The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1880-07-03

old writer has curious note on the sub
,iect. He says: cat Wednesday,, in
Staffordshire. the golfers going to their
pits early in the morning hear the noise
of pack of hounds i'll the air, to which
they give the name of Gabrel's Hounds,
though the more sober and .iudicious take
them only to be wild geese making this
noise in their flight" We have here the
solution of this popular superstition, for
it is a well ascertained fact that these
spectre hounds are no other than numer-
Gus tlocks of wild geese, or other large
migratory birds. Mr.. Yarrell, the we'll
known ornitholosist, says that the species
here alluded to is the bean goose, Anssr
segetnm of authors. They are frequently
very noisy when on the wing during the
night, and the sound has been compared
to that of a pack of hounds in full cry.
In Wales these spectre hounds are con-
sidered an omen of death. and are termed
C,cn Annyn, or Dogs of He'll. They are
said to howl through the air with voice
trightfully disproportionate to their size;
and one popularity belonging to them is
that the nearer they approach any one,
the less loud their voice sounds, whereas
the farther off they are, the louder is
their cry. They are in themselves harm
less, and have never been known to COM
nit any mischief. According to one ira
dition, they are the hell hounds which
hunt through the air the soul of the
wicked man as soon as it quits the body,
a trace of the Aryan mythology already
alluded to.
There is a notion prevalent in many
places that whenever calamity is at
hand, or in localities where some acct
dent or evil deed may have occurred, a
spectral dog appears. This is described
as often larger than a Newfoundland,
being shaggy and black, with large ears
and tail. It's form, however is SO decid-
ed, and its look and movements are so
thoroughly natural, that many, we are
informed, have often mistaken it for a
real dog. Thus in Lancashire this spec
tire dog bears the name of "Trash," or
Striker" The former name is given to
it from the peculiar noise made by its
feet when passing along, resembling that
of heavy shoe in a miry road. The lat
ter term is in allusion to the sound of it's
voice when heard by those persons who
are unable to see the appearance ITSELF
1t does not haunt particular spots, but
makes itself visible to warn people of the
approaching death of some relative or
friend. Should any one be SO courage
Gus as to follow this strange apparition,
it retreats with its eyes fronting the pur-
suer, and vanishes on the slightest mo-
mentary inattention.
Another belief, not at all uncommon,
is that the spirits of wicked persons are
punished by being doomed to wear for
long time the shape of dog. An anec-
dote is related about Rev. Mr.. Hughes,
4 clergyman of the Church of England
in the island of Anglcsea, the most pop
ular preacher in the heighborhood in the
last century. AS he was going one night
to preach a spirit in the shope of a large
greyhound jumped against him, and
threw him from his horse. The same
thing happened another evening. The
third time, therefore, he went on foot,
and on approaching the haunted spot,
found that the spirit was chained. On
questioning it, the spirit replied that it's
unrest was due to a silver groat it had
hidden under stone when in the fesh
and which was the property of the
Church of St. Elan. Many similar in
stances are found scattered here and
there throughout the country, which are
implicitly believed in by the peasantry.
and not unfrequently have even deferred
the wicked from the commission of crime