Curiosities & wonders > Demonology and witchcraft

DEMONOLOGY AND WITCHCRAFT.
apprehensions. The captain, without any argument at
the time, privately resolved to watch the motions of the
ghost-seer in the night; whether alone, or with a wit¬
ness, I have forgotten. As the ship-bell struck twelve,
the sleeper started up, with a ghastly and disturbed
countenance, and, lighting a candle, proceeded to the
galley or cook-room of the vessel. He sate down with
his eyes open, staring before him as on some terrible
object which he beheld with horror, yet from which he
could not withhold his eyes. After a short space he
arose, took up a tin can or decanter, filled it with water,
muttering to himself all the while—mixed salt in the
water, and sprinkled it about the galley. Finally, he
sighed deeply, like one relieved from a heavy burden,
and, returning to his hammock, slept soundly. In the
next morning, the haunted man told the usual precise
story of his apparition, with the additional circum¬
stances, that the ghost had led him to the galley, but
that he had fortunately, he knew not how, obtained
possession of some holy water, and succeeded in getting
rid of his unwelcome visitor. The visionary was then
informed of the real transactions of the night, with so
many particulars as to satisfy him he had been the dupe
of his imagination ; he acquiesced in his commander’s
reasoning, and the dream, as often happens in these
cases, returned no more after its imposture had been
detected. In this case, we find the excited imagination
acting upon the half-waking senses, which were intelli¬
gent enough for the purpose of making him sensible
where he was, but not sufficiently so to judge truly of
the objects before him.