Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1867-03-15
A Strange Phenomenon. The Pal
atine Light"


World. The Providence Journal thu, de-
scribes IT,:
Hor. W. p. Sheffield. late member Of
{ ongress from Rhode Island. and a native
81 Block leland. has sent % the Newport
Mercury copy % letter on the strange
hre-sPectre seen Of Block Island. which Is
ihe subject - WLitiicr's poem in the Al
lan'ie' and vhi,h probably furnished the
hint o. Dana's powerful sea-sfory Of o.. The
Bucaneer~ The letter vas written Nv
DR. A. e. Wiley. physician. on The island
60 samuel L. Mitchell. LID. Of New
York
Il vii b seen that the wriier supposes
that the ship -as dcsi.nedly east away. to
conceal the murder Of its passengers. A
gentleman of high standing. L T. Hazard.
E-q. of Rhode Island. in recen, letter
-: " The Palaiine hal the misfortune.
some one a1H.irea and fifty years ago. 70
faii into the hands that are ever ready %
piuntcr where wrecks are plenty. whether
in Fejce Or Britain. The horrors Of the
scene ~ere unususi. bat no more than
might De- expected. a. a. fhat dav Newport
itself was nest o. distillcrs Of rum and
steaicrs of negroes. rnolifed. 70 D. sure.
with pretty fair admixture ofpira,es. Who.
by some idiosyncTacy of the times. we're
eousidcred more worthy % th- gaIlous
than The others. The uuiortunafe shin
~as plundered and fred and a man named
Bat. passing in boat among the strag.
cling crew. refused ssccor to the dro-nine.
and cut of with bis sword The arm of a Ia
dy who desperately seized tie gunwaIe of
his boat
NJ. Hazard SAYS that in the autumn Of
is@) two members Of the Legislature from
Block Island. Mrssrs. sLcheld and Card.
called a hi. fathers boasc. ant. ihe wealth
er being sPokcn o. Sheffield tbousht Il
wouid be fair on the morrow. But. few
minutes after. Turning % his colleague.
NJ. Card, be asked - Did - not see The
Paiatine last nishts~ =" Yes.- was the r..
ply. " An. the3. % aid be. turnsu, 20 Mr..
IL father. Eve shall probably have
stormy vcafher-
NJ. Hazard mentions q genticman Of
high respcctabiiify. residing ~ the cxtrrm-
~ Of Point Jalith who recently stated %
bun that b. had himself twice seen the fre-
ship.
DR.. Wiley. after describing uinutely
the ehara9crisiics Of the phenomenon.
thus states bis personal kno wlcdse respect
INK it:
The 6rst time 1 bcheid it vas one even.
Ing twilight in February. lSlO Il ~as
large and generally lambrnt. very bright.
broad AZ fle bottom anil term mating acute
ly upward. Prom each si,e seem % issue
rays Of faint light. similar Co those percer-
uole in any blaze piacri in the open ar a
night. it continued about fftcen minute.
frcm the iiule / 6rst oi-rrved q then grad-
uaiy becam- smaller and more dim. until
it was exuaguishod
sa~ it again on fhe evening of Deem
ber the -otb. It vas then small. and I
sopPosed Is 20 BE- Egbi on board Of some
vessel. but vas soon undeccived. Tt
moved along. aFPareniiy parriiei 10 tbe
shore. ior aboat tso miles iu the tiue va
riiug cite. a. a moderate pare. Al ascent
oi ground then hid it Or a few minutes from
my siev. Passing this. observed it about
hall was back e. tbe place where t lad
commenced its vagrant career. / then stop
ped to observe it more affenuvelv. The
light then renamed stil for sor8e time. then
moved oh qu.ek.y Tor several rods ard
made a halt, thus being in a state q alter
nate motion ami rest. Ifs magaitude and
iasfre wcre subIeot % tbe sane unstc.I.-
ness described shove
The lueid meteor has long been known
by thr nanse oi Fa.atine light BY the 81.
norint aai sulers,liioas BE- b. thoaghs io be
saIruai.rai %. spr-la,iop originated
from that of ship called thc Pliaiin..
which va desenedly oss a~sv in tb..
place ,n 'ae becinring of the last century.
ln order fo conceal. al tradition reports. tie
inluuan trestueut and murder Of tbe un.
ioriurafe ra.scugers. Fron this trc. itis
said. CO., fa.ifiae agbt aprearcd. and there
ere many rho fra'y believe it 90 bc e ship
I'd dre. to shiei their fanfasiic and disfem-
perrd imar'aations fgure mssts. ropes and
flowing sails.
Ihivc stated Of. yoa h-ts. but feel rc-
.l iaHoo t1 hazi-.i s1y sr.erlIafions These
Z leave fo 500 a1i other acute researrhers
of c-es,eI rhiar.. Nour opiaion I ~oud
"a. r.rh pleased sith.
The Iarsish Anba-aIor -as atapeb-