + +[Illustration: A, Cupboard. B, Chair. C, Washing-stand (fixed).] + +"The sound was a greatly magnified and humanised edition of what I +have several times heard in the drawing-room below the dressing-room, +and which has been heard by several of the party together." + +And in a letter dated March 4.--"I went upstairs at 12.10. On shutting +the door of my room I experienced a curiously cold sensation. I stood +by the fire, which was burning brightly, and shivered to an extent +that was quite phenomenal; the fire did not in the least remove the +cold shudderings which ran from head to feet. + +"I threw the feeling off as best I could, but not entirely. I read a +little and then prayed. I read the office of compline and my private +prayers, and praying according to my custom for all faithful departed, +and especially for those who had previously lived in the house or been +connected with it. After this I looked at my watch; it was just upon +one o'clock, and I sat for a few minutes in the chair by the fire, +when I heard the noise described, behind me. + +"I changed my position and placed the chair with its back to a table +and facing the door, the candle on the table, and took a book and +read; my shuddering sensations had been worse than ever. Suddenly I +looked up, and above the bed, _apparently_ on the wall, I got just a +glimpse (like a flash) of a brown wood crucifix: the wall was quite +bare, not a picture, nothing to make it explainable by imperfect light +or reflection. From that time the sensation of cold and shuddering +went away: I don't say immediately, but I was quite conscious of being +reassured. + +"About half-an-hour afterwards all feeling of distress of any sort had +gone. I went to bed and to sleep. My own idea now is, that the sound I +heard was an inarticulate cry for help, probably by means of prayer. +The influence I feel was _bad_, but something overcame it." + +It is desirable to add, as a question of evidence, for comparison of +the dates of this and Miss Freer's subsequent account of the same +phenomenon, that a letter from Mr. "Q." in Lord Bute's possession, +dated March 16th, begins, "I have no objection to Miss Freer seeing my +letter on the subject of the crucifix...." + +Mr. "Q." also states that his delay in writing to Lord Bute about the +crucifix was, that he thought it might be a mental reproduction of one +which he sometimes sees in his own home, but that he found on +examining the latter that it has a white figure, whereas that of the +apparition has the figure of the same brown wood as the cross. In the +private account above referred to Mr. "Q" writes, "I found that the +crucifix at home _in no way_ resembles what I saw at B----". It will +be remarked that this peculiar apparition was seen in the same room by +the Rev. P. H---- in August 1892 (see p. 17), and it was again seen on +March 6th by Miss Freer, who had not heard at all of his experiences, +and only a bare mention, without detail or description, of that of Mr. +"Q." A fourth vision in this connection--that of Miss Langton, who had +heard of none of the other three, is described under date March 19. + + _February 26th, Friday._--Nothing happened till I was in the + drawing-room in the evening, when I was, as usual since my + accident, taking my meal alone. A screen stood between my sofa + and the door, so that it was impossible to see who entered. I + saw the shadow of a woman on the wall, and supposed it to be a + maid come to see after the fire. Next, the figure of an old + woman emerged from behind the screen; she was of average height, + and stout; she wore a woollen cap, and her dress was that of a + superior servant indoors. Supposing her to be some servant's + visitor come to have a look at the drawing-room while the party + were at dinner, I moved to attract her attention, with no + result. She walked a few steps towards the middle of the room, + then disappeared. Her countenance was not pleasing, but + expressed no personal malevolence; her face may have been + coarsely handsome. Her dress was dark, and made in the fashion + which was worn in my childhood. When the dog came in later he + seemed to sight something from behind the screen and followed it + across the room, when he lay down under my couch, instead of on + the hearth as usual. He had done the same thing yesterday + morning, looking much frightened, and had then taken refuge + under Miss Langton's chair. + +In connection with this it will be seen elsewhere that footsteps were +constantly heard in the drawing-room, both at night and in daylight. + + Mr. Garford, in No. 1, heard last night what seemed like the + detonating noise, which he describes as like a wheelbarrow on a + hard road, "a sharp, rapidly repeated knocking," at a distance. + + _February 27th, Saturday._--Colonel C---- and Mr. MacP---- + arrived. + + To-night we sleep as follows:-- + + No. 1. Mr. Garford. + No. 2. Miss Langton. + No. 3. Colonel C---- (I had planned for him to go in the + wing, but the butler, an old soldier with two medals, + seemed to think it due to such a distinguished + officer to put him in the haunted room). + No. 4. Mr. MacP----. + Nos. 5, 7, and 8 as before. + The Colonel and Mr. "Endell" unchanged. + + The glen was visited by Colonel C---- and Mr. MacP----, escorted + by Miss Langton. + + _February 28th, Sunday._--All slept well. I assisted Miss + Langton with some Ouija experiments in the presence of, first, + Mr. "Endell," then Mr. MacP----, then of Colonel C---- and Miss + "N." + + _March 1st, Monday._--Mr. MacP---- reported at breakfast that he + had awakened at 5.45, and almost immediately heard a loud + clanging sound in the north-west corner of his room; he was + fully awake, struck a light, saw nothing, and looked at his + watch. We tried later to reproduce this noise, which he + described as resembling a loud blow upon a washhand basin. I + shut myself into No. 1, and found this a fair, but too faint, + imitation of the sounds Miss Moore and I had heard there. + + Colonel C---- and Mr. MacP---- left. + + Miss M---- and the Colonel have to-day had some talk with ---- + [who had an intimate knowledge of the S---- family. See under + dates Feb. 9th and 20th]. She repeated her former story of the + Major's promised "return," especially a statement made to an old + woman who worked in the garden, who had told him that at least + "he'd no get in there, she'd keep the gate locked," that he + "would come in below the deck" (_cf._ p. 114). He was described + as a short, broad man, with white hair and beard, "a'ful fond o' + dogs (of which he had many), and so noisy with them in the + morning, that when he and his housekeeper-body let them out, his + voice could be heard on the hill." She also said that on Major + S----'s return from India to assume the property he found a + tenant in possession, and had built himself a small house beyond + the grounds, which he afterwards let with the shooting. In the + late Mr. S----'s time this house was used as a retreat during + the summer for nuns (a statement which interests us greatly, as + affording a possible clue to the apparition). + + The Major was greatly attached to the place, and had a great + dislike to the presence of strangers in it, or to its going out + of the old name. The estate, we hear, was much encumbered when + he succeeded to it, but he cleared off all debts in a few years, + and appears to have lived a somewhat eccentric and recluse life, + in the society of his dogs and dependants. + + +This is the first mention of the fact that nuns had ever lived at +B----. Miss Freer had not been aware that the object of the Rev. P. +H----'s visit in 1892 had been to give what is called a Spiritual +Retreat to those who had been occupying the cottage. It is only fair +to suggest that the phantasmal nun, to whom the name Ishbel had been +given, may really have been the phantasm of one of these visitors, and +that the dress of at least some of them was identical with or closely +resembled hers, while it was totally unlike that worn by the community +to which the late Mother Frances Helen belonged. At the same time, +Ishbel's dress was of a kind so very common among nuns, that it would +have been that with which she would, most naturally, have been clothed +by the imagination of any one unacquainted with the very rare Order +to which Mother Frances Helen belonged. To make further investigation +into the history of all the Sisters who ever stayed at B---- through +the kindness of the late Mr. S---- would have been a task impossible +for its vastness, and almost certainly futile through the natural +reticence of their communities with regard to any matters likely to +occasion haunting. + + _March 1st (continued), Monday._--I went up the burn for the + first time since my accident on Saturday, February 20th. We had + had a promise from Ouija on Sunday that if Mr. "Endell" were to + visit the copse with me after 6.30 he would be touched on the + left shoulder. He was told to go to the farther side of the + burn, and to stand under the sapling, which is at some little + distance from the spot where the phantasm usually appears. This + we accordingly did. I was barely able in the dusk to distinguish + the figure from my post on the west bank, but the phantasm + appeared very near him, as I could distinguish the white + pocket-handkerchief in his breast pocket. I saw her hand + approach this, but could not positively say that it touched him. + Mr. "Endell" saw nothing, and could not positively say that he + felt a touch, though conscious of a sense of sudden chill, and + agreed with me that had he certainly felt one, he would probably + have considered it the effect of expectation. We stood there for + perhaps ten minutes, and he was for a short time conscious of + the subjective sensations which he commonly feels in the + presence of phenomena. We returned simultaneously to the avenue, + where we discussed the occurrence and the possibilities of + making it evidential. The only thing we could think of was to + send for Miss Langton, and without telling her anything of what + we had seen or expected, ascertain whether she saw the phantasm + in its usual position (high up on the bank), or a good deal + farther to the left, and nearer the burn, as I had done. By the + time she arrived it was much darker, but she saw the figure + under the tree by the brook, and described it as "kneeling." She + has better sight than I, and believed it to be behind Mr. + "Endell." I should have judged her to be crouching or stooping + in front of him, but judging from comparison of our normal + sight, she is much more likely to be accurate than I. + +Mr. "Endell's" separately recorded account, dated March 5, exactly +agrees with this, but adds some additional touches to the latter part. + +"At Miss Freer's suggestion, I fetched Miss Langton, telling her +nothing of what had occurred, but merely that we were trying an +experiment, and she was to report what she saw. + +"I stood again under the sapling. This time I began to shudder almost +immediately. It was so dark they told me that they could only see my +collar though I was only ten yards from them. + +"Miss Langton said that thirty seconds after I had taken up my +position, the figure appeared behind me a little to my left, and +seemed to raise its arm. Miss Freer said it was waiting for me, and +touched me as before. + +"I felt no touch throughout, only shiverings that seemed to coincide +with appearances." + + To-night Miss "N." wishes to sleep in No. 3, and Miss Langton + will remain in No. 2; the door of communication can be opened + between them. + + _March 2nd, Tuesday._--This morning I was reading in bed by + candlelight from 5.30 to 6 o'clock, and again heard the + pattering sound which has become familiar to us in No. 8. Miss + Moore was asleep, but happened to awake while the sound was + specially distinct, and without speaking signified that she was + giving it her attention. Shortly after six we heard the sound of + a violent fall about the middle of the west wall, between the + fireplace and window. Our first thought was that one of the + maids upstairs must have fallen, till we remembered that there + was no room above us. We have since inquired, and find that none + of them moved till nearly seven o'clock, nor was anything heard + either by them or by Mr. Garford, whose room (No. 1) joins our + west wall.[D] + + Miss "N." passed a very disturbed night. She went to bed about + twelve o'clock; she is habitually an exceptionally good sleeper, + and, moreover, has slept in many rooms alleged to be haunted + without the slightest inconvenience, and has never had an + "experience" of any sort. She lay awake in discomfort till 3 + A.M., and then sought refuge with Miss Langton. + + Miss "N." left. The following is the record of her + impressions:-- + + "_March 4th._--You ask me to write exactly what I felt in No. 3 + when I slept there on March 1st. Well, it is rather difficult to + describe! I never felt frightened out of my wits at nothing + before, if it _was_ nothing. I certainly saw no shadows or + figures, and the only noise I heard was the thud twice, which + sounded as if it came from the storey below. If I shut my eyes + for a minute I felt as if I was struggling with something + invisible (not indigestion, as I never have it!). I was so + paralysed that I _dare_ not call out to Miss Langton, and lay + awake from twelve to three without moving! In the morning, of + course, I felt I had been a fool to be so silly, and I would go + and sleep there again to-night if I had the chance." + + Mrs. B. C---- came. She is an Associate S.P.R., is a Highlander, + has been all her life interested in psychical matters, but has + had no "experience." + + Mr. "Endell," Miss Moore, and I sat up in No. 3 till about 2.30 + in the dark, except for the firelight, and in silence, except + when any one wished to draw the attention of the rest to sounds + or sensations. There were no sounds for which, on reflection, we + found it impossible to account. Mr. "Endell" suffered, as on + previous occasions, from the sensation known as "cold-air," and + very visibly shivered, though clearly not in the least nervous. + He is keenly interested in psychical inquiry, but has never had + any "experience" other than subjective sympathy with the psychic + impressions of others, or a consciousness, such as he described + on his arrival here, of an atmosphere other than normal. (This + last has been of frequent occurrence, and seems to have been + always veridical.) + + The sole experience of any kind on this occasion was my own. Mr. + "Endell," by way of reproducing the conditions of former + occupants of the room, threw himself on the bed about twenty + minutes to 2 A.M. Soon after he was seized by audible and + visible shivers. We did not speak till he uttered some forcible + ejaculation of complaint, when, looking towards him, I saw a + hand holding a brown (probably wooden) crucifix, as by a person + standing at the foot of the bed. He immediately said, "Now I'm + better," or words to that effect. + + We persisted in silence till perhaps 2.30, when we agreed to + separate, and while we were having some refreshment over the + fire, I told Miss Moore and Mr. "Endell" what I had seen. (_Cf._ + under date February 25, p. 132.) + + _March 3rd, Wednesday._--Mrs. W---- left. + + This afternoon we had a call from Mrs. S---- and her daughter. + The Colonel, Miss Moore, and I were in the room. + + . . . . . . . . + . . . . . . . . + . . . . . . . . + + + _March 4th, Thursday._--Mr. "Endell" left. + + Heavy snowstorm. + + _March 5th, Friday._--Last night I was in bed and asleep before + Miss Moore came in from her dressing-room. She did not light the + candle for fear of waking me, but, while sitting by the fire + reading, she heard the pattering noise just behind her, in the + same place where we have heard it and the fall before, though + never till then at night. It only lasted a few minutes, but + there was apparently nothing to account for it, though of course + she took every possible means to discover its cause. + + Mrs. B. C---- left to-day. Miss Moore happened to mention at + breakfast that the upper housemaid had told her that the maids + had twice again on the last two nights heard the sound of + monotonous reading, once as late as 2 A.M. + +The theoretical hour for Mattins is midnight, which, however, is only +observed in practice in certain very rigid monasteries; in others it +begins at two. But it is easily conceivable that a priest, if wakeful +at that time, would select it in preference to another. + + Mrs. B. C---- at once said that she also had heard precisely + that sound each night, and had spoken of it to her maid, and, + like the servants, had concluded that Miss Moore was reading to + me, although it was as late as twelve o'clock. She had also + heard a bang on a door close to her own, but had supposed it was + a late comer, possibly one of the gentlemen from the + smoking-room, and had not been disturbed. She had been sleeping + in No. 1, her maid in No. 2, and none of the gentlemen are on + the same floor. Mr. Garford, who is now in the wing, remarked + that he too had heard voices as of speaking or reading several + times when sleeping in No. 1, but had assumed that they were + normal. As a matter of fact, Miss Moore goes straight to her + dressing-room on going upstairs, and I am always too tired to + read or speak. No two persons sleep in any other room. + + We tested this by getting Colonel Taylor to shut himself into + No. 1 while I, in No. 8, read aloud at the top of my voice, Miss + Langton remaining in the room with me. The Colonel could hear no + sound less than direct banging on the wall with a poker. + + The cook has been talking to-day of the various noises heard at + night; she is not nervous, nor are the maids, but all speak of + voices and bangs for which they cannot account; except the + butler, who has heard nothing, but is obviously impressed with + his wife's experience last night. Her story is that, not feeling + well, she went up to bed early, before the servants' supper, the + rest of the household being as usual in the drawing-room. While + in bed, before ten o'clock, she distinctly heard the sound of + voices talking, apparently below, but not far distant (her room + is over No. 7, at present empty). She "wondered if it could be + the servants in the servants' hall at supper"--an obvious + impossibility, as their room is _not_ underneath, is two storeys + away, and has no connection with the upper part of the house. + She also heard bangs on the wall, behind her bed and to the + side; there was no furniture there to crack, and it was mostly + on the _outside_ wall, so she finally became uncomfortable, and + buried her head in the clothes to deaden the sound. She "doesn't + believe in ghosts," but thinks the house "very queer," and says + that far and wide in the country round it is spoken of as + "haunted," though no one seems to know of any story, as to the + cause, except that, very improbable, about the murder of a + priest by the wife of a former proprietor. It appears that a + maid engaged in the village refused to sleep in the house, + because when in service here once before she had been frightened + by bangs at the door of her bedroom (in a room over No. 1); she + had also heard the sounds of a rustling silk dress on the + back-stairs, and had seen the bedroom door pushed open and a + lady come in.... A maid, who came after this one had left, told + the cook that she believed there was a story of a "priest + murdered somewhere at the Reformation"; she had once been told + it by Mrs. S---- in explanation of the noises, but had not heard + whether the said murder was in the house or the grounds, and + thought Mrs. S---- particularly did not wish the spot known. + This maid has only been an occasional help in the house, but has + lived for years in the district, and knows the place well by + reputation. + + To-day as we passed through the churchyard, [a resident in the + neighbourhood] pointed out the desolate grave of the Major, with + the remark that one could hardly be surprised at a man being + said to "walk" who was expected to rest in such a place as that. + He said that there had been a great deal of talk all over the + neighbourhood as to the excitement during the H----s' stay at + B----, and seemed to believe that practical joking might account + in part for what had occurred. He did not, however, deny that + stories had been told long before their coming to the place. + +This resident is the one as to whom the _Times_ correspondent +dogmatically stated, that having lived in the place for twenty years +he asserted that there had never been a whisper of the haunting of +B---- until the tenancy of the H----s. + + _March 6th, Saturday_.--Mr. Garford left. + + The Colonel is to sleep to-night in No. 3, which has not been + occupied since Miss "N." left. + + Mr. C---- arrived. He sleeps, by his own choice, in No. 2. He + has had a conversation with the butler, whom he had been + instrumental in engaging for us, which began by his asking how + he liked his situation? He expressed himself satisfied with + everything, but added, "But there's something very queer about + the house," and then proceeded to tell his wife's experience. + + _March 7th, Sunday_.--Mr. C---- has written an account of his + experiences last night. + + Robinson has this morning told him of his first experience! He + was awakened by the noise of a heavy body falling in the middle + of the room; he awoke his wife, struck a match, and looked at + his watch--it was 3.30; no one else had been disturbed. Mr. + C----'s account follows:-- + + "_March 7th, 1897._--It was arranged that Colonel Taylor should + occupy No. 3, and that I should sleep in No. 2. I went to bed + about twelve, but did not go to sleep at once. + + "I awoke suddenly with the distinct impression that there was + some one in the room. I lay still, and tried to realise what was + in the room, but could not do so. There was no idea of movement + in my mind, but still I felt convinced that some one was there. + The impression seemed gradually to fade out of my mind after + about seven or ten minutes, and then I got up and looked at my + watch--the time was 4.40 A.M. + + "I then went back to bed, but did not go to sleep. I heard the + clock in the hall strike five. + + "Shortly after I thought I heard some one moving about in No. 1, + which I knew to be unoccupied. I listened, and it seemed to me + that some one was moving round three sides of the room and then + coming back. The movement went on for about three or four + minutes and then stopped, but after a pause of some minutes it + began again. I tried to make out footsteps, but could not do so. + The movement was that of a heavy body going round the room, and + the floor seemed to shake slightly, after the way of old + flooring when a heavy man moves about. After going on for some + time the movement stopped, and again, after a pause, began + again. The movement, whatever it was, occurred four times, with + three pauses in between. The durations of the movement and + pauses were irregular. After the noise ceased I got up and lit + the candle. The time was 5.25, and I read for twenty-five + minutes, when I felt sleepy and blew out the candle. I did not, + however, go to sleep, and I heard six strike. The day was + dawning. The rooks I first heard about 5.35, when I was reading. + + "About ten minutes after the clock struck six I heard a noise + like a light-footed person running downstairs, which seemed to + adjoin No. 3, where the Colonel was sleeping, and almost + immediately after I heard a loud rapping at the door of No. 1. + After a short pause this occurred again, and I jumped out of + bed. As I opened the door of my room leading into the passage + the rapping sounds occurred again, but less loudly. There was + no one in the passage, and I went back to bed, not having quite + shut my door. No sooner had I done so than there was a knock at + my door, which I thought must be the Colonel coming to speak to + me about the rapping at No. 1. I called out 'Come in,' but there + was no answer, and I accordingly again went to the door, only to + find no one. + + "I heard the servants begin to move about at 6.30 above me, and + as seven struck I heard them going through the house. + + "The Colonel did not hear anything. + + "There are no stairs coming down to the bedroom storey where I + thought I heard footsteps. + + "The rapping was not in any way an alarming noise. + + "On Saturday night 'Ouija' had said that I was not to be + disturbed that night, so I was 'not expecting.' It also stated + that Nos. 3 and 8 were the rooms that 'the Major' occupied." + + * * * * * + + _March 8th, Monday._--Mr. C---- left early. He has promised to + write of any experience last night, as he was gone before we + were up. Colonel Taylor is still in No. 3; he has heard nothing, + but this is perhaps the less evidential, that, although a + frequent visitor to haunted houses, he has never had any + experience. + + We are still in No. 8, in which we have had a sufficient number + of experiences to make us anxious to distribute responsibility + by handing it over to another sensitive at the earliest + possibility. Miss Langton has hitherto slept in No. 4, in which + she was put on her first arrival, except for the three nights + she was in No. 2, with companionship in the adjacent rooms. + There seems to be no object in the Colonel remaining in No. 3, + as he is unlikely to see or hear anything, and as soon as that + side of the house is quite emptied she proposes to go into No. + 1, as we are anxious to discover whether her experience will + corroborate that of Miss Moore, myself, Mrs. B. C----, Mr. + Garford, and the maids, as to the sound of voices. + + _March 9th, Tuesday._--Mr. C---- writes this morning in regard + to Sunday night: "_March 8th._--... Last night I was not so much + disturbed, but I awoke at 3.10, and did not sleep after that. I + had exactly the same sensation as on the previous night, that + whenever I was going to sleep something woke me. At 5.20 I heard + three noises very close together, but they were very distant, + and sounded from the direction of your room" (No. 8). + + _March 10th, Wednesday._--I awoke about 5.30, and lay awake + reading. I had drawn the blinds up, but kept the candle in as + long as it was required. At intervals between twenty minutes to + six o'clock and ten minutes past I heard the sounds + characteristic of No. 8., viz., footsteps of a man, and + pattering of a dog. Miss Moore awoke, and heard the later + sounds. About 6.10 we both heard the thud, which seems to occur + generally beyond the wardrobe nearer the door. + + In the afternoon Miss Moore and I called on Mrs. S----. + + . . . . . . . . + . . . . . . . . + . . . . . . . . + + _March 11th, Thursday._--Very wet day, no phenomena. + + _March 12th, Friday._--Another wet day. I had had a headache all + day, and was unable to join the others in a walk when the rain + cleared off, but I went out, alone, about 6.30 to the copse. + Standing in my usual place, I saw the nun coming over the hill + towards the burn; she stood nearly opposite to me, looking down + to the water for a few minutes, and then moved away towards the + avenue. I followed as quickly as possible, but when I got to the + drive she was still a few yards ahead of me, and I failed to + catch her up, though I pursued her down to the lodge, about two + hundred yards; she then, passing through the gates, turned to + the left, and I lost her in the obscurity of the road, which is + there darkened by heavy trees. When I returned to the house I + was still in so much pain that I took a sedative draught and + went to bed, and to sleep at once. + +With regard to the above it may be remarked that the way she came led +from B---- Cottage, where by the kindness of Mr. S---- some nuns had +formerly spent their annual holiday, and the road on which she +disappeared was a way which would have led back to it. + + _March 13th, Saturday._--At ten o'clock last night Miss Moore + woke me to take some food. I was still under the influence of + the opiate, and did not really rouse, even when she came to bed + half-an-hour later. We did not speak till I was aroused by a + loud banging noise, when, in answer to my startled exclamation, + Miss Moore suggested that it was probably the servants shutting + up downstairs, as we were early, and they had very likely not + yet gone to bed. I was much annoyed, as I knew they had been + cautioned to keep quiet, and even the maid had not been allowed + to enter my room. This morning, when Miss Moore went to see the + housekeeper, the butler came in and asked if we had heard any + noises last night, about a quarter to eleven o'clock, he + thought, after every one had gone up to bed; adding, "It was two + bangs like a fist on a door, and I said, 'If that isn't Miss + Moore or Miss Langton, I'll believe in the noises they all talk + about,'--it's just like what the gentlemen told me." + + His wife had also heard the bangs, but had waited for him to + speak to her of them, and the maids on the other side of the + house had been roused to come to their door and listen. + + The footman, who sleeps in the basement, and the Colonel, who + was in the smoking-room in the wing till 11.30, heard nothing; + but Miss Langton, in No. 4, to whom Miss Moore mentioned the + servants' story, had heard noises "between 10.30 and 10.45," but + had not been disturbed, thinking, as we had done, that they were + probably made by the servants. + + On inquiry we found that the cook had gone to bed directly after + the servants' supper, the two under maids were up by ten o'clock + (Miss Moore heard their voices when she came to my room at ten + o'clock), and the upper housemaid had gone up a few minutes + after the hall clock struck, following Miss Moore up the stairs. + The butler had come up directly after, only waiting to put out + the hall lamp, and all were in bed before 10.30. We ourselves + noticed the striking of the hall clock _after_ we heard the + noise--it had gone wrong, and only struck nine instead of eleven + o'clock--so there seems little doubt that we all heard the same + sound, and all describe it as coming from below. + + In discussing the occurrence with the butler and his wife, Miss + Moore learned that they had lately heard a story [from a local + resident] which was new to us. A maid of Mrs. S----, who, though + married to the butler, still lived in the house, and performed + her duties as usual, was one night coming up the back-stairs + with a tray for Mrs. S----, when, on reaching the top, by the + door of No. 3, she met the figure of a nun, which so frightened + her that she dropped the tray and broke all the plates on it. + Mrs. S---- explained it away by saying it was "only ----" (they + could not remember her name) "come to pray with her." It was + Sunday night, but they knew there was no one there who could in + the least account for the appearance. The only explanation + offered by the narrator of the story was that "there had been a + Miss S----, a nun, who had died." + + _March 14th, Sunday._--I called on Mrs. S----, and had a long + talk with her. + + . . . . . . . . + . . . . . . . . + . . . . . . . . + . . . . . . . . + . . . . . . . . + . . . . . . . . + + _March 15th, Monday._--Miss Moore and I, both awake at the time, + heard a loud, vibrating noise about a quarter to six. Miss + Langton in No. 4 heard it also. The Colonel, who sleeps + downstairs, heard it as from the hall, and said he also felt the + vibration. Except for about three nights he has always slept in + the wing, where, during our tenancy, there have been no + phenomena. + + _March 16th, Tuesday._--Miss Moore, Miss Langton, the Colonel, + and I, left B----. Miss Moore, Miss Langton, and I returning on + March 20th. + + After leaving B---- Colonel Taylor wrote as follows to Lord + Bute:-- + + _March 19th, 1897._--"I arrived in London yesterday, after + having spent five weeks at B---- very pleasantly. I feel sure + that there _is_ a ghostly influence pervading the house, but I + am a little disappointed at the way in which it manifests + itself, for, up to the time I left, the nature of the + manifestations was such that, though it is satisfactory to me, + it would not be so, I think, to those who do not look at such + things from so favourable a position as I do. + + "I hope a change may yet come, and things take place which one + might think would justify people in evacuating and forfeiting + their money as the H----s did; certainly nothing of this sort + happened while I was there. + + "It is very interesting to note Miss Freer's experiences, but in + regard to those of others who have something to relate, it is + perhaps difficult to determine how much these statements should + be discounted for error of observation and self-suggestion. I + heard many noises in the night during my stay at B----, but they + were of much the same sort I have been accustomed to hear at a + similar time in other houses. I think that some of our witnesses + may have given them undue prominence, under the influence of + their own expectancy. The clairvoyant visions of 'Ishbel' in the + grounds are not of great evidential value for the scientific + world in general, and I think that any amount of 'voices' could + be read into the noises of the running stream, near where she is + seen, by those who 'wished to hear.' Still, there are some + objective noises which cannot be easily accounted for in an + ordinary way, and the three almost independent visions of the + brown cross are important. + + "I hope things will improve; in any case, you will have added + considerably to psychical research when all has been + recorded...." + +It is difficult perhaps to see why Colonel Taylor should regard the +independent visions of the crucifix as of more value than the equally +independent and far more numerous hallucinations, audible and visual, +of "Ishbel." We have the statements of the failure of several persons +who "wished to hear" voices in the sounds of the burn, which was, +moreover, frozen and silent when the voices were heard by the first +two non-expectant and quite independent witnesses. + + _March 19th._--A passage in Miss Langton's private journal under + this date is as follows:-- + + "_St. Andrews, March 19th._--I looked into a water-bottle + to-night to see if I could see anything of what was happening at + B----. I distinctly saw room No. 3, and gradually a figure came + into view between the two doors (_i.e._ near the foot of the + bed), the figure of a tall woman, dressed in a long clinging + robe of grey, and who seemed to be holding something in her + hand, against the wall at the foot of the bed. This became more + distinct, and I saw that it was a cross of dark brown wood, some + 12 inches long (I should say). The figure did not appear to + move. I seemed to be standing at the door of No. 3, which opens + on to the landing" (_cf._ pp. 17, 132, 142). + +For the information of those not accustomed to the phenomena of +crystal-gazing, it may be as well to remark that it is quite possible +that the image had been subconsciously seen by Miss Langton when +sleeping in No. 3, as deferred impressions are often externalised for +the first time in the crystal. She may equally have received the +impression by thought-transference from others. Certainly she had not +been informed of earlier experiences. + + _March 20th, Saturday._--Miss Langton, Miss Moore, and I + returned to B---- house. Four guests arrived in time for dinner. + + Rooms for to-night:-- + + 1. Miss Moore and I. + 2. Miss Langton. + 3. Miss "Duff," a lady whose name is familiar to readers of + recent records of crystal-gazing and other students of + the literature of the Psychical Research Society. + 4. Mr. MacP----. + 5. Mr. W----. + 8. Colonel C----. + + _March 21st, Sunday._--Last night, about 11.15, after Miss Moore + and I were in bed in No. 1, we heard a loud sound from the + left-hand side of the fireplace (south-west corner). It might be + imitated by the "giving" of a large tin box (_cf._ pp. 173, + 179). There was nothing but a footstool and a draped + dressing-table there. We called out to Miss Langton, whom we + could hear still moving about. She said she had heard the noise, + but had made none herself. + + Her account is as follows:-- + + "Last night (Sunday, March 21st) we retired to bed early, as + Miss Moore was leaving by an early train next morning, and I was + going to get up in order to see her off. It was certainly not + later than 10.45, when I went to my room, having gone to No. 1 + to say good-night to Miss Freer and Miss Moore, who were + sleeping that night in that room. Miss 'Duff' was in No. 3, and + I was occupying No. 2. I am not at all nervous, and certainly I + was not expecting to see anything, as No. 2 is always supposed + to be a 'quiet' room. I was some time getting to bed, but I put + out my candle at twelve o'clock, and, after noticing that the + moon was shining brightly, I got into bed. Contrary to my usual + custom I did not fall asleep for some time, and I felt that the + room was, in some inexplicable way, not as usual. At last I fell + asleep, but not comfortably. I kept waking, and for some time + after each awakening I could not get to sleep again. I put this + down, however, to the fact that I wanted to waken early the next + morning, and was restless in consequence. At last I really fell + asleep, but at 4.30 I suddenly awakened with the feeling that I + was not alone in the room. I looked round; the room was quite + dark; the moon was not shining, but between the bed and the + wardrobe there was a figure standing. At first it was very + indistinct and misty, but gradually it formed itself into the + figure of a woman--a slight, tall woman, with a pale face. She + was dressed in long robes, but the upper part was the only part + I could see clearly. Round her face and head was a white band, + like that worn by a nun, and over her head was what might have + been a black hood or small shawl, but in the darkness it was + very difficult to distinguish. I could not see what her features + were like, but she looked as if she were in trouble, and + entreating some one to help her. She stood for some few moments + at the foot of my bed looking towards me, and then she made a + movement towards the door, but before she reached it she had + vanished. I was not at all frightened, as there was nothing at + all alarming in her appearance. I cannot write a better + description of her, as the vision was so short. The figure was + the same as that I had seen at the burn, only very much + clearer." + + Miss "Duff" writes under this date March 21st:--"On my arrival + yesterday I was shown to my room (No. 3), which I had selected, + with Miss Freer's permission, as one said to have an evil + reputation. Perhaps it was natural that a feeling 'as if I were + not alone' should come over me, and needless to say there was no + _apparent_ cause for this! + + "As a rule I am a very sound sleeper, nothing ever disturbs me; + but last night I was suddenly wide awake, as if roused by + something unusual. I sat up quickly in bed, but suddenly + remembering where I was, I waited expectantly. Nothing occurred, + although I did not get to sleep again for about two hours." + + _March 22nd, Monday._--Mr. MacP---- was awakened between four + and five by heavy footsteps overhead. We made many experiments + to account for it, and of course made inquiries among the + servants, but could find no cause. We are the more interested + that hitherto nothing has been heard by our party in his room, + No. 4, though there is a tradition of earlier disturbances + there. + +Mr. MacP---- has furnished the following account of his experience:-- + +"As usual I went to bed about 12 P.M. I had no desire to be disturbed, +and so my room was still No. 4, which I had originally selected as +being reputed innocuous, and which, save in one slight instance, I had +hitherto found to deserve its reputation. My repeated visits had +eliminated any expectancy which may at first have, perhaps, existed. + +"My bed was alongside the south wall of my room, and parallel to the +corridor or passage, my head towards No. 5, and my feet towards No. 3. + +"As often happened at B----, I awoke from a sound slumber, not by +degrees, but in a moment. There was no transition--no half-awakening, +but full and complete consciousness all at once. I struck a light, +looked at my watch, found it was 4.30, and went to sleep again +immediately. I then wakened slowly and gradually, hearing more and +more clearly a noise which appeared to me to be the cause of my +awakening. The noise was the kind of sound which is produced by a +person walking rapidly with one foot longer than the other--_i.e._, +it was a succession of beats in rapid sequence, each alternate beat +being louder than the one immediately before it. + +"It appeared to me (1) to be produced outside my room; (2) to be on a +higher level; and (3) to be moving in the direction of my bed--_i.e._, +going as from No. 5 past No. 4, in which I was, towards No. 3. I at +once jumped out of bed, opened my door and looked out. I saw nothing, +and the noise stopped. I then struck a light, and found that it was +only 4.45. I lay awake till I heard the servants obviously moving +about, and then went to sleep again. At breakfast I asked, 'Has +anybody ever heard this kind of noise?' reproducing it as well as I +could by a series of thumps on the table. 'Oh yes,' was the answer, +'that is what we call the 'limping' or 'scuttering' noise. Of course I +had heard the phrases used, but thought they referred to two separate +noises. I had also formed quite distinct ideas as to the kind of +noises these epithets were intended to describe--both entirely +different from the kind of noise I had heard--and I showed what I +meant. 'Oh no,' said Miss Freer, 'what you heard is what we have been +calling indiscriminately the _limping_ or _scuttering_ noise, and we +have not heard the kinds of noise these words suggested to you.' I +emphasise this as showing clearly that I cannot have been expecting to +hear the particular noise in question. + +"The next thing was to account for the noise, if possible, and we +spent some time experimenting. First of all the servants were +interrogated as to whether any of them had been moving about at 4.45. +Answer, 'No.' Next we asked who got up first. This was a maid who +slept in X, and went into Y to call the kitchenmaid, who slept there. +To do so she had, of course, to go through the narrow room which was +over part of my bedroom. + +"This, she said, was a good bit later than 4.45. But we thought it +well to make her go from X to Y while I lay down on my bed and +listened. We made her walk backwards and forwards, both with her +slippers on and also in her stocking soles. I and some of the others +who came into my room heard her quite distinctly. But (1) the noise of +her steps was in a different place--near my window, and exactly in +the line of her progress; (2) it was an entirely different kind of +noise. She walked now fast, and now slowly, but both footsteps seemed +always of the same weight; and (3), and this, to my mind, was most +important, we heard her quite distinctly going from X to Y, and back +again from Y to X and could tell in which direction she was moving. +Now, the noise which I had heard only went in the one direction, +_i.e._, parallel to the maid's outward progress. I did not hear +anything going in the other direction. I was entirely wakened by the +noise which I had heard, and, as I have said, I continued to listen +intently for some considerable time, and yet I heard nothing. + +"In short, alike from its apparent _locus_, from its quality, and from +the direction of its movements, I am convinced that the noise which I +heard was not caused by any of the servants moving about upstairs. + +"Anybody who knows the house will understand that where the noise +seemed to me to be was in the neighbourhood of the dome. For all I +know, the dome, as somebody suggested, may be a regular +sounding-board; but even so, that does not help much towards an +explanation. Wherever the noise may have been produced, the question +still remains, 'What produced it?' and that we have entirely failed to +answer." + + * * * * * + +The gist of this account was communicated by Mr. MacP---- to the Hon. +E---- F----, who replied as follows on April 19, 1897: "Do you +appreciate the fact that your ghost, with the footsteps of alternate +lowness and softness, is absolutely correct, and corresponds with Miss +H----'s ghost, as I heard it from Mrs. G---- lately in town. Miss +H---- slept, I _think_, in No. 4 [this is wrong; _cf._ p. 124], and +was wakened by the sound of walking round her bed with a peculiar +limp. Much alarmed, she went and called her brother, who came and +slept on the sofa (is there a sofa in No. 4?), and shortly afterwards +they both heard the same noise again." + +Mr. MacP----, as already mentioned, did not know that this noise had +been heard by any one. + + Miss "Duff" thus describes her next night: "Having heard nothing + unusual all day, I went to bed quite disappointed. However, I + was to be again awakened, and this time by a loud _crash_ at my + door, which resounded for some time. I lit a candle, but nothing + had fallen in my room to account for the sound. + + "I began to think I might be mistaken as to the direction of the + noise, and that it might have been caused by a large piece of + coal falling in the fender. I went to look, but there was no + coal at all, only the dying embers in the fire. I soon fell + asleep again, only to be again awakened by a similar crash + (although not so loud), and this time between the washstand and + the window. I kept awake till morning, and heard nothing more." + [We had carefully concealed from Miss "Duff" the nature of the + usual phenomena of this room.] + + _March 23rd, Tuesday._--Mr. L---- and his friend Captain B---- + arrived. + +The proof of this portion of the Journal was submitted to Mr. L----, +who returned it with, _inter alia_, the following note:-- + +"I do not wish to suppress the fact of my visit to B----, but object +to the publication of any details about me or any of my writings." In +deference to Mr. L----'s wish, therefore, his contributions to the +Journal have been withdrawn, and all further references to him +deleted. + +Captain B---- had no experiences, and by his desire some interesting +suggestions made by him as to possible normal causes have been +omitted. + + We are now sleeping as follows:-- + + 1. Captain B----. + 2. Miss Langton. + 3. Miss "Duff." + 4. Mr. MacP----. + 5. Myself. + 6. Mr. L----. + 7. Colonel C----. + + Miss "Duff" writes under this date:-- + + "Last night I sat late by my fire _expecting_, but as nothing + seemed to be going to happen I went to bed, and soon to sleep. + However, I was to have my most startling experience! I was + awakened as if by some one violently shaking my bed (I must + mention there was a great wind blowing outside), and at the same + time I felt something press heavily upon me. _I struck out!_ + rather frightened, but remembering again where I was, refrained + from striking a light, in order to see the next development of + this weird experience. To my disappointment nothing happened, + although sleep was successfully banished till daylight." + + * * * * * + + [On March 28th Miss "Duff" wrote to me: "Mr. ---- suggested that + I should describe to you more accurately the shaking of my bed, + as it was not at all such a vibration as might be caused by a + high wind or any ordinary movement occurring in other parts of + the House. + + "The bed seemed to heave in the centre, as if there were some + force under it, which raised it in the centre and rocked it + violently for a moment and then let it sink again. I should also + have added, that on other nights quite as windy this phenomenon + did not occur; in fact, no movement I have ever felt has given + me quite the same sensation. The highest point on the + 'Switchback' is the nearest to it in my experience. I was wide + awake at the time, so it was no nightmare."] + + * * * * * + + Miss "Duff" thus continues her account of Tuesday, March 23rd:-- + + "This morning, as I sat in the drawing-room, I heard the low, + monotonous voice of some one reading aloud. Knowing that Miss + Freer and Miss Langton were writing in the next room, I + concluded that Miss Freer must be dictating while Miss Langton + wrote for her, although I must say I did not recognise Miss + Freer's voice. This went on for about an hour. Soon after Miss + Langton came into the drawing-room, and I said, 'Well, you + _have_ been busy; I suppose Miss Freer has been dictating to + you?' She looked surprised and said, 'No, indeed she hasn't; we + have both been writing, and if Miss Freer spoke at all, it was + only a few words now and again.'" This low monotonous sound of a + human voice I afterwards heard once or twice in Room 3. + + _March 24th, Wednesday._--Last night I heard a crash as of + something falling from the dome into the hall, about twenty + minutes to twelve. + + At breakfast Colonel C---- said he had heard a loud thump on his + door at an early hour--before six, when wide awake. + + Mr. W---- also had had an experience. He heard sounds outside + his room, and went to investigate. On returning he found the + kitten in his room, but, sceptic as he is, he acknowledged + freely that the kitten, a wee thing, could not have produced the + sounds he heard. + + _Copy of letter from_ Mr. W---- _to_ Mr. MacP----. + + "_March 24th, 1897._-- ... In case it may interest Miss Freer to + know what I thought of the noises I heard in No. 1 prior to the + kitten incident, the following states my recollections shortly: + The first noise was about half-past four, and resembled two + small explosions, such as a fire sometimes makes. They followed + one another closely, and came from the direction of the + fireplace or the south-west corner of the room. I got up and + looked at the fire, and it was all but out; but I would not like + to swear that the noises did not come from it. + + "As to the other noise, it occurred about a quarter to six, and + was quite loud. It sounded as if one of the large, deer heads on + the staircase wall had fallen down and rolled a step or two. I + cannot understand how some of the others did not hear the noise, + but I heard and saw nothing when I went out of my room to see + what it was. + + "I should add, that in this case, as well as in the former one, + I was awake when the noise occurred. If I had heard these noises + in any other house I would not have thought of noticing them, + but it might be curious to see if they are the same that have + been heard in that room already." + + After breakfast I heard of a great excitement among the + servants, and taking Miss Langton with me, to serve as witness + and to take notes, I interviewed separately the three concerned, + as well as the cook, to whom they had told the story also. It is + worth while to mention that I have several times heard the + kitchenmaid complained of as lacking in respect for her + betters--in scoffing at their reports of phenomena. Only + yesterday Mrs. Robinson told me she had not mentioned several + things (bell-ringing, a knock at her door, &c.) because it upset + her authority in the kitchen to exhibit interest in such things. + + All the stories were consistent, and no cross-questioning upset + the evidence. They were distinctly in earnest. + + The three maids and a temporary servant, M----, belonging to the + district, went up to their rooms about 10.30. The two housemaids + sleep together [in Z], Lizzie, the kitchenmaid, separately, in a + room adjoining [in Y]. Directly after getting into bed all heard + knockings, and they called out between the rooms to each other. + Lizzie stayed awake, and looking up towards the ceiling had what + sounds like a hypna-gogic hallucination, of a cloud which + changed rapidly in colour, shape, and size, and alarmed her + greatly. Then she felt her clothes pulled off, but thought this + might be accidental, and tucked them in. Then she was sure they + were pulled off again, and screamed to the other maids. Neither + dared go to her, her screams were so terrifying; but they + finally opened the door of communication between the rooms, and + Carter went to fetch the temporary assistant from the other end + of the corridor, "because she was such a good-living girl" + (particular about fasting in Lent, I gather). The three then + returned for the kitchenmaid, and all spent the night in the + housemaid's room. + + The upper housemaid went to Miss Langton's room this morning, I + hear, much upset and crying, and there can be no doubt of the + conviction of all the maids. + + For the future they wish to occupy one room. + + The cook, sleeping on the ground floor below No. 3, heard + footsteps and knockings, and awoke her husband, but he heard + nothing. She diagnosed it as being "about the door of Miss + 'Duff's' room (No. 3 above). She thought it was outside of her + door, but was not sure. It was just after midnight. + + Miss "Duff" writes on the same day:-- + + "Last night I had just got into bed, when I heard footsteps, so, + always on the alert for phenomena, I listened and was relieved + (? disappointed would be better!) to hear Mr. ---- cough, so I + settled down to sleep. A quarter of an hour or twenty minutes + later (about twelve o'clock) I again heard steps, but this time + they came from the back-stair and shuffled past my room, and + then I heard a loud fall against what seemed to me the door of + room No. 1, which is practically next door to mine.[E] + + "I went to listen, but not a sound was to be heard, and I saw no + one. It could not have been the gentleman who was occupying that + room [Mr. W----], as I heard him (with others) come up a quarter + of an hour later and go into his room. Although the fall seemed + _against_ the door of No. 1, I must add that the depth and + quality of the noise was as if a large body had fallen far away, + of which we only, as it were, heard the echo, but that _quite + distinctly on_ the door of No. 1." + + [Miss Langton testifies to being disturbed by the same sounds in + No. 2, the dressing-room between Miss "Duff's" room and Mr. + W----'s.] + + Miss "Duff" continues:-- + + "_March 25th._--Last night I felt my bed shake, as if some one + had taken it in both hands, but as there was a high wind, I did + not take much notice of this. I have had my bed shaken + violently in that room once before, however, when there was no + wind at all." + + Mr. MacP---- and Captain B---- left. The only phenomenon to be + noted under this date is the following record by Miss Langton:-- + + "I heard a loud thump at the door of communication between Nos. + 1 and 2 when dressing for dinner, but on going into No. 1 found + it quite empty. A curious point about these noises is that the + knocks on the door between Nos. 1 and 2 have been audible in + this room, No. 2 (in my experience) only when No. 1 is empty, + and in No. 1 only when No. 2 is empty." + + _March 26th, Friday._ + + . . . . . . . . + + Miss "Duff" writes on the same day:-- + + "As I was talking to Miss Langton at the door of her room (No. + 2) on my way to dress for dinner, a double bang on the door came + from the inside of room No. 1, which was the one Captain B---- + had occupied, and where he had heard nothing. At the same moment + Miss Langton called out that there had been a bang on the door + between her room and No. 1. For a moment I hesitated to go in, + but a housemaid came down the corridor at that moment to see + what the noise was she had heard, and we investigated together, + but to no purpose." + + Miss Langton writes further under this date:-- + + "I heard three distinct bangs at the lower part of the door of + my room leading into the corridor. I described it to myself as a + person coming along the corridor towards No. 2, walking in an + unsteady way, and as if he could not see where he was going, and + then walking straight against the door of my room and banging + his foot against it. Miss 'Duff' this morning acted at our + request as I have just described, and the noise she made was an + exact reproduction of what I heard last night. The bang occurred + at three intervals--at 11.35, 11.45, and 11.50." + + _March 27th, Saturday._--Mr. ---- and Miss "Duff" left. Miss + Langton and I are now alone. + + Miss "Duff" was undisturbed last night. + + . . . . . . . . + . . . . . . . . + + There was very little wind last night, as I happen to know in + the following connection. Carter twice over, about 11.30 and + again after midnight, heard the sounds of reading, which she + imitated to me this morning--like the monotoning of a psalm. She + called out to two other maids to listen, and all three heard it. + She felt sure it was not the wind or the pipes. Both the + gardener and the gamekeeper say it was a very quiet night. + + _March 28th, Sunday._--As it had been suggested that practical + joking or malicious mischief were in question, we were a good + deal on the _qui vive_ to-night, being alone. I watched from + behind the curtain at an open window from 10.30 P.M. till after + midnight, and again from 4.30 A.M. to 6 A.M. The night was windy + and there was a good deal of noise, but very different in kind + from any of our usual phenomena. We found that there were people + moving about till after midnight, but we did not attach much + importance to this, as the gardeners may have been to the stoves + (the night was frosty), and there is a right-of-way through the + grounds. + + No phenomena. + + The servants, we find, are alive to the fact that some one + prowls about at night. The footman, who sleeps downstairs, says + they have tried to frighten him, and things have been thrown at + the kitchen windows. I found it out by the fact that I was + seized by the butler and footman when I went out "prowling" on + Sunday night, fancying I had heard footsteps. They were on the + same errand, and caught me in the dark! + + _March 29th, Monday._--To-day Miss Langton and I have been very + busy writing in the library, both silent and occupied. Again and + again have we heard footsteps overhead in No. 8, at intervals + between ten A.M. and one, and again in the evening between six + and seven. No rooms are in use on that side of the house--6, 7, + and 8 are all empty. The rooms below are locked up and + shuttered. At 11.30 we both heard some one moving about outside + on the gravel, but it was too dark a night to see any one. + + [_Friday, April 2nd_--An unpleasant light has (possibly) been + thrown on these movements. We find to-day that some one has + killed a sheep in the garden, in a retired spot, taking away the + skin and the meat.] + + _March 30th, Tuesday._--No phenomena, except the sound of steps + overhead above the library. For this reason, Miss Langton is + going to sleep in No. 8, where the steps occur. + + Mr. and Mrs. M---- came. + + [We were particularly glad to welcome Mrs. M---- for other + reasons than the pleasure of her society. She is of Spanish + origin, and a Roman Catholic, and according to previous + evidence, so were other persons upon whom specially interesting + phenomena had been bestowed.] + + Mr. B. S---- and Miss V. S----, brother and sister of the owner, + dined with us. + + . . . . . . . . + . . . . . . . . + . . . . . . . . + + _March 31st, Wednesday._--Mr. and Mrs M---- were put into No. 1. + Both complain of a very sleepless night. + + Miss Langton in No. 8 heard sounds after daylight--footsteps + shuffling round the bed, and a knock near the wardrobe. No one + is overhead nor in No. 7, the next room. + + Mrs. M---- spent two hours alone in the drawing-room. She asked + me just before lunch what guns those were she had heard. I + suggested "The keeper?" and she said, "No, it is like the gun + you hear at Edinburgh at one o'clock _a long way off_," which is + a good description of the familiar detonating sound (_cf._ under + date, February 8). + + Her own account of the day is as follows:-- + + "B---- HOUSE. + + "I arrived here last evening, Tuesday, 30th of March, about six + o'clock. It was a nice bright evening, but cold. I was received + by Miss Freer, who gave me some tea, and then I was taken to my + bedroom by Miss Langton, of whom I asked if my room was haunted. + She said it had 'a reputation', but somehow or another it did + not seem to impress me much. That night Miss S---- and her + brother dined here; they were very pleasant, and talked away + hard, and we played card games, such as 'Old Maid' and + 'Muggins.' We went to bed feeling quite happy, saying we had + never been in such an unghostly house before. The bed was quite + comfortable, and we lay talking quite happily, but could not + sleep, and were not in the least bit restless. About two o'clock + we dozed off, and a few minutes to four A.M. we were both + suddenly awoke by a terrific noise, which sounded to me like the + lid of the coal-scuttle having caught in a woman's gown. We then + lay awake until about 6.30, and in that interval we heard a few + noises, what I cannot exactly describe, as they were very + ordinary sounds one might hear in any not very solidly built + house. We came down to breakfast feeling we had passed a + sleepless night, but otherwise quite happy. After breakfast I + went into the smoking-room in the new wing, where my husband was + writing letters. I sat there a good time, and he was in and out + of the room. All the time I heard tramping up above as if the + housemaid was doing the room. Not knowing the geography of the + house I took it for No. 8. and thought what very noisy servants + these were. I then went into the drawing-room to write my own + letters, and Miss Freer came and spoke to me there. While she + was with me there, I heard a distant cannon, exactly like the + one o'clock gun in Edinburgh, and the whole morning a ceaseless + chatter, which I put down to Miss Freer and Miss Langton in the + room next door (_cf._ under date, March 23rd). + + _April 1st, Thursday._--This is Mrs. M----'s account of last + night. "Last evening we were late for dinner, as Mr. M---- and I + had been out to see the nun by the burn, but had seen nothing. + The whole evening I had a sort of half consciously disagreeable + feeling, and when I went to my room it was some time before I + could make up my mind to get into bed. The servants very much + annoyed me; they were making such a needless amount of noise in + running about the room overhead. [The room overhead was empty. + Since their adventure of March 23rd, the servants had slept on + the other side of the house.] At last I got into bed, and I may + say I hardly slept a wink the whole night. I simply lay in + terror, of what I cannot say, but I had the feeling of some very + disagreeable sensation in the air, but we did not hear a sound + all night from the time we got into bed until we got up next + morning at 8.30. + + "I spent the whole of the morning in the drawing-room writing + letters and reading, and from time to time I went up to No. 1 to + get books and different things, and each time was a little + surprised to find the room empty, as there had been a ceaseless + noise of housemaids, and very noisy ones too. I also heard what + I had described before as the cannon. After luncheon Miss Freer + and Miss Langton and I went out walking, and just as we were + coming in to tea we all three heard the cannon, and then I said + that is the noise I heard every morning, and sometimes in the + evening, in the drawing-room." + + This afternoon we were having tea in the drawing-room at 4.30, + Mrs. M----, Miss Langton, and myself. We heard some one walking + overhead in No. 1, a sound we have heard often before, when we + knew the room to be empty above. Mrs. M---- remarked that it was + just the sound she had heard, again and again, when sitting + alone in the drawing-room. + + It was so exactly the heavy, heelless steps we had heard before, + that Miss L---- ran upstairs softly to see if any one was there, + but found no one about. Next we heard a loud bang--not of a + door--in the hall, and she went out again to ascertain the + cause, and met the butler on the same errand. We could find + nothing to account for it. It was like the noise before + described, of something dropped heavily into the hall from the + gallery above. + + There had been so much trouble of ascertaining whether the + noises were caused by doors banging, that since the warmer + weather set in, ever since our return on March 20th, in fact, we + have had every passage-door opening into the hall and into the + gallery upstairs fixed open with wedges. + + We had scarcely settled to our tea again before we again heard + the footsteps overhead, and again Miss Langton went up and found + the room empty. She walked across the room, and we heard her do + so, but the sound was quite different. She did it noisily on + purpose, but though she is very big and tall, she didn't sound + heavy enough. + + Mrs. M---- remarks, on hearing this read over, that the sound + was different in character as well as in volume--that the + footsteps she (and we) heard were "between a run and a walk." My + phrase was, and has always been, "as of the quick, heavy steps + of a person whose foot-gear didn't match." We called it, when we + first heard it in No. 8, a "shuffling step." + + After she came down the servants' tea-bell rang, and we at once + said, "Now we shall know where they all are." The hall is under + the wing, at the other end of the house, and we knew that the + room underneath us was empty, and the shutters up, and that all + who were in the house were either in the drawing-room or the + servants' hall. + + In a few minutes we again heard the pacing footsteps, up and + down, up and down; we heard them at intervals during + half-an-hour. We also heard voices as of a man and woman + talking. I went to the foot of the stairs, just below the door + of No. 1, and heard them plain. Mrs. M---- is not quick of + hearing, but she heard them distinctly several times. At 5.20 we + heard the maids go up the stone staircase, coming away from + their tea, and though we listened till after six, the other + sounds did not occur again. + + _April 2nd, Friday._ + + [Mr. M---- left early, Mrs. M---- remaining till a later train.] + + At 11.15 Miss Langton and I were in the library at two different + tables writing. The room was silent. Suddenly we heard a heavy + blow struck on a third table, ten feet at least away from either + of us. I instantly fetched Mrs. M----, and in her hearing Miss + Langton imitated the sound on the same table, by hitting with + her fist as heavily as possible. There is a drawer in the table, + empty, which added to the vibration, and also pendent brass + handles. I tried, but could not make noise enough. We kept watch + in the room till lunch, Mrs. M---- keeping guard when we were + obliged to leave, but nothing happened till, when we were + sitting at luncheon (there is only a single door and a curtain + between the two rooms), we heard it again as above described. + + One of the informants, who described the scene which occurred + the day the late Mr. S---- left this house for the last time, + said "a very heavy blow like a man's fist came on the table + between them." This is the same room. + + The same sound occurred again while we were at lunch in the + dining-room just now. The first time Miss Langton rushed to the + library and found a housemaid there at the stove, so we agreed + it should not count. It occurred again in about five minutes, + and again she went into the room (which is next the dining-room) + and found it empty and no one in the hall. + + Mrs. M----, whom I asked to locate the sound, pointed to just + that part of the wall by the table upon which the knock had + struck. + + Signed (as correct) by Mrs. M---- and Miss Langton. + + (I have since asked the housemaid if she heard anything, and she + says no, she was making too much noise herself. We all heard it + distinctly, above the clatter of the fire-irons.) + + On April 9th Mr. M---- sent me the following account of his + impressions:-- + + "... You ask me to describe the noises I heard while staying + with you at B----. I should say, in the first place, that I am a + good, but light, sleeper; I seldom lie awake, am generally + asleep five minutes after going to bed, but wake easily, and + awake at once to full consciousness. I am not the least nervous, + and have often slept in so-called 'haunted' rooms [Mr. M---- has + had very exceptional opportunities in this direction]; and while + I certainly cannot say that I altogether disbelieve in what are + commonly called 'ghosts,' I do believe that in nine cases out of + ten, noises, and even appearances, may, if investigated, be + traced to perfectly normal causes. + + "We spent three nights at B----: March 30th and 31st, and April + 1st. The first two nights room No. 1 was our bedroom, and the + third night room No. 8. Room No. 2 was my dressing-room. + + "When talking to you and Miss Langton at the top of the stairs, + just before going to bed, we all of us heard + noises--rappings--coming apparently from No. 2. The noises were + very undoubted, but as we were talking at the time I cannot + define them more accurately. + + "When first going to bed, both nights in No. 1, we heard + footsteps and voices apparently in conversation above us. The + sounds seemed to come from a room which was over the bed, but + did not extend as far as the fireplace in No. 1, and also from + the room which would be above the room next to ours behind the + bed." + +The rooms overhead were empty. _Cf._ under date April 1st. + + "These noises I attributed at the time, and still attribute, to + the maids going to bed. I am bound to say, however, that they + were heard both by Mrs. M---- and her maid, who was in No. 1 + with her, during the daytime, at an hour when it was said no + servants were upstairs. These voices and footsteps did not go on + for long into the night. For (I should say) some hours during + the night of the 30th, I frequently heard a sound which seemed + to come from near the fireplace, and which I can best describe + as a gentle tap on a drum--like some one tuning the kettle-drum + in an orchestra. I do not think Mrs. M---- heard this noise, for + though she slept very badly, she was dozing a good deal during + the first half of the night. At 3.55 A.M. I was in a state of + semi-consciousness, when both I and Mrs. M---- were fully + roused by a noise so loud that I wonder it did not wake people + sleeping in other parts of the house. It seemed to come either + from the door between No. 1 and 2, or from between that door and + the fireplace. To me it sounded like a kind of treble rap on a + hollow panel, but far louder than any one could rap with their + knuckles. My wife described it as the sound of some one whose + gown had caught the lid of a heavy coal-scuttle and let it fall. + This noise was not repeated, and by a treble rap I mean the + sound was like an arpeggio chord. I feel certain it was not + against the false window outside, indeed it had the sound of + being in the room. The kettle-drum sounds might easily have been + a trick of the wind, though the night was still, but the only + natural explanation of this noise that I can give is practical + joking, as the noise _might_ have come from my dressing-room. + The coal-scuttle was standing between the fireplace and + door-post, just where the sound seemed to come from. The second + night I moved the scuttle right away to between the head of the + bed and the window, and the noise was not repeated. The second + night the talking and footsteps were both heard when first we + went up; and once, shortly after all was still, early in the + night. Nevertheless we again both of us slept very badly + indeed--I may say that except from about 6 to 8 A.M. I slept + very little either night. I should say that all through both + nights I frequently heard the owls hooting--both the tawny owl + and another, which I think was the little owl; the former on one + occasion was very close to the window, and any one with a vivid + imagination or unacquainted with the cry of the owl (and, + strange as it may seem, a country-bred girl, staying at L---- + the other day, did _not_ know the owls' cry when she heard it), + might well take it for shrieks." + +_N.B._--No one ever heard shrieks during Colonel Taylor's tenancy at +B----. + + "The third night, as I have said, we were in No. 8, and both of + us slept like tops, and heard or saw nothing. + + "One morning, in the smoking-room in the east wing, I heard + voices which _seemed_ to come from above, but which I am + convinced were from the kitchen beneath. + + "As you know, 'Ishbel' was not kind enough to show herself to + me.... + + "_P.S._--I wrote the above without reading over my wife's + account. I have only to add that I had none of the uncomfortable + sensations she talks of. Bodily and mentally I was comfortable + all night. Nor was I in the least restless--only wakeful. But + for the noises, B---- certainly strikes one as a very unghostly + house." + + _April 3rd, Saturday._--Miss Langton and I heard footsteps + walking up and down overhead at dinner-time last night, in No. + 7, a room which is not in use. We looked at each other, but did + not at first say anything, on account of the presence of the + servants. After it had gone on for at least ten minutes, I asked + the butler if he had heard them. He at once said, "Yes, and + might he go and see if any one were about?" We heard him go + upstairs and open the door of the room, and walk across it, but + his step was quite different from the sound we had heard. He + came back saying, "The housemaid had been in to draw the blind + down since we had been at dinner." I have questioned her since, + and she says she simply went in and out again--was not there + half a minute. + + About four o'clock this afternoon, Miss Langton ran in from the + garden where we were gathering fir-cones, to fetch a basket out + of the library, and heard so much noise going on in the + drawing-room that she went in to investigate. It was empty and + silent. The noise was a violent hammering on the door between + the two rooms on the drawing-room side. + + The two rooms below the library and drawing-room were empty, and + shuttered (the smoking-room and billiard-room), No. 1 was + disused (over the drawing-room), and Miss Langton found no one + in No. 8 (over the library). She came back and told me at once. + + I have now had the following rooms locked up and the keys taken + away by the butler:-- + + Ground floor: All the wing and drawing-room. + + Above: 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7. (I am sleeping in No. 5, Miss Langton + in No. 8.) + + Basement: Smoking and billiard rooms. + + Mr. T---- arrived in the afternoon. We were all out till + dinner-time. While at dinner, we all three, as well as the + butler, heard steps walking overhead in No. 7, as we did last + night. + + _April 4th, Sunday._--I was wakened early this morning by the + sound of a crash. As it was mixed with my dreams I did not think + it worth while to get up and investigate, but looked at my + watch. It was twenty minutes to six. Five minutes later I heard + another crash under the dome--of the kind so often + described--and looked out, but the house was perfectly still. I + heard the servants come down about seven o'clock. + + Miss Langton, sleeping in No. 8, describes the same sounds at + the same moment. + + Mr. B. S---- and Miss S----, brother and sister of the + proprietor, called. + + . . . . . . . . + . . . . . . . . + . . . . . . . . + + Mr. T---- writes under this date:-- + + "_April 4th, Sunday._--I heard footsteps overhead last evening + while at dinner. Sleeping in No. 1. To bed about 11 P.M. To + sleep in about half-an-hour. Meanwhile I heard sounds as of + reading aloud in No. 8. Woke at 6.20. Heard voices in No. 8 + again." + + _April 5th, Monday._--Mr. T---- said at breakfast that he had + heard sounds as of some one reading in Miss Langton's room, No. + 8, between 11.0 and 11.30 P.M., and again the sound of voices + from the same room in the morning. Miss Langton was alone, nor, + as we have proved--(see under date March 2nd)--could any sound + of reading or speaking have been heard, had any really existed. + + _April 6th, Tuesday._--Mr. T---- writes under this date:-- + + "To my room last night about 11 P.M. Loud thuds on the floor + above me, and a heavy thud against the door dividing my room + (No. 1) from the dressing-room beyond (No. 2). I went out and + listened at the servants' staircase. They were talking, but not + moving about. [I learnt on inquiry that they were all in bed by + 10.30.--A.G.F.] I went to sleep immediately after I got to bed, + but woke up later with a violent start, as if by a loud noise, + though I heard nothing. I waited a few minutes and then looked + at my watch. It was 12.30. I heard voices talking pretty loud. I + was awake over three-quarters of an hour, then slept till + 5.30." + + Mr. B. S---- was out fishing with Mr. T---- in the morning, and + came in to lunch and again to dinner. In the evening I had a + good deal of talk with him. + + . . . . . . . . + . . . . . . . . + . . . . . . . . + . . . . . . . . + . . . . . . . . + . . . . . . . . + + This afternoon Mrs. ----, a lady well acquainted with the + neighbourhood, came to tea. She asked me about the hauntings, + and said they were matter of common talk in the district. She + also told me that in the late Mr. S----'s time it had been + alleged that the disturbances were intentional annoyances, + though she agreed it was rather a sustained effort. + + I also called to say "good-bye" to Mrs. S.----, to whom I + remarked that, though I could not doubt the existence of + phenomena at B----, we had been most comfortable, and had + greatly liked the place. + + . . . . . . . . + . . . . . . . . + . . . . . . . . + + Early this morning (I am still sleeping in No. 5) I heard the + familiar crash under the dome. It was about 2.30. Mr. T---- said + at breakfast that he had heard it too. + + _Wednesday 7th._--Mr. T---- writes under this date:-- + + "To bed about eleven. To sleep at once. Awakened at 2.30 by a + terrific crash, and the sound of voices. A little later I heard + light raps at the foot of my door, as if a dog had wagged his + tail against it. Looked out, saw nothing; very disturbed night." + + _April 8th, Thursday._--Mr. T---- writes, "Woke last night at + 12.30. Heard nothing, but slept very badly. I may mention that I + am, as a rule, a very sound sleeper, and as I had taken a lot of + exercise every day--fishing, shooting, cycling, and walking, + from breakfast-time to dark--there was no reason why I should + not sleep." + +Mr. T---- had been out the whole of this day with the keepers--heather +burning--and was obviously "dead tired" when he went to bed. It is +curious that even when not disturbed, he should have slept so badly, +but sleepless and nameless discomfort has assailed most persons in No. +1, though the room is large and airy. + + _April 8th, Thursday._--We had planned to leave yesterday, but + it was borne in upon me that to-day being the anniversary of the + Major's death, it would be a pity--on the hypothesis of there + being anything supernormal in these phenomena--that the house + should not be under observation to-night. + + In the morning the Land-steward called, having heard from Mrs. + S---- that we had heard footsteps about the house at night, and + that I had several times observed a disreputable-looking man + about the place, whom I knew not to be one of the farm-servants. + + The admissions hitherto made by him, and by ---- and ----, as to + some of the phenomena, carry the evidence back for over twenty + years. + + I don't know whether we have been specially on the _qui vive_ + to-day, but we seem to have heard bangs and crashes and + footsteps overhead all day, though all the rooms, except Nos. 1, + 5, and 8 are locked up--Mr. T---- occupies No. 1, Miss Langton + No. 8, I No. 5. + + Acting upon the hints given us by ---- and ----, I thought the + downstairs smoking-room ought to be specially under observation + to-day. I was suffering from acute headache, and was obliged to + lie down in my own room from lunch-time to dinner, and this + smoking-room, which is known as "the Major's room," was the only + sitting-room in use. A few minutes before dinner, I went down + and busied myself in putting my camera to rights. It was a + delicate piece of work, and when I saw a black dog, which I + supposed for the moment to be "Spooks" (my Pomeranian), run + across the room towards my left, I stopped, fearing that she + would shake the little table on which the camera stood. I + immediately saw another dog, really Spooks this time, run + towards it from my right, with her ears pricked. Miss Langton + also observed this, and said, "What is Spooks after?" or + something of that sort. A piece of furniture prevented my seeing + their meeting, and Spooks came back directly, wagging her tail. + The other dog was larger than Spooks, though it also had long + black hair, and might have been a small spaniel. + + [It was not till after we had left B---- that we learned that + the Major's favourite dog was a black spaniel.] + + After dinner we returned to this room. I had intended to try + Ouija and the crystal, but was in too much pain to make this + possible, and Miss Langton felt she could not do it alone; it + was as much as I could do to sit up at all, but, by a strong + effort of will, I was able to remain downstairs till after + midnight. [I was still occasionally suffering from the results + of my accident.] We sat in front of the fire, playing a round + game. About nine we all three heard footsteps coming from the + south-west corner and going towards the door; I held up my hand + for silence, but I could see, from the direction of their eyes, + that they heard the sounds as I did--even the dog looked up and + watched. The steps were those of a rather heavy person in + heelless shoes, who walked to the door, and came back again, + passed close behind Mr. T----'s chair, crossed the hearth-rug + just in front of me, and stopped at or about the north-east + corner, but--it seemed--remained in the room, behind Miss + Langton's chair. We heard them again about 10.30; we also heard + sounds several times during the evening of the talking of a man + and woman. Three times over Miss Langton and Mr. T---- went out + to listen, but the house was perfectly quiet, and though we were + on the same floor with the servants, there had been, the whole + time, three closed doors between us and their quarters in the + wing, which also was in the direction opposite that from which + the sounds came (the present billiard-room). About 10.45, Miss + Langton and I went up to the dining-room in search of + refreshment; everything upstairs seemed perfectly still, and the + servants had long before gone to bed. Mr. T---- followed us up, + and as we went back to the smoking-room, the voices seemed to be + in high argument just inside. We could distinguish no words, + though the _timbre_ of the voices is perfectly clear in my + memory. About 12.20 we went to bed. I had intended to sit up in + No. 8, but found I was not equal to it, and Miss Langton would + not accept my offer of sleeping there with her. She was + therefore there alone, I in No. 5, and Mr. T---- in No. 1. I had + not been many minutes in my room when I heard the familiar loud + crash as of something falling into the hall, under the dome, and + rushed out immediately--the house was perfectly still. We had + left a small lamp burning in the corridor. Mr. T---- said, next + morning, that he had also came out at the sound, but must have + been later than I, as he was just in time to see my door shut. + About twenty minutes after, I heard the shuffling footsteps come + up the stairs, and pause near my door; I opened it, and saw + nothing, but was so definitely conscious of the presence of a + personality, that I addressed it in terms which need not be set + down here, but of which I may say that they were intended to be + of the utmost seriousness, while helpful and encouraging. I may + add, that I knew from experience of the acoustic qualities of + the house, that I should not be audible to those in Nos. 1 or 8. + Absolutely, while I was speaking, the voices we had heard + downstairs became audible again, this time it seemed to me + outside the door of No. 8; they were certainly the same voices, + but seemed to be consciously lowered. (Miss Langton's account + will show that she heard voices and footsteps outside her door + at about this time.) I was asleep before the clock struck two, + but was awakened again about 3.30, and was kept awake for more + than an hour by various sounds in the house. Roughly speaking, + these were of two kinds: one, those of distant clangs and + crashes which we have heard many times in varying intensity, + loudest of all on our first night and on this. The other (more + human in association), knocks at the door, thuds on the lower + panels within, say, two feet of the ground; footsteps, not as + before, but rapid and as of many feet, and again the same + voices. The night was perfectly still, and I could clearly + differentiate the cries of the owl (of two kinds, I think), the + kestrel hawk, and even of the rabbits on the lawn. I went to the + windows and looked out, but the night was quite dark, and the + dawn was grey and misty. + + About 5.45 I fell asleep, and did not wake till my tea came up + at 7.30, when I asked the maid if she had been disturbed, and + she replied that the servants had been extra busy the day + before, had gone to bed early, and had slept soundly. + + Miss Langton and Mr. T---- attest the above as a correct account + of our experience, so far as they were concerned. + + The following is from Miss Langton's private diary:-- + + "Miss Freer, Mr. T----, and I all agreed that, as it was the + anniversary of the old Major's death, we would sit to-night in + his own sitting-room, which we always call 'the downstairs + smoking-room.' Just before dinner, Miss Freer, who was sitting + between the writing-table and fireplace, suddenly called out, + 'What is Spooks running after?' and then she said that there + were _two_ black dogs in the room, and that the other dog was + larger than Spooks she said, 'like a spaniel.' + + "After dinner we three sat round the fire and played games; + suddenly one of us called out, 'Listen to those footsteps,' and + then we _distinctly_ heard a heavy man walking round the room, + coming apparently from the direction of the safe, in the wall + adjoining the billiard room, and then walking towards the door, + passing between us and the fireplace in front of which we were + sitting. It was a very curious sensation, for the steps came so + very close, and yet we saw nothing. Footsteps died away, and we + resumed our game. Three times over we distinctly heard outside + the door the voices of a man and woman, apparently in anger, for + their voices were loud and rough. Each time we jumped up at once + and opened the door quietly--there was nothing to be seen; the + passage was in total darkness, all the servants having gone to + bed (the last time was nearly eleven o'clock). We certified this + fact by making an expedition into the kitchen regions. We then + returned to the smoking-room, and not long after the footsteps + again began in exactly the same direction. This time they lasted + a longer time. + + "I slept in No. 8, and was so tired I slept pretty well, but + before going to sleep, just before one o'clock, I heard the + sound of a heavy man in slippers come down the corridor and stop + near my door, and then the sound as of a long argument in + subdued voices, a man and a woman." + +On April 9th Miss Freer and Miss Langton left B---- in order to pass +Easter elsewhere, and Mr. T---- left with them. + +During Miss Freer's absence the house was occupied for some days by +the eminent classical scholar Mr. F.W.H. Myers, late Fellow of Trinity +College, Cambridge, one of her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools, and +Hon. Sec. to the S.P.R. + +It is well known that the S.P.R. is very greatly indebted to Mr. Myers +for his most valuable services for many years as Hon. Sec., and for +his many important contributions to its literature. He has, however, +of late years somewhat alienated the sympathies of many of its +members, by the extent to which he has introduced into its +_Proceedings_ the reports of spiritualist phenomena, and the +lucubrations of mediums. The original rules of the society would +appear to exclude the employment of hired mediums, and it is difficult +to distinguish Mrs. Piper, and certain other subjects of experiment, +from this class. The differences, however, between Mr. Myers and some +of the members do not stop at this point, for his preference for the +experiences of female mediums, whether hired or gratuitous, would +appear to amount to an indifference to spontaneous phenomena, an +indifference that is distinctly and rapidly progressive. + +Mr. Myers, however, appeared to take considerable interest in the +phenomena of B----, and on March 13, 1897, after reading the journal +for the first five weeks, the only part of the evidence which has +been submitted to him, or indeed to any member of the Council of the +S.P.R., he wrote to Miss Freer:-- + +"It is plain that the B---- case is of _great_ interest. I hope we may +have a discussion of it at S.P.R. general meeting, May 28th, 8.30, and +perhaps July 2nd, 4 P.M., also. Till then, I would suggest, we will +not put forth our experiences to the public, unless you have any other +view.... + +"I should particularly like to get Mr. ['Q.'] to go again in Easter +week [_i.e._ during the Myers' tenancy]. I saw him last night, and +heard his account, and next to yourself he seems the most sensitive of +the group. I am very glad that you secured him.... I will send back +the two note-books after showing them to the Sidgwicks. I am so very +glad that you and others have been so well repaid for your trouble.... +You seem to have worked natural causes well." + +On April 12th Mr. Myers arrived at B----, and remained until the 22nd. +He was preceded a day or two earlier by Dr. Oliver Lodge, Professor of +Physics at Victoria College, Liverpool, Mrs. Lodge, and a Mr. +Campbell of Trinity College, Cambridge. The party also included a +"medium," the only person to whom this term could be applied, in the +ordinary sense, who visited B---- during Col. Taylor's tenancy. This +person was a Miss C----, but in order to avoid confusion with other +persons, she is here called Miss "K." Miss "K." is not a professional +medium, in the same sense in which a gentleman rider is not a jockey. +She is the proprietress of a small nursing establishment in London, +and at the time of her visit to B---- was described as in weak health +and partially paralysed. She was accompanied by an attendant who was a +Roman Catholic, a circumstance which is interesting in view of the +strongly sectarian character of the ensuing revelations. + +Mr. Myers recorded regularly, and transmitted to Lord Bute, the +account of the phenomena which occurred during his visit, and which +were testified to by four members of his party. He declines, however, +to allow any use to be made of his notes of what occurred during this +episode. + +The regret with which his wish is deferred to is the less, because the +chief value of the notes in question seems to be that of a warning +against the methods employed; a fact of which Mr. Myers seems later to +have himself become aware, as in regard to his journal letters to Lord +Bute he wrote on March 15, 1898, _a year later_, "I am afraid that I +must ask that my B---- letters be in no way used. I greatly doubt +whether there was anything supernormal." + +However, while actually staying at B----, Mr. Myers wrote to Miss +Freer on April 15th, in much the same terms as on March 11th:-- + +"What is your idea (I am asking Lord Bute also) _re_ speaking about +B---- at S.P.R? If this is _not_ desirable on May 28th, should you +have second-sight material ready then? If it is desirable, could we +meet sometime, ... and discuss what is to be said? As many witnesses +as possible. Noises have gone on. I am writing bulletins to Lord Bute, +which I dare say he will send on to you.... I am moving into No. 5 to +be nearer to the noise. I have heard nothing. Lodge hears mainly +knocks." + +On April 21st he wrote again to Miss Freer:-- + +"If you come to S.P.R. meeting, we could talk in a quiet corner after +it. I dine with S.P.R. council at seven o'clock, so there would +scarcely be time [_i.e._ to call on you] between, but I would call +at---- at 9.30 Saturday morning, if that were more convenient to you +than going to the meeting." + +The interview took place, and July 2nd was finally arranged as the +date upon which the evidence was to be presented at a general meeting +of the S.P.R. + +In the meantime, however, the article of the anonymous _Times_ +correspondent appeared in that journal on June 8th--an article which +was practically an attack on certain methods of the S.P.R., after +which Mr. Myers published the following letter:-- + + + ON THE TRAIL OF A GHOST. + + _To the Editor of "The Times."_ + + "SIR,--A letter entitled 'On the Trail of a Ghost,' which you + publish to-day, appears to suggest throughout that some statement + has been made on behalf of the Society for Psychical Research with + regard to the house which your correspondent visited. This, + however, is not the case; and as a misleading impression may be + created, I must ask you to allow me space to state that I visited + B----, representing that society, before your correspondent's + visit, and decided that there was no such evidence as could + justify us in giving the results of the inquiry a place in our + _Proceedings_. I had already communicated this judgment to Lord + Bute, to the council of the society, and to Professor Sidgwick, + the editor of our _Proceedings_, and it had been agreed to act + upon it.--I am, Sir, your obedient servant, + + "FREDERICK W.H. MYERS, + _Hon. Sec. of the Society for Psychical Research._ + + "LECKHAMPTON HOUSE, CAMBRIDGE, _June 8_." + +One may gather from a comparison of this letter with the foregoing +records that the standard of evidence is a somewhat variable quantity +in the Society for Psychical Research. In attempting to explain the +matter, Mr. Myers wrote to Lord Bute, June 11, 1897:-- + +"As to haunted houses recorded at length in _Proceedings_, there have +been several minor ones, and one especially, 'Records of a Haunted +House,' where I was instrumental in getting the account written. The +great point there was the amount of coincidence of visions seen +independently.... In the B---- case there is _some_ coincidence of +vision, but so far as I know, not nearly so much as in the Records of +a Haunted House, which did appear in _Proceedings_. We want to keep +our level approximately the same throughout." + +Another point of view in relation to the same matter, is that taken by +Miss Freer in an article in the _Nineteenth Century_, August 1897:-- + +"That the S.P.R. recognised that haunted houses were among the alleged +facts of general interest, was proved by their early appointment of a +Committee of Inquiry, on the management of which it is too late to +reflect. At the end of a few months only, they practically dismissed a +subject which, if considered at all, required years of patient +research. They had come across the surprising number of twenty-eight +cases which they considered worth inquiry; but these were presented to +the public on the evidence of only forty witnesses--that is to say, an +average of less than one and a half to each! The appearance of figures +is recorded in twenty-four of these stories, whilst four record noises +only. Ten years later the _Proceedings_ take up the subject again, and +give us at some length an elaborate story on the evidence of two or +three ladies, two servants, a charwoman, and a little boy. ['Records +of a Haunted House.'] No proper journal was kept, and the Society for +Psychical Research came upon the scene when all was practically over." + +In relation to the period of the visit of the Myers party to B---- +House, Lord Bute received several journal letters from Professor +Lodge, as well as from Mr. Myers, which, as he has made no request to +the contrary, might be quoted here _in extenso_, were it not that +they relate in considerable part to the proceedings of the medium, as +to which the present editors agree with Mr. Myers, that "they greatly +doubt if there was anything supernormal." + +Professor Lodge was from the first much interested in the B---- +inquiry, and wrote to Lord Bute on April 14th, two days after arrival: +"I have not found anything here as yet at all suitable for physical +experiments. I have heard a noise or two, and intelligent raps. +Nothing whatever can be normally seen so far." + +And on April 17th: "The noises and disturbances have been much quieter +of late, in fact have almost ceased _pro tem_.... We have not heard +the loud bang as yet. Knocks on the wall, a sawing noise, and a +droning and a wailing are all we have heard. The droning and the +wailing, some whistling, and apparent attempts at a whisper, all up in +the attic, may have been due either to the wind or birds. They were +not distinct enough to be evidential, though they were just audible to +all of us. The sawing noise was more distinct. I think I will go to +the attic about 3 A.M. to-night to see if anything more can be heard. +Most of the noises occur then, or else at 6 A.M. Mr. Campbell has +heard a dragging along the floor in his bedroom, No. 3. I have heard, +like many others, the knocking on the wall, but for the last two +nights things have been quiet. + +"_April 20th._--There has been nothing here for me to do as a +physicist, and I return home tomorrow, but nevertheless the phenomena, +taken as a whole, have been most interesting.... I know that you are +hearing from Mr. Myers the details of our sittings.... There is +certainly an interregnum of noises, the last three nights having been +undisturbed. [After describing recent seances with Miss 'K----.'] I +write just as if what we have been told were true.[F] The cessation of +the noises may of course be merely a temporary lull as before, and +they may break out again...." + +On April 22nd, he wrote to Miss Freer "The sounds are not very strong, +and latterly there has been one of your interregna in the noises, but +still we heard some of them; only knocks, however, except once a low +droning, a sawing noise, and a whistling whisper. Some of the raps +seemed intelligent, but there was nothing to investigate on the +physical side...." + +And in another note, undated:-- + +"There has been nothing capable of being photographed. The sounds are +objective though not impressive.... I have seen nothing to suggest +electricity or magnetism, or any of the ordinary physical agents in +connection with the disturbances; but the noises are so momentary and +infrequent, that they give no real scope for continued examination." + +Professor Lodge left on April 21st, and Mr. Myers on April 22nd; but +Miss "K----," with Mr. Campbell, remained alone till the morning of +Monday 26th, and on the afternoon of the same day Lord and Lady Bute +arrived, and stayed till Wednesday 28th. Mr. MacP----, who came with +them, was obliged by previous engagements to leave next morning. + +They slept in the wing, and nothing occurred during their visit so far +as they were concerned. + +Lord Bute records, however, that he twice read aloud the whole of the +Office for the dead in its five sections (vespers, nocturns, and +lauds) in different places, but neither he nor any one with him saw or +heard anything, unless it were a sound of women talking and laughing +while he was reading the Office about 10.30 P.M. in No. 8, and this he +supposed was simply the maids going to bed, though in fact the room +overhead was unoccupied. He had, however, a most disagreeable +impression, not in the places where he expected it, which were the +glen, No. 3, and No. 8, but in No. 1. The sensation was that of +persons being present, and on the second occasion that of violent +hatred and hostility. He recorded "Went to No. 1 a third time, and +again experienced the sensation of persons being present, but on this +last occasion as though they were only morosely unfriendly." + +It is remarkable that this sensation of unseen presences is one which +many other persons experienced in this room, and in this room only; +but it is also remarkable that this was the first indication of the +hostile or irreligious tone which was thenceforth apparent. Until the +sojourn of the party of members of the S.P.R. the tone had been +plaintive and religious. + +Mr. MacP----, who is a Presbyterian, made a remark which struck Lord +Bute as interesting, to the effect that the whole of the Office for +the dead, with the frequent occurrence of the words _Requiam eternam_, +&c., might be as irritating to Intelligences which desired to +communicate, as would be the effect of saying merely "keep still," or +"be quiet," to persons who wished to set forth their wrongs. But this +curious hypothesis would be insufficient to account for a sensation of +absolute enmity. + +A private letter, written by Lord Bute on April 29th to a +distinguished ecclesiastic, repeats these statements, and adds one or +two additional touches which it is desirable to quote:-- + +"We returned yesterday after spending forty-eight hours at B----, +where we heard and saw nothing, but as my proceedings were mainly +ecclesiastical, your Grace may like to know what happened. + +"On the way I was shown the inclosure in the churchyard wherein lie, +in unmarked graves, the late Major S----, his 'housekeeper,' and his +old Indian servant. I would have gone and prayed there, but the place +seemed to me too public.... B---- is a remarkably beautiful place, and +the day was splendid; were it not for the grandeur of the scenery, I +should have called the landscape laughing, or at least smiling. The +house is remarkably bright and cheerful, and indeed luxurious. There +is a really nice set of family pictures from about the time of Charles +II.... The place is a perfect aviary, and the sight of the innumerable +birds, evidently encouraged by long kindness, building their nests was +very pleasant, and has some psychological interest, since animals +sometimes see these things when we do not, and there was evidently +nothing to scare the birds, rabbits, or squirrels.... As her ladyship +and I did not wish to be troubled at night, we took rooms in the wing, +which the late Mr. S---- is said to have built in order to save his +children from the haunting, and which has been but little troubled; +and we slept there quite comfortably. Soon after 6 P.M. I went to the +place near the burn where apparitions have so often appeared, and +which was, I think, first indicated by Ouija. I read aloud the vespers +for the dead, but no phenomenon appeared, nor had I any sensation. +About 7.30 I went to a room which I will call A [No. 1] ... and read +aloud the first Nocturn of the dirge; there was nothing to be seen or +heard, but I felt some physical inconvenience in beginning, like an +impediment in speech, and I had a very strong sensation that there +were persons listening....[G] Soon after 10 P.M. I went and read aloud +the two next Nocturns in room B [8]. As I finished the second, Mr. +MacP---- and I heard two women speaking merrily outside the door, and +I doubt not they were the maids going to bed. During the night, +although we slept well, my servant [who slept in No. 4, next to Mr. +MacP---- in No. 5], like other people in haunted rooms, could not +sleep after five, and he tells me one of the maids saw the bust of a +woman with short hair, as though sitting at the foot of her bed. + +"In the morning I said Lauds in room C [Library]. No phenomena or +sensation. Soon after 5 P.M. said _Placebo_ again in room B [8]. +Nothing. Then visited the haunted burn again for some time. Nothing. +About 7.30 read the first two Nocturns again in room D [No. 3]. +Nothing. Soon after ten read the third Nocturn in A [1]. Made slips of +pronunciation, and felt the presence of others very strongly, and that +it was hostile or evil, as though they were kept at arm's-length; a +disagreeable sensation continued until I threw some holy water on my +bed before getting into it, when it suddenly disappeared. Next morning +I said Lauds in A [1]. I had no difficulty in utterance; the sense of +other presences was not strong, and I had no feeling of hostility [on +their part], but rather of their having to put up with a slight +nuisance which would soon be over. These subjective feelings are in no +way evidential, nor would I mention them were they not confined to one +place out of five, and occurred whenever I went there, at three most +varying hours.... My servant, the second night, could not sleep +between 4.30 and 6." + + * * * * * + +Miss Freer returned alone to B---- on April 28th. The Journal is now +resumed. + + _April 28th._--I returned to B----, arriving at 7 P.M. Slept in + No. 8. Quiet night. + + This morning I inquired of the servants as to what occurred in + my absence. They have very definite views as to the nature and + causes of the phenomena during the visit of Mr. Myers's party + ... including much table-tilting at meals, and so on. When + questioned as to any experiences of their own, all answered to + the same effect, that they shouldn't have taken notice of + anything that happened at that time, but that something had + occurred after the last two members of the party had left on the + day of his Lordship's arrival, "and that," said the cook, "was + quite another matter." + + The experience was Carter's, the upper housemaid, and she told + it in a manner that it would be difficult to distrust. She was + not anxious to talk about it, and seemed annoyed that it had + been mentioned at all. I wrote down her story verbatim. + + "It was about four o'clock, or may be a little later, but it was + just getting light; there is no blind to the skylight in my + room, and I woke up suddenly and I thought some one had come + into the room, and I called out, 'Is that you, Mrs. Robinson?' + and when she didn't answer I called out 'Hannah,' but no one + spoke, and then I looked up, and at the foot of my bed there was + a woman. She was rather old, and dressed in something dark, and + she had a little shawl on, and her hair short. It was hanging, + but it didn't reach nearly to her shoulders. I was awful + frightened, and put my head down again. I couldn't look any + more." + + I asked about the height of the woman, wondering if it were like + the figure seen in the drawing-room, and Carter said, "I didn't + notice, only the top part of her." I said, "Do you mean she had + no legs?" and she said, "I didn't take notice of any." She was + genuinely concerned and alarmed. + +This is probably the incident thus described by _The Times_ +correspondent. "One of the maidservants described a sort of dull +knocking which, according to her, goes on between two and six in the +morning, in the lath and plaster partition by the side of her bed, +which shuts off the angular space just inside the eaves of the house. +She likened it to the noise of gardeners nailing up ivy outside. She +seemed honest, but as she had seen the ghost of half a woman sitting +on her fellow-servant's bed, one takes her evidence with a grain or +two of salt. Any noises she has really heard may be due to the cooling +of the hot-water pipes which pass along behind the partition just +mentioned to the cistern." The hot-water pipe theory has been already +discussed. + +Before proceeding, it had better be again mentioned that, owing to the +fact that several of the persons interested in B---- were Roman +Catholics, and the Rev. P---- H---- having been one of the principal +witnesses, as well as having himself appeared phantasmally in the +house, it was considered desirable to obtain the assistance of some +clergy of that communion. Miss Freer accordingly secured the services +of three members of a famous society; one of those was the Rev. P---- +H---- himself, one a well-known Oxford man who takes much interest in +such questions, and the third a man of great experience at a place +where miracles are said to be frequent. However, their Superior +refused to allow them to come, and she then applied to a well-known +monastery, but was again refused help. Lastly, she turned to the +secular clergy, and obtained the assistance of two priests and a +bishop. The priests are here designated MacD---- and MacL----. All +three were previously well known to her, and she had especial reason +to consider them not only worthy of her esteem and confidence, but, +moreover, as taking an instructed and intelligent interest in the +subject. + + _April 29th, Friday._--Rooms for to-night:-- + + No. 3. Rev. A. MacD----. + " 4. Rev. A. MacL----. + " 8. Myself. + + The priests arrived late in the evening. I put them in No. 3 and + 4, though I like to give No. 1 to new-comers. However, I had + promised that to Madame Boisseaux, whom we are expecting from + Paris, with the dressing-room for her maid. + + _April 30th._--The priests both look very weary. They were not + frightened, but the sounds have kept them awake all night. + + Young S---- called to-day; he is going to help me to get up a + dance for the servants. His mother is away at S----. + + _May 1st._--I shall have to move the priests. They persist that + they are not frightened, but they are both looking shockingly + ill and worn, and the Rev. MacD---- is not in a state of health + to take liberties with. The Rev. MacL---- seems in the same + mental state as was Mr. P----. He sees nothing, but is + supernormally sensitive, and without any hint from me, declared + that he felt the drawing-room, wing, and No. 7 to be "innocent." + + Poor little "Spooks" is the chief sufferer. She sleeps on my bed + now, but even so, wakes in the night growling and shivering, and + she refuses her food, and is in a dreadfully nervous state. + Perhaps I ought not to keep her in No. 8, where we have so often + heard the patterings of dogs' feet, and where Miss Moore was + once pushed as by a dog, in broad daylight. + + _May 2nd._--Nothing occurred. We perhaps all slept the sounder + last night, having been kept up till two o'clock waiting for + Madame Boisseaux, who never turned up. She and the M----s and + Mrs. "F." arrived to-day. + + Madame Boisseaux arrived, and was put into No. 1. + Her maid " " 2. + Father MacD---- " " 3. + Father MacL---- " " 4. + Mrs. "F." " " 5. + Mr. and Mrs. M---- " " 6 and 7. + Myself " " 8. + + _May 3rd._--The general tone of things is disquieting, and new + in our experience. Hitherto, in our first occupation, the + phenomena affected one as melancholy, depressing, and + perplexing, but now all, quite independently, say the same + thing, that the influence is evil and horrible--even poor little + Spooks, who was never terrified before, as she has been since + our return here. The worn faces at breakfast were really a + dismal sight. + + In spite of her long journey, Madame Boisseaux could not sleep. + She was so tired, she dropped to sleep at once on going to bed, + but was awoke by the sound of a droning voice as if from No. 3, + and, at intervals, more distant voices in high argument. She + said she dared not go to sleep; she felt as if some + evil-disposed persons were in the room, and it would not be safe + to lose consciousness. But she saw nothing. She looks so ill + that her maid, a very faithful old servant, has been to beg me, + "_pour l'amour de Dieu_," to give Madame another room. So + to-night I will put her in No. 5. + + Mrs. "F." who was in No. 5, was disturbed by knocks at her door + (_cf._ Mrs. W----'s experience in the same room), and to-night + is to sleep in my room, No. 8, which last night was also + somewhat noisy, but she will not be alone. The Rev. MacD---- + looks so ill from two nights' sleeplessness that the priests are + to go into the wing to-night. They were unwilling to move, and + made no complaints, and now do not say they have seen anything, + merely that the evil influence about them was painful and + disturbing. + + Mrs. M----, who, it will be remembered, was much disturbed + during her last visit, begged that she might be quiet, and we + gave her No. 7. She is the only person who has had a really good + night, except Mr. M----, who had a fancy to sleep in the + smoking-room, in the hope of a visit from the Major, but nothing + happened. As he had been mountaineering all day, he probably + would have slept well under any conditions. + + _May 4th._--I am thankful to say the priests slept well in the + wing. Madame Boisseaux, in No. 5, was disturbed by knocks at her + door, but as she wisely remarked, they had the advantage of + being outside. Mr. M---- had moved into No. 1, and slept fairly + well, but said he felt as before, "not alone," but as he _had_ + felt that before, expectation may count for something. + + Mrs. "F" slept with me; I was awoke early by my dog crying, and + I saw two black paws resting on the table beside the bed. It + gave me a sickening sensation, and I longed to wake Mrs. "F" to + see if she would see them, but I remembered her bad night of + yesterday, and left her in peace. + + The priests spend much time in devotions, and are very decided + in their views as to the malignity of the influence. The bishop + comes to-day, and we hope he will have Mass said in the house. + We shall then have ten Roman Catholics in the household--two + visitors, three clergy, two visitors' maids, and three of our + own servants. That should have an effect upon the Major! Miss + Moore and Scamp arrived. + + _May 5th._--The bishop is in No. 1. He arrived to lunch to-day. + Last night all was quiet after bedtime, but sitting in the + drawing-room about five o'clock, having just come in from a + drive, five of us heard the detonating noise, as it were in the + empty room overhead. Madame B----, Mrs. "F," Mrs. M----, the + Rev. MacL----, and myself. Mrs. "F" left this morning. + + The priests went with me to the copse. They saw nothing, but + were in too anxious a state to be receptive. I saw Ishbel for + one moment. She looked _agonised_, as never before. + + Mr. B. S---- dined with us, and the servants, indoor and out, + danced in the hall in the evening. We had pipers, and some + supper for them in the billiard-room. The gardener and the + butler and cook say there was a great crash in the room just + when the parish minister was saying grace, and that many of the + people from outside noticed it, and "they just looked at each + other." I was myself in the room, but as we had just had a very + physical and commonplace disturbance--the arrival of an + uninvited and intoxicated guest, of which the other people did + not know as I did--I was preoccupied at the moment. + + Mass this morning in the drawing-room. + + _May 6th._--Madame Boisseaux has had to go suddenly; there has + been terrible news for her of this Paris fire. She came into my + room very early with her telegram (arrived too late for delivery + last night). I did not like to worry her with questions, + overwhelmed as she was, but she said her room "resounded with + knocks." + + There was Mass said in the ground-floor sitting-room this + morning, and as I knelt facing the window I saw Ishbel with the + grey woman, nearer the house than ever before. She looked + pensive, but, as compared with last time, much relieved. + +This is the last time the figures were seen. The following details are +quoted from a letter written by Miss Freer to Lord Bute on this day: +"Mass was said this morning in the downstairs room, the altar arranged +in front of the window, so that, as we knelt, we faced the garden. +Poor Madame Boisseaux was dressed for travelling, and in much +agitation. As the carriage which was to take her to the station was +expected at any moment, I suggested that she and I should remain +upstairs, but she said she should like to be there, if only for a few +minutes, the more that the 'intention' was to be partly for those who +had suffered in the fire, and for their sorrowing friends. She and I, +therefore, knelt close to the door, keeping it slightly ajar, so as to +be able to obey a summons at any moment. + +"Suddenly she touched my arm, and directed my attention to the window. +There I saw a figure standing outside, which--so slow-sighted am I--I +took for the moment for Madame's maid, and thought she had come to +call our attention through the window--a long 'French' one, opening +out on to the lawn--as less likely to disturb the service. I was +starting up when I perceived that the figure was 'Ishbel'--the black +gown, like that worn by the maid, had misled me for the moment. +'Marget' seemed to hover in the background, but she was much less +distinct than the other. A minute later we were called away. + +"The room had been selected by the priests themselves, but it is the +one I should myself, for obvious reasons, have chosen for the +purpose." + + When the bustle of Madame's hasty departure was over, and we had + breakfasted, the bishop blessed the house from top to bottom, + and especially visited rooms Nos. 1, 3, and 8, and also the + library. He sprinkled the rooms with holy water, and especially + the doorway leading to the drawing-room, where noises have so + often been heard. He and the priests had hardly gone when there + was a loud bang upon a little table that stands there. It is an + old work-table, a box on tall, slender legs, and the sound could + easily be imitated by lifting the lid and letting it fall + smartly, but I saw no movement--not that I was watching it at + the moment. The bishop and priests returned, and the ceremony + was repeated, after which the bang again occurred, but much more + faintly. + + The three clergy left this afternoon. Miss Moore and I are now + alone. + +This bang was the last phenomenon of an abnormal kind during this +tenancy. Miss Moore and Miss Freer stayed in the house another week +without anything further occurring either to themselves, their guests, +or the servants. + +During that time, they received six more guests: Miss C----, Miss +"Etienne," with her brother, a lawyer, and three other visitors, with +whom Miss Freer had no previous acquaintance, but who received an +invitation under the following special conditions, not being, as were +other guests, personal friends, or, in one or two instances, +accompanying personal friends by whom they were introduced, and at +whose request they were invited. + +Sir William Huggins had some time before written to Lord Bute to beg +him to obtain admission to the house for Sir James Crichton Browne, +who is, of course, well known as a physician of great eminence, and in +especial as an expert in psychology, and whom Sir William stated to be +deeply interested in phenomena such as those observed at B----. + +Lord Bute accordingly wrote to Miss Freer, who wrote to Sir James. He +did not immediately reply, which surprised her, after so earnest a +request, and because admission to the house for the purpose of such +observations was a mark of confidence, which as a hostess she was very +chary of giving, and which would never have been extended to him, +notwithstanding his scientific eminence, had it not been for the +intercession of Sir William Huggins and Lord Bute, through whom he had +sought it. + +He wrote to her after some time, apologising for the delay on the +score of illness, begging to know if it were still possible for him +to be admitted, and whether he might bring with him a scientific +friend. Miss Freer consented, and he then wrote announcing his arrival +and that of a nephew, a student at Oxford, interested in science. He +then asked, by telegram, whether a third guest could be admitted, to +which she also consented, and his two friends, one of whom is believed +to have been the anonymous _Times_ correspondent, accordingly came, +four days after the phenomena had, as has been stated, apparently +ceased. The way in which this hospitality was repaid is a matter of +common knowledge. Their hostess knew of no intention to make copy of +their visit, with full names, geographical indications, and repetition +of private conversations, until the publication of the _Times'_ +article of June 8th. They remained from Saturday evening till Monday +morning, and, like others, saw and heard nothing; and much time was +spent in repeating the already often repeated experiments as to +possible sources of the sights and sounds observed at B----. Their +observations appeared to be able to penetrate no further than the mark +of the shoe which Miss Freer pointed out on the door in the wing, +made subsequently to the flight of the H---- family, a passage under +the roof, with which the household had long been as familiar as with +the hall-door, and the suggestion that a certain stream might run +under the house, the which stream runs nowhere near the house at all, +as Miss Freer was already well aware, a fact which she demonstrated +for their benefit on a map of the estate. + +This is perhaps a suitable point at which to add a letter from the +head-gardener who has been referred to more than once, more especially +as an important witness to the phenomena of the H----s' tenancy. + +He writes to Miss Freer in reference to a statement by _The Times_ +correspondent:-- + +"_July 8th, '97._-- ... I might also mention to you, while writing, +that 'the intelligent gardener' that was made mention of in _The +Times_ was a journeyman, and not myself, as many have supposed. I +thought it proper to tell you, madam, because I told you and several +others that I was in the house and had heard something." + +_The Times_ correspondent's statement is as follows:-- + +"An intelligent gardener whom I questioned told me that he had kept +watch in the house on two separate occasions, abstaining from sleep +until daylight appeared at seven o'clock, but without hearing a +sound." + +The under gardener's experience of two nights is as exhaustive of the +subject as that of _The Times_ correspondent and his friends, who also +remained two nights, but do not allege that they "abstained from +sleep." + +Mr. "Etienne" was the last guest at B----, and arrived the evening +before the house was vacated. He afterwards told Lord Bute that he had +brought, without the knowledge of any one in the house, two seismic +instruments, but that they recorded nothing, and that during the night +he heard a sound as of a gun being fired outside the house. This he +attributed to some poacher unknown, an explanation which seems hardly +probable, as at this time of year there is nothing to shoot except +rabbits. One never hears of a poacher shooting rabbits, and in any +case, he would hardly do so in the immediate neighbourhood of an +inhabited house, and discharging his gun once only. + +Mr. "Etienne's" experiments are the more interesting because that +among many suggestions made by Sir J. Crichton Browne, the only one +which had not been already considered, was the use of seismic +instruments. This--the house being within the seismic area--seemed so +reasonable, that Miss Freer at once entered into correspondence with +the well-known Professor Milne, with a view to experiment in this +direction. The following is from his reply:-- + +"_May 15th, 1897._--I was much interested in your note of the 13th, +and fancy that the sounds with which you have to deal may be of +seismic origin. Such sounds I have often heard, and the air waves, if +not the earth waves, can be mechanically recorded. What you require to +make the records is a seismograph with large but exceeding light +indices, or a Perry tromometer.... The reason I think that the sounds +are seismic is, first, on account of their character, and secondly, +because you are in one of the most unstable parts of Great Britain, +where between 1852 and 1890, 465 shocks (many with sounds) were +recorded. Lady Moncrieff, when living at Comrie House in 1844, often +heard rumblings and moanings, and such sounds, possibly akin to the +'barisal guns'[H] of Eastern England, often occur without a shake. The +mechanism of this production may be due to slight movements on a fault +face, and they may be heard, especially in rocky districts, in very +many countries...." + +Miss Freer's reply was an urgent request that machinery and an +operator might be at once sent up to B----. Professor Milne replied +that delicate instruments, such as he himself employed, could only be +used by one other person, but suggested that she should hire from a +well-known London firm what are known as "Ewing's-type" seismometers, +adding, "I doubt whether these will record anything but movements to +which you are sensible." + +Miss Freer's designs, however, were frustrated, for on applying for an +extension of tenancy for this purpose, Captain S----, the proprietor, +peremptorily forbade the continuance of scientific observation--a +remarkable parallel to his father's refusal to permit the use of the +phonograph when suggested by Sir William Huggins. + +In relation to his experiments at B---- Mr. "Etienne" writes:-- + +"Lord Bute has asked me to describe a seismographic instrument which I +used during my short visit to B----. The instrument consisted of a +light wooden frame or platform which rested on three billiard-balls. +The balls in their turn rested on a horizontal plate of plate-glass. +Through two wire rings in the centre of the platform already mentioned +a needle stood perpendicularly, resting on its point on the plate of +glass. The centre of the plate of glass (and the area round it and +within in the triangle describable with the balls at its angles) was +smoked. You will see that the parts of such an instrument are held +together by gravitation, and a very little friction, and that a tremor +communicated to the plate will not simultaneously affect the platform. +The needle-point describes on the smoked surface which it moves across +the converse of any movement of the plate which is not simultaneously +a movement of the platform, and the error between this and the +description of the tremor drawn by an absolutely fixed point--say the +earth itself--has been calculated on a replica of this instrument as +equal to the error of a pendulum thirty feet long." + +It will be noticed that the phenomena began, so far as Miss Freer was +concerned, upon the night of her arrival in the house, February 3rd, +and ceased (if we except the sound heard by Mr. Etienne), after the +service performed by the Bishop on the morning of May 6th. This period +comprises ninety-two days, but from these must be subtracted the +seventeen days between Miss Freer's leaving B---- on the morning of +April 9th, and that of the departure of Mr. Myers's medium, Miss "K.," +on the morning of April 26th. + +Of the remaining seventy-five days, Miss Freer was absent from the +house for four days, from March 16th to March 20th, and for two nights +after Miss "K.'s" leaving; during this latter interval, however, Lord +Bute was himself on the spot. On the other hand, she remained in the +house for eight days after the service performed by the Bishop, during +which time no phenomena occurred. + +Of the sixty-nine days of which a record is kept in the journal, viz., +from February 3rd to May 14th, exclusive of twenty-three days for the +reasons already indicated, daytime phenomena occurred upon eighteen +days, and night phenomena upon thirty-five nights. + +To these must be added the night of April 27th, the occasion of the +vision seen by Carter the housemaid during Lord Bute's visit. +Thirty-four nights, or almost exactly half the period, were entirely +without record of any phenomena whatever. This is without counting the +seven nights of the last week, during which there were observers for +longer or shorter periods in the house, none of whom recorded any +sight or sound of a supernormal kind, unless it were the percussive or +detonating noise heard by Mr. "Etienne." + +The term "night" is here understood to cover the period between the +hour of going to rest at night, to that of leaving one's room next +morning, even if the phenomena occurred in the daylight hours of the +early morning. The term "day" is used to cover the hours of active, +waking life, from breakfast to bedtime. + +To sum up the character of the phenomena, it may be well to begin with +those that are _visual_. + +1. The phantasm of the Rev. P. H----. This was seen once only, and by +Miss Langton, on the night of February 17th. Of the identity no doubt +can be felt, since Miss Moore and Miss Freer afterwards recognised the +accuracy of the description on meeting the Rev. P. H---- for the first +time, in a crowded railway station on May 25th. This is the only one +of the apparitions which is undoubtedly that of a living person, and +like many such apparitions, it occurred at an hour when it is probable +that he was asleep. B---- is a place to which Father H----'s thoughts +were naturally and disagreeably drawn, and to which his attention had +been called anew. On awaking, he would probably have no recollection +of the circumstances, or at the utmost would have an impression of +having dreamt that he was there. + +2. The woman once seen by Miss Freer in the drawing-room. She was +older than Sarah N----, who died at the age of twenty-seven, but of +whose haunting of B---- there is some tradition, but assisted by the +parish register of marriages and births it is not difficult to form a +guess at the identity of the phantasm. As there is some uncertainty as +to whether the person in question is still living, though it is +probable that she is dead, the vision is mentioned here before those +as to which there is no reason to doubt that they represent the dead. +There is reason to believe that the same apparition has been seen by +former occupants of the house, and it is alleged to be that of a +member of the S---- family. + +3. The phantasm seen by Carter the housemaid, on the night of April +27th, who was described as "rather old," may possibly have been +identical with the above. + +4. The nun to whom was given the name of "Ishbel." This subject has +been already discussed, and the suggestion thrown out that the +phantasm was an erroneous mental picture of the late Rev. Mother +Frances Helen, evolved from the imagination of a half-educated person +who had never seen the lady in question, and knew little about her. +This figure was seen many times by Miss Freer and Miss Langton, twice +by the Rev. Mr. "Q.," and probably by Madame Boisseaux, who unhappily +died suddenly before the editors had an opportunity of asking her for +exact information. There were also earlier witnesses. She was never +seen elsewhere than in the glen, except once by Miss Langton, and on +the one occasion when a Bishop was saying Mass in the house, and Miss +Freer saw her outside the window just after the elevation of the +chalice. It was stated, however, by two separate witnesses, that a +figure, probably the same, had been seen inside the house on at least +one occasion, when, some years before Colonel Taylor's tenancy, Mrs. +S---- was keeping her room, and a maid who was bringing up a tray met +the figure on the stairs, and experienced such a start that she +dropped the tray. + +5. The lay-woman dressed in grey to whom was given the name of +"Marget," and who was sometimes seen in the company of "Ishbel," +usually as though upbraiding or reproving her. She was seen by Miss +Freer and Miss Langton, and her voice in conversation with "Ishbel" +was heard not only by them, but by Mr. C---- and Miss Moore, Mr. "Q." +and Miss "Duff" (_cf._ Mrs. G.'s evidence, p. 68). + +6. The appearance of the wooden crucifix seen in No. 3. It was about +eighteen inches long, and the figure was of the same wood as the +cross. Its earliest appearance is to the Rev. P. H----. It afterwards +appeared to the Rev. Mr. "Q.," and lastly to Miss Freer, none of the +witnesses knowing anything in detail of the experience of the others. +It was also seen in the crystal by Miss Langton--possibly by thought +transference from others. + +When the Rev. P. H---- saw it he was always drowsy, but when it +appeared to Mr. "Q." its appearance was immediately preceded by a +sensation of acute chill on his part, and its appearance to Miss Freer +by a similar sensation on the part of "Endell." It is perhaps worth +while to remark, that we are told that among spiritualists the +sensation of cold is supposed to be an unfavourable indication as to +the character of the spirits who are present, and that in the cases of +both Mr. "Q." and Mr. "Endell" the appearance of the crucifix seemed +to put an end to the chill. + +7. The dogs. These were much more often heard than seen, the sounds +being those of their pattering footsteps, sometimes as of their +bounding about in play, and sometimes of their throwing themselves +against the lower part of doors. It seemed, however, that they were +visible to Miss Freer's living dog at times when they were not visible +to her, and indeed the abject terror which the Pomeranian displayed in +No. 8 was so distressing, that she changed her room from No. 8 to No. +5 in consequence. + +A dog was, moreover, seen by Miss Freer and Miss Langton in the +smoking-room on April 8th; Miss Freer and Miss Moore have described +more than one occasion when they felt themselves pushed as by a dog; +and on the night of May 4th, Miss Freer saw the two forepaws only, of +another and larger black dog resting on the edge of a table in No. 8. + +Other apparitions seen in the house by former occupants were described +to members of Colonel Taylor's party as well as to earlier tenants, +but here, as elsewhere, we have refrained from all quotation from the +relatives of the present proprietor. + +It is interesting to remark that one apparition which was constantly +expected during Colonel Taylor's tenancy was expected in vain. This +was that of the little old gentleman with stooping form and limping +gait mentioned by earlier witnesses. His peculiar step was heard very +frequently, and by a great number and variety of witnesses, alone and +collectively; and his appearance, naturally enough, was constantly +looked for, but it never occurred. + +In the same way there was one expected sound which never occurred, +though frequent in the experience of earlier witnesses--that of the +rustling of a silk dress, suggesting to the mind of the hearer the +idea of some one who, either in fact or in thought, had worn such a +garment. + +_Tactile._ The most important of these were the experiences of Miss +"N." on the night of March 3rd, and of Miss "Duff" on the night of +March 22nd, both in No. 3; and of a maid, Lizzie, on the night of +March 23rd, in the room above No. 3, on the attic storey, who all +testified to the sensation of the moving of the bed, or the handling +of the bed-clothes. These were the only occasions during Colonel +Taylor's tenancy, but the phenomenon is one often testified to by +earlier witnesses, both during the H----s' tenancy and that of the +family of the late Mr. S----. + +It presents a peculiar difficulty in the way of the theory that all +the phenomena at B---- were subjective hallucinations, and this is +especially the case with regard to the evidence of a witness who has +not been brought forward in the preceding pages, but whose account of +a similar experience is reported by two first-hand witnesses. On one +occasion he had the whole of the upper bed-clothes lifted from off him +and thrown upon the floor, while a pile of wearing apparel, which was +laid on a chair beside the bed, was thrown in his face. + +It is of course conceivable that the whole of these experiences, +including the last, were the result of an hallucination; but on the +other hand, it would be very unwise, in the present state of our +ignorance on the subject, to dogmatise as to the possible action of +unseen forces upon what is commonly called matter. It is interesting +to note that this senseless and childish trick coincides with what was +said by Miss A---- as to the presence of mischievous elementals, and +also what she says as to _apports_.[I] + +1. The sensation of the movement of the bed itself, whether as being +rocked, as in the experience of Miss "Duff" on March 22nd, and of Miss +Langton on several occasions, and by guests of the H---- family, or of +being lifted up, as in that of the maid Lizzie, is a phenomenon by no +means uncommon, and if objective is of the nature of levitation; but +we have unfortunately no evidence from a second person observing the +phenomenon from outside. Whether it were actually moved it is +impossible to say, but the sensation seems to have been more than +subjective. + +2. The sensation of struggling with something unseen, described by +Miss "Duff," March 22nd, and of the sensation of an incumbent weight, +as described by Miss "Duff" (same date) and Miss "N." on March 2nd. +This coincides with the arrest of his hand experienced by Harold +Sanders. These phenomena adapt themselves to the theory of +subjectivity more easily than the foregoing, because they more closely +resemble those of nightmare (familiar to most persons), although they +occurred while the witnesses were awake. + +3. The sensation of being pushed by a dog was experienced in two +different rooms by Miss Freer and Miss Moore respectively. If Mr. +"Endell" were touched by Ishbel on the evening of March 1st, as +appeared to Miss Freer to be the case, he had no independent +consciousness of the fact that might not have been referred to +expectation, so that this cannot be regarded as evidential. + +For lack of other classification, we mention under this heading of +"tactile" the sensation of chill experienced by Mr. "Endell" and Mr. +Q---- in No. 3, and which appears to be the same as that described by +Harold Sanders as the sensation of "entering an ice-house." + +The _audile_ phenomena were so frequent and so various, that a +conspectus of them is given in an appendix. Some of them appeared to +be human in origin, such as voices, reading or speaking, footsteps, +and, according to earlier witnesses, screams and moans. Others might +have been caused by dogs, such as pattering footsteps, jumping and +pouncing as in play, the wagging of a dog's tail against the door, and +the sound as of a dog throwing itself against the lower panels. Other +sounds have been differentiated, as the _detonating_ or explosive +noise; the _clang_ sound, as of the striking of metal upon wood; the +_thud_ or heavy fall without resonance; and the _crash_, which was +never better described than as if one of the beasts' heads on the +staircase wall had fallen into the hall below. It very often, or +almost always, seemed to occur under the glass dome which lighted the +body of the house, and the falling object seemed to strike others in +its descent, so that it was not ineffectively imitated by rolling a +bowl along the stone floor of the hall, and allowing it to strike +against the doors or pillars, when the peculiar echoing quality was +fairly reproduced by the hollow domed roof and surrounding galleries. + +The editors offer no conclusions. This volume has been put together, +as the house at B---- was taken, not for the establishment of +theories, but for the record of facts. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[C] They consisted of a small part of the evidence already quoted. + +[D] We have since ascertained by experiment that no sound short of +beating with a hammer on the wall itself is audible between the two +rooms; also, that the upsetting of a metal candlestick on the bare +boards in the nearer servants' room (over No. 1) cannot be heard in +No. 8. + +[E] _Cf._ Mrs. Robinson's account _ante_. + +[F] These remarkable disclosures included, among other details, the +murder of a Roman Catholic family chaplain, at a period when the S----s +were and had long been Presbyterian, the suicide of one of the +family who is still living, and the throwing, by persons in mediaeval +costume, of the corpse of an infant, over a bridge, which is quite +new, into a stream which until lately ran underground. + +Professor Lodge had not had the same opportunity of acquiring a +critical standpoint as to such statements, as those whose knowledge of +the place was more intimate. + +[G] The words, in uttering which Lord Bute was thus affected, were, +"Regem cui omnia vivunt venite adoremus," an invitation in which he +meant to include all intelligent beings. + +Miss Freer, Miss Langton, and a third guest, chatting one night about +10.30 in this room, were startled by one of the familiar crashes +outside. Miss Freer treated the matter lightly, fearing lest the lady +in question, by no means a nervous person, however, should be alarmed; +and receiving no reply turned to look at her, and observed that her +lower jaw was convulsed, and that she was painfully struggling to +recover speech. + +[H] See Appendix II. + +[I] See Appendix I. + + + + +APPENDIX + + + + +APPENDIX I + + +A lady, known to readers of _Proceedings S.P.R._ as Miss A----, who is +an habitual automatic writer, but whose social position removes her +from the temptations and tendencies of the ordinary so-called medium, +was good enough on March 10, 1897, to contribute the following +automatic script in reply to a request from Lord Bute:-- + +"I do not much care for the influence of this house; it is most +decidedly haunted, but not by any particularly good spirits, the +haunting being carried on by mischievous elementals, and as far as I +can make out there is some one who lives there through all the +changes, who supplies a great deal of force, and who is not aware of +the power. I think that a great deal more is added to what really +takes place, as the hauntings appear to me to consist of disturbing +noises, with now and then a case of apport, for the elementary forces +are not sufficient to produce forms unless a great deal of outside +force is given. + +"The forms that would appear would always be different, as each +mediumistic person would supply his own surroundings. The only one I +am not sure about is the shadowy figure of an old man whom I have +twice seen in rather a dark passage, and from his surrounding light I +should say he may often be there. + +"I think the noises would stop of themselves, at least the more +disturbing part, if a less attentive attitude were taken towards +them." + +These statements present certain interesting points as coming from one +who had never seen the house, and knew nothing of its phenomena. "The +shadowy figure of an old man in a dark passage" seems to point to the +figure, possibly, of the Major, seen by earlier witnesses in the dark +lobby--the only dark corner in the house--outside the door of the +downstairs smoking-room, and whose voice was heard there by Miss +Freer, Miss Langton, and Mr. T---- during the tenancy of Colonel +Taylor. + +An occasion upon which the phenomena might be described as those of +"mischievous elementals," and also of _apports_, is referred to in the +summing up of tactile phenomena, though it did not occur during the +tenancy of Colonel Taylor. + +On the other hand, the phenomena were often more active when least +looked for, and some of those most expected never occurred. As there +was not even a servant, nor even a dumb animal, common to the +occupation of the S---- family and the tenancy of the H----s or +Colonel Taylor, we are at a loss to know who the person can be who +lives at B---- through all the changes, and supplies force during the +past twenty years. + + + + +APPENDIX II + +BARISAL GUNS. (_See page 221._) + + +Readers not acquainted with this phenomenon may be referred to an +interesting correspondence in the pages of _Nature_ (Oct. 1895, and +_Seq._), opened by Professor G.H. Darwin-- + +"In the delta of the Ganges," he says, "dull sounds, more or less +resembling distant artillery, are often heard. These are called +Barisal guns, but I do not know the meaning of the term." + +The same sounds have been recorded by M. Rutot of the Geological +Survey along the Belgian coast, and are alleged to be pretty common in +the North of France. M. van der Broeck, Conservator of the Museum of +Natural History of Belgium, says-- + +"I have constantly noticed these sounds in the plain of Limburg since +1880;--more than ten of my personal acquaintances have observed the +fact. The detonations are dull and distant, and are repeated a dozen +times or more at irregular intervals. They are usually heard in the +daytime, when the sky is clear, and especially towards evening after a +very hot day. The noise does not at all resemble artillery, blasting +in mines, or the growling of distant thunder." + +M. van der Broeck elsewhere refers to "similar noises heard on +Dartmoor, and in some parts of Scotland." Readers of Blackmore's story +of "Lorna Doone" will remember, among other valuable observations of +out-door life, his accounts of "the hollow moaning sound" during the +intense cold of the winter, of which he gives so graphic an account. +It was "ever present in the air, morning, noon, and night time, and +especially at night, whether any wind was stirring or whether it were +a perfect calm" (Chap. xlvi.). + +Another correspondent in _Nature_ refers to remarkable noises among +the hills of Cheshire: "When the wind is easterly, and nearly calm on +the flats, a hollow moaning sound is heard, popularly termed the +Soughing of the Wind, which Sir Walter Scott, in his glossary to 'Guy +Mannering,' interprets as a hollow blast or whisper." + +Another writer quotes experiences in East Anglia, tending to show that +such sounds may be reports arising from the process of "faulting" +going on, on a small scale, at a great depth, and not of sufficient +intensity to produce a perceptible vibration at the earth's surface. + +It would seem that in districts such as Comrie in Perthshire, East +Hadden in Connecticut, Pignerol in Piedmont, Meleda in the Adriatic, +&c., sounds without shocks are common during intervals, which may last +for several years. Remarkable sounds, not apparently accounted for, +are reported to proceed from Lough Neagh in Ireland. + +See _Nature_, Oct. 1895, and following numbers; articles by M. van der +Broeck in _Ciel et Terre_ (Belgium), Dec. 1, 1895, and following +numbers, also _Geol. Mag._, vol. ix. 1892, pp. 208-18. + + + + +CONSPECTUS OF AUDILE PHENOMENA AT B---- HOUSE RECORDED IN JOURNAL + +---------+--------------+-----------------+-------------------------------+ +Recorded |Heard in Room.| Witness. | Description of Sound. | +under | | | | +Date. | | | | +---------+--------------+-----------------+-------------------------------+ +Feb. 4 | No. I. |{ Miss Freer |{ Loud clanging sound, as of | + | |{ Miss Moore |{ metal struck with wood | + | | |{ Voices in conversation | + | | | | + | No. III. | "Mac," the maid |{ Voices, footsteps, things | + | | |{ dragged about | + | | | | + " 5 | Attics | Two housemaids | Continuous reading | + | | | | + " 7 | No. VII. | Miss Moore |{ Reverberating bang close to | + | | |{ bed | + | | | | + |Drawing-room | Mac | Noises and footsteps | + | | | | + | Hall | Miss Moore | Clanging sound upstairs | + | | | | + " 8 | "Butler's | | | + | room" | Mac | Footsteps and sounds on door | + | | | | + | No. VII. | Miss Moore | Reverberating bang | + | | Miss Moore }| Noises percussive | + | | Miss Freer }| or explosive | + | | | | + | The Glen |{ Miss Freer }| | + | |{ Mr. C---- }| Voices in conversation | + | | | | + " 9 | No. VII. |{ Miss Moore }| Noises percussive | + | |{ Miss Freer }| or explosive | + | | | | + " 10 | No. I. | Miss Moore |{ Clangs. Voices in | + | | |{ conversation | + | | | | + | No. V. | Mr. W---- | Knockings. | + | | | | + | No. VIII. | Colonel Taylor | Footsteps overhead | + | | | | + " 13 | No. I. | Miss Moore | Clanging noise | + | | Miss Moore }| | + | | Miss Freer }| Crash | + | | | | + | No. V. | Mrs. W---- | Knockings | + | | | | + " 15 | No. IV. | Miss Langton | A loud crash | + | | | | + | |{ Miss Langton }| | + " 16 | The Glen |{ Miss Freer }| | + | |{ Miss Moore }| Voices in conversation | + | | | | + | |{ Mrs. W---- }| | + | |{ Miss Langton }| | + " 17 | Drawing-room |{ Miss Moore }| Footsteps overhead in disused | + | |{ Miss Freer }| room | + | | | | + | |{ Col. Taylor }| | + | Drawing-room |{ Mrs. W---- }| Clanging noise, four times | + | |{ Miss Langton }| repeated | + | |{ Miss Moore }| | + | |{ Miss Freer }| | + | | | | + " 18 | No. VIII. | Miss Freer | Banging sounds | +---------+--------------+-----------------+-------------------------------+ + +---------+--------------+-----------------+-------------------------------+ +Recorded |Heard in Room.| Witness. | Description of Sound. | +under | | | | +Date. | | | | +---------+--------------+-----------------+-------------------------------+ + | | |{ Sounds as of an animal's | +Feb. 18 | No. VIII. |{ Miss Moore |{ movements in the room in | + | |{ Miss Freer |{ daylight | + | | | | + | The Glen |{ Miss Langton }| Voices in conversation | + | |{ Miss Freer }| | + | | | | + | The Glen |{ Miss Langton }| Voices in conversation | + | |{ (later) }| | + | | | | + " 19 | The Glen | Miss Langton |{ Voices in conversation and | + | | |{ footsteps | + | | | | + " 20 | No. VIII. |{ Miss Moore }| Sounds of active movement of | + | |{ Miss Freer }| an animal in the room | + | | | | + " 21 | No. VIII. | Miss Moore |{ Footsteps of an old man | + | | | shuffling in slippers | + | | | | + | | Miss Moore }| | + | | Miss Freer }| Movements of animal | + | | Dog }| | + | | | | + | | Miss Moore }| | + | | Miss Freer }| Bang on wall near No VII. | + | | | | + " 25 | Wing | Mr. "Endell" |{ Clang noise "like a pavior's | + | | |{ hammer dropped" | + | | | | + | No. I. | Mr. Garford |{ Violent banging on door of | + | | | Nos. I. and II. | + | | | | + | | |{ Groans; "a greatly magnified | + | No. III. | Mr. "Q." |{ edition of sounds I have | + | | |{ several times heard in the | + | | |{ drawing-room" | + | | | | + | | |{ Detonating or percussive | + " 26 | No. I. | Mr. Garford |{ noise like "a wheel-barrow | + | | |{ on a hard road" | + | | | | + March 1 | No. IV. | Mr. MacP---- |{ Loud clanging sound in the | + | | | room | + | | | | + " 2 | No. VIII. |{ Miss Freer }|{ Movements of animal in the | + | |{ Miss Moore }|{ room | + | | | | + | | Miss Freer }| Heavy fall | + | | Miss Moore }| | + | | | | + | No. III. | Miss "N." | Thud, sounding from below | + | | | | + " 5 | No. VIII. | Miss Moore |{ Movements of animal in the | + | | |{ room | + | | | | + | Attics | Two maids | Monotonous reading | + | | | | + | | |{ Monotonous reading (also | + | No. I. | Mrs. B.C. |{ mentioned by Mr. Garford as | + | | |{ occurring in No. I.) | + | | | | + | | Mrs. B.C. | Bang on door of room | + | | | | + | Attics |{ Mrs. Robinson |{ Voices in conversation | + | |{ (cook) |{ Bangs on the wall of room | + | | | | + " 7 | Attics | Robinson |{ Heavy body falling in the | + | | (butler) | room | + | | | | + | | |{ Movements of heavy body in | + | | |{ the room | + | No. II. | Mr. C---- |{ Footsteps as if descending | + | | |{ stairs | + | | |{ Loud rapping on doors of | + | | |{ Nos. I. and II. | +---------+--------------+-----------------+-------------------------------+ + +---------+--------------+-----------------+-------------------------------+ +Recorded |Heard in Room.| Witness. | Description of Sound. | +under | | | | +Date. | | | | +---------+--------------+-----------------+-------------------------------+ +March 8 | No. II. | Mr. C---- | Noises in No. I. (empty room) | + | | | | + " 10 | No. VIII. |{ Miss Moore | Animal moving in the room | + | |{ Miss Freer | Heavy fall | + | | | | + " 13 | No. VIII. |{ Miss Moore }| Loud bangs | + | |{ Miss Freer }| | + | | | | + | |{ Robinson, }| | + | Attics |{ and Mrs. }| Loud bangs | + | |{ Robinson }| | + | | | | + | No. IV. | Miss Langton | Loud bangs | + | | | | + " 15 | No. VIII. |{ Miss Moore }| Vibrating bang | + | |{ Miss Freer }| | + | | | | + | No. IV. | Miss Langton | Vibrating bang | + | | | | + | Wing | Colonel Taylor | Vibrating bang | + | | | | + [Miss Freer was absent for four nights, and no Journal was kept.] | + | | | | + | |{ Miss Moore |{ Metallic sound in room "like | + " 20 | No. I. |{ Miss Freer | the 'giving' of a large | + | |{ Miss Langton | tin box" | + | | | | + " 22 | No. IV. | Mr. MacP---- | Heavy footsteps overhead | + | | | | + | No. III. | Miss "Duff" |{ Resounding crash at door | + | | |{ Resounding crash in room | + | | | | + | | |{ Monotonous reading (also | + " 23 | Drawing-room | Miss "Duff" |{ mentioned as occurring in | + | | |{ No. III.) | + | | | | + " 24 | No. V. | Miss Freer |{ Crash of something falling | + | | |{ under dome | + | | | | + | No. VIII. | Colonel C---- | Loud thump on door of room | + | | | | + | | |{ Explosive noises | + | No. I. | Mr. W---- |{ Crash of something falling | + | | |{ under dome | + | | | | + | |{ Two housemaids}| | + | Attics |{ and }| Loud knockings | + | |{ kitchen-maid }| | + | | | | + | Butler's room|} Mrs. Robinson |{ Footsteps and knocking on | + | on ground |} |{ door of No. III. | + | floor |} | | + | | | | + | No. III. | Miss "Duff" |{ Shuffling foot steps | + | | |{ outside room | + | | | | + | No. II. |{ Miss "Duff" }| Fall against door of No. I. | + | |{ Miss Langton }| | + | | | | + " 25 | No. II. | Miss Langton |{ Loud thump on door between | + | | |{ I. and II. | + | | | | + | |{ Carter }| | + | |{ (housemaid) }| | + " 27 | Attics |{ Under- }| Monotonous reading | + | |{ housemaid }| | + | |{ Kitchen-maid }| | + | | | | + " 29 | Library |{ Miss Freer }|{ Footsteps in locked-up | + | |{ Miss Langton }|{ room overhead | + | | | | + " 30 | Library |{ Miss Freer }|{ Footsteps in locked-up | + | |{ Miss Langton }|{ room overhead | + | | | | + | |{ Mr. and Mrs. }| | + | Corridor |{ M---- }| Rappings in No. II. (empty). | + | |{ Miss Langton }| (See Mr. M----'s account) | + | |{ Miss Freer }| | +---------+--------------+-----------------+-------------------------------+ + +---------+--------------+-----------------+-------------------------------+ +Recorded |Heard in Room.| Witness. | Description of Sound. | +under | | | | +Date. | | | | +---------+--------------+-----------------+-------------------------------+ +March 31 | No. VIII. | Miss Langton |{ Shuffling footsteps in the | + | | |{ room | + | | |{ Knock near the wardrobe | + | | | | + | | |{ Metallic clangs in the room | + | | |{ like "tuning a kettle-drum";| + | |{ Mrs. M---- |{ later, "terrific noise," | + | No. I. |{ Mr. M---- |{ "like treble rap on a | + | | |{ hollow panel,"--like "the | + | | |{ lid of a heavy coal-scuttle | + | | |{ let fall" | + | | | | + | | |{ Voices in library | + | Drawing-room | Mrs. M---- |{ Detonating noise (like a | + | | |{ distant cannon) | + | | | | + April 1 | No. VIII. |{ Mr. M---- }| Voices and footsteps in | + | |{ Mrs. M---- }| room overhead (empty) | + | | | | + | Drawing-room | Mrs. M---- | Voices and footsteps | + | | | overhead | + | | | | + | |{ Mrs. M---- }| | + | In the garden|{ Miss Freer }| Detonating noise | + | |{ Miss Langton }| | + | | | | + | |{ Mrs. M---- }| Limping footsteps overhead | + | Drawing-room |{ Miss Freer }| Voices of a man and woman | + | |{ Miss Langton }| | + | | | | + " 2 | Library |{ Miss Freer }| Heavy blow on table | + | |{ Miss Langton }| | + | | | | + | | Mrs. M---- | Heavy blow on table (heard | + | | Miss Freer | in dining-room) | + | | Miss Langton | | + | | | | + | |{ Miss Freer }| Footsteps overhead in | + | Dining-room |{ Miss Langton }| empty room | + | |{ Robinson }| | + | |{ (butler) }| | + | | | | + " 3 | Library | Miss Langton |{ Violent hammering on door | + | | |{ in daylight | + | | | | + | |{ Miss Freer }| Footsteps overhead in | + | |{ Miss Langton }| empty room | + | Dining-room |{ Mr. T---- }| | + | |{ Robinson }| | + | |{ (butler) }| | + | | | | + " 4 | No. V. |{ Miss Freer }| Crash under dome | + | |{ Miss Langton }| | + | | | | + " 5 | No. I. | Mr. T---- | Monotonous reading | + | | | | + " 6 | No. I. | Mr. T---- |{ Thuds on floor above, and | + | | |{ on door of room | + | | |{ Voices in conversation | + | | | | + " 7 | No. V. | Miss Freer | Crash under dome | + | | | | + | No. I. | Mr. T---- |{ Crash under dome | + | | |{ Voices in conversation | + | | |{ Raps at foot of door | + | | | | + " 8 | Various parts| Household |{ Crashes and bangs and | + | of the house| generally |{ footsteps heard during | + | | |{ the day | + | | | | + | Smoking-room |{ Miss Freer }| Shuffling footsteps in the | + | |{ Miss Langton }| room | + | |{ Mr. T---- }| Voices outside door | + | |{ Dog }| | +---------+--------------+-----------------+-------------------------------+ + +---------+--------------+-----------------+-------------------------------+ +Recorded |Heard in Room.| Witness. | Description of Sound. | +under | | | | +Date. | | | | +---------+--------------+-----------------+-------------------------------+ +April 8 | No. IV. | Miss Freer | Crash under dome | + | | | | + | No. VIII. | Miss Langton | Shuffling footsteps | + | | | | + | No. I. | Mr. T---- | Voices | + | | | | + | | |{ Thuds on lowest panels of | + | | |{ door | + | No. IV. | Miss Freer |{ Footsteps of many persons | + | | | | + [No Journal kept between April 8 and April 29. During this period | + Professor Lodge's notes testify to "knocks on the wall, a sawing noise, | + a droning and a wailing, ... some whistling, and apparent attempts at a | + whisper, all up in the attic.] | + | | | | + | | |{ Monotonous voice from | + May 3 | No. I. | Mme. Boisseaux |{ No. III. | + | | |{ Voices in argument | + | | | | + | No. V. | Mrs. "F." | Knocks at door | + | | | | + " 4 | No. V. | Mme. Boisseaux | Knocks at door | + | | | | + | |{ Mme. | | + | | Boisseaux }| | + | |{ Mrs. "F." }|{ Detonating noise in empty | + " 5 | Drawing-room |{ Mrs. M---- }|{ room overhead (No. I.) in | + | |{ Miss Freer }|{ daylight | + | |{ Rev. MacL---- }| | + | | | | + | Billiard-room| Gardener, }| | + | | butler, cook} | Crash in the room | + | | and others } | | + | | | | + " 6 | No. V. | Mme. Boisseaux |{ "Room resounded with | + | | |{ knocks" | + | | | | + | Library |{ Miss Freer }| Bangs on table | + | |{ Miss Moore }| | + | | | | + " 13 | No. I. | Mr. "Etienne" | [?] Detonating noise | +---------+--------------+-----------------+-------------------------------+ + + + + +NOTES + +[Compare Plan of House.] + + +1. The rooms spoken of in the text as "the library," and the +"upstairs," or "wing" smoking-room, are those marked in the Plan as +the "morning-room," and the bedroom to the extreme east in the wing. + +2. Most of the maid-servants slept in rooms Y and Z, over 1 and 2, +until the alarm of March 25, when they moved to the rooms on the other +side the house (X and W), thus leaving those over Nos. 1 and 2 empty. + +3. Robinson and Mrs. Robinson (butler and cook) occupied room W till +March 13, when both moved into the butler's room off the hall, which +during the first month had been occupied by Mac the maid, who became +ill and returned south. + +4. Opinions regarding the noises, and experiments as to their origin, +will be found on the under-mentioned pages of the Journal. + +_Opinions_, pp. 92, 111, 113, 120, 124, 128, 133, 143, 144, 147, 153, +154, 159, 162, 166, 168, 173, 179, 187, 198, 201, 207, 215, 219, 234, +242. + +_Experiments_, pp. 109, 129, 140, 160, 175, 180, 218, 220. + + Printed by BALLANTYNE, HANSON & CO. + Edinburgh & London + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Alleged Haunting of B---- House, by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ALLEGED HAUNTING *** + +***** This file should be named 16538.txt or 16538.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/6/5/3/16538/ + +Produced by Clare Boothby, Jeannie Howse and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions 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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