The Placer herald., 1857-11-28
The Supernatural.

IHclo 10 ldlc, reported Dy IOTu LNttlo-
ton, 1--WE mean Of course the younger of that
name) which shows the tendency in the
minds of even the shrewdest men of the
world to give respectful audience to the
marvellous and supernatural. 1t may be
found in the twenty first of Lord Lyttleton's
letters.
lie says that in the early part of the life
Of, one Of his friends, he attended a
hunting club, when we'll mounted stran-
ger, of genteel address, joined the club,
and rode with degree of COURAGE and
imal he rode is described as one of ANA
zng powers and endurance; the huntsnen
who were left far behind swore that the
man and his horse were devils from hell
A fter the sport, lie was invited to dinner
and astonshed the company as much 10y his
conversational powers and the elegance ct
his manners as by his equestrian poweis.
lie was, says Lord Lyttetou, an orator,
a poet, a painter, a musician, a lawyer, a
dNine--n short, he was everything, and the
magic Of his discourse kept the drowsy
sportsmen awake long after their usual hour
At length they retired but had scarcely clos
ed their eyes when they were awakened by
the most terrible shrieks resounding through
the house. Inquiring of the servants they
were told that these horrid sounds proceeded
from the strangers chamber; and on ap-
preaching his room deeper groans of des-
pair and shrller shreks of agony astonish-
ed and terrified them. After knocking at
the door, lie answered them as one Just
awakened from sleep, declaring he heard
no noise, and in rather angry tones, desired
not to be disturbed again.
The company accordingly retired, and bad
ments to each other, when a repetition of the
most horid sounds broke in upon their con-
versation-"yells, screams, shrieks, which
from the horror of them seemed to issue
from the throats of damned and tortured
spirits" They Immediately followed the
sounds and traced them to the strangers
chamber the door of which they immedia-
tely burst open, and found him on his knees
in bed, in the act of scourging himself with
the most unrelentihg severity, his body
streaming with blood.
On their seizing his hand to stop the
strokes, he begged them, in the most ring
ing 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 repetition of entreaties they retired,
and in the morning some 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 groomsman
said as soon as it was light the gentleman
came to the stable booted and spurred, de-
sired his horse to be Immediately sadd.ed,
and appeared to be extremely impatient till
it was done when he vauted instantly into
the saddle, and rode out of the yard at full
speed. Servants were despatched into every
part of the surrounding country, but not a
single trace could be found. Such person
had not been seen by any one, nor has
since been heard of.
Lord Lyttleton proceeds to state that the
circumstances Of this strange story were
Immediately committed TO writing, and sign
ed by all who witnessed them, that the flu
ture credibility of any one who should think
proper to relate them might be duly sup
ported. Among those who witnessed it were
some of the first men in England.
The charm Of this marvellous narrative
in which Lord Lyttleton, who could moi
believe Christianity, evidently suspected
something supernatural, is somewhat dis
PEELED by the fact that about the date o
the narrative, an American gentleman by
the name of Huger, Of South Carolina
visited England, who was just such per
son as described above, as fine a, horsemap
a man of very elegant manners and splendid
powers of conversation, but who had the ugl,
habit of whipping himself in his sleep, pre-
csely as described by Lord Lyttleton,