A Mysterious Hunter--Man and Horse supposed to be
Devils--Extraordinary Talents of the suspected
Hunter--Signs of Uneasiness--Terrible Shrieks--Groans
of Despair--Tortured Spirits--Severe
Flagellation--Disappearance of the Flagellant--Tales
of the Scotch Highlands--Witches in the shape of Hares
worried by Dogs--Croaking Raven--Death of a suspected
Witch--Resort of Witches and Evil Spirits--Spirits
hastening to a Church--Dogs in Pursuit--Black Man with
Eyes like Fire--Horse breathing Smoke and
Flame--Witch's Ghost and Demons sinking into the
Earth.
A strange tale of a mysterious hunter is given in the _Letters_ of
Lord Lyttelton, the truth of which, it is said, was attested by
gentlemen whose veracity was beyond question. We give an abridged
version of the tale:--
In the early part of --------'s life he attended a hunting club at
their sports, when a stranger of genteel appearance, and well mounted,
joined the chase, and was observed to ride with a degree of courage
and address that called forth the utmost astonishment of every one
present. The beast he rode was of amazing power; nothing stopped them;
the hounds could never escape them; and the huntsman, who was left far
behind, swore that the man and his horse were _devils from hell_. When
the sport was over, the company invited this extraordinary person to
dinner: he accepted the invitation, and astonished the company as much
by the powers of his conversation, and by his elegance of manners, as
by his equestrian prowess. He was an orator, a poet, a painter, a
musician, a lawyer, and a divine; in short, he was everything, and the
magic of his discourse kept the drowsy sportsman awake long after his
usual hour. At length, however, wearied nature could be charmed no
more, and the company began to steal away by degrees to their repose.
On his observing the society diminish, he discovered manifest signs of
uneasiness; he therefore gave new force to his spirits, and new charms
to his conversation, in order to detain the remaining few some time
longer. This had some little effect; but the period could not be long
delayed when he was to be conducted to his chamber. The remains of the
company retired also; but they had scarce closed their eyes, when the
house was alarmed by the most terrible shrieks that were ever heard;
several persons were awakened by the noise; but, its continuance being
short, they concluded it to proceed from a dog which might be
accidentally confined in some part of the house; they very soon,
therefore, composed themselves to sleep, but were again soon awakened
by shrieks and cries of still greater terror than the former. Alarmed
at what they heard, several of them rang their bells, and when the
servants came, they declared that the horrid sounds proceeded from the
stranger's chamber. Some of the gentlemen immediately arose to inquire
into this extraordinary disturbance; and while they were dressing
themselves for that purpose, deeper groans of despair, and shriller
shrieks of agony, again astonished and terrified them. After knocking
some time at the stranger's chamber door, he answered them as one
awakened from sleep, declared he had heard no noise, and, rather in an
angry tone, desired he might not be again disturbed. Upon this, they
returned to their chambers, and had scarce began to communicate their
sentiments to each other, when their conversation was interrupted by a
renewal of yells, screams, and shrieks, which, from the horror of
them, seemed to issue from the throats of damned and tortured spirits.
The gentlemen listened attentively, and traced the sounds to the
stranger's room, the door of which they instantly burst open, and
found him upon his knees in bed, in the act of scourging himself with
the most unrelenting severity, his body streaming with blood. On
their seizing his hands to stop the strokes, he begged them, in the
most ringing tone of voice, as an act of mercy, that they would
retire, assuring them that the cause of their disturbance was over,
and that in the morning he would acquaint them with the reasons of the
terrible cries they had heard, and the melancholy sight they saw.
After a repetition of his entreaties, they retired; and in the morning
two of them went to his chamber, but he was not there, and, on
examining the bed, they found it to be one gore of blood. Upon further
inquiry, the groom said that, as soon as it was light, the gentleman
came to the stable, booted and spurred, and desired his horse might be
immediately saddled, and appeared to be extremely impatient till it
was done, when he vaulted into his saddle, and rode out of the yard at
full speed. Servants were immediately sent into every part of the
surrounding country, but not a single trace of him could be found;
such a person had not been seen by any one, nor has he since been
heard of.
Tales are related in the Scotch Highlands of witches being mortally
worried by dogs while they (the witches) appeared in the likeness of a
hare. They are so similar in all essential particulars, that one is
inclined to think that they are different versions of the same story.
Here, at all events, is one version:--A hunter, one early morning,
observed an old woman prowling about a glen in a suspicious manner.
Wishing to know what she was about, he watched her movements, and
succeeded in getting so near her that he was able to recognise her
features. She was a near neighbour of his own, held in good repute by
all in the district. Observing him approaching, the old woman walked
away quickly, to avoid him recognising her; but, as the hunter was
likely to overtake her, she transformed herself into the likeness of a
hare, and darted away at great speed. The hunter's dog gave chase,
and, after a long run, seized her. At that instant a shriek arose
that made the hills echo and re-echo. Hurrying forward to call off his
dogs, the hunter came within a few paces of the spot where the
struggle was going on, when a raven rose from the ground and flew
away, croaking angrily. A pool of blood marked the place, and his two
dogs lay dead. On returning home, he learned that the old woman whom
he had seen transformed into a hare lay dangerously ill in her house.
At night she died. The same night another neighbour of the woman was
returning home, whistling to keep up his courage, for he had to pass
the old parish church and burying-ground, and walk through a wood, the
favourite resort of witches and evil spirits. As the deep shadows of
the forest were beginning to conceal the moon from view, he was
startled by the appearance of a woman running in the direction of the
church. She asked if she could reach it by twelve o'clock. He answered
that he thought she could if she ran fast. His impression was that the
voice, face, and figure were those of the woman the hunter had
surprised in the morning. A little farther on he met two hounds
coursing along at great speed. In a few minutes he met a black man
riding on a black horse. The horseman inquired whether the traveller
had seen a woman, and two dogs pursuing her. On replying in the
affirmative, the horseman asked a second question, whether he thought
the dogs would overtake her before she went the length of the old
church? With a faltering voice he said it was likely they would. The
frightened traveller, more dead than alive, observed that the black
man had eyes like balls of fire, and that his horse breathed smoke and
flame. As swift as his feet could carry him, the pedestrian hastened
homeward, trusting that the terrors of the night were past, yet
fearing and trembling exceedingly. Having to pass the old woman's
house, and seeing a light, he went in, and then learned that she was
dead. He had no doubt that the human-like figure he saw running on
foot towards the church was the spirit of the departed witch, and that
the pursuers were demons. After condoling with the bereaved relations,
he took his departure from an abode cursed with the presence of a
witch's remains. Scarcely had he crossed the threshold before he
observed the black horseman riding swiftly towards the house, with the
woman lying across the saddle-bow, and the two dogs following close
behind. In an instant, man, woman, horse, and dogs sank into the
ground.