The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-05-08
THE HAUNTED TUNNEL.
STORY OF sUPERN ETUR6L TOW
BOAT.

DlSTepuC6-A FnanbOn AppAI lJIOHi
Manned by a Crew of spooks, an
Towed by a Ghostly Mule.
From, the Philadelphia Times.
In one of the widest localities of the
country, along the line Of an erstwhile great
canal, built many years ago. is a long tun-
mel, BY means of which the artificial water
way was conducted past natural obstacles,
which could be overcome in no other man
ner. Even when the canal was IN active
operation, with lines of barges constantly
coming and going. the tunnel was an eerie
place, with its yawninR mouth and black
waters, and the boatmen we're always glad
when they emerged in safety from the long
cavern. A narrow tow path, scarcely
more than a shelf, skirted the canal, and
along this the sure-footed mules picked
their way in the darkness, relieved only by
smoking torches in the hands Of the drivers.
More than one unfortunate navigator had
slipped and fell into the thick water TO
meet instant death, and IN time the tunnel
gained the reputation Of being haunted.
When the day came that the canal could
not be operated profitaoly it was abandoned
and the water was no longer disturbed by
passing packets or heavy-laden boats. Still
the bed was not drained. but for years the
great ditch was filed to overtowing
through the inlet locks connecting directly
with the river and needing no human aid TO
direct the current. Naturally the reputa-
tion Of the tunnel did not improve under
the changed condition of affairs.
With the disappearance of the boatmen,
the spot, OF course, became lonelier than
before, and the inhabitants summed the
locality. Unruly children were frightened
into obedience by threats OF banlshments TO
the dread opening, and the older people
were unwilling TO enter the dark portals.
Once three venturesome boys, equipped
with lantern, started into the tunnel with
the avowed purpose of passing through in
order TO gain prestige. Their explorations
ended abruptly within hundred yards OF
the entrance, for the tow path had sue
cumbed and the waters stretched black and
chilly from wall TO wall. rendering passage
by foot out of the question. After this the
tunnel was allowed to repose In quiet, and
no one ventured into its depths.
One night fully ten years after naviga-
rion had ceased the wife of farmer was
taken Ill and it became necessary for the
eldest son TO go to the nearest town for
physician. The shortest route was along
little used cartway through the forest and
into this the boy guided the horse he be-
strobe. When well started he remembered
that the road he was following merged into
the tow path at the very edge OF the tunnel.
1t was too late to turn back, however, and
30 he permitted his horse to pick his way
through the darkness, meanwhile resolving
that he would keep his gaze away from the
tunnel, The soft, leafy road gave forth no
noise under the horses tread, and when the
animal finally turned into the tow path
scarcely a sound broke the silence.
The boy resolutey kept his eyes away
from the tunnel, but as the horse started
down the tow path long halloo rang
through the air and the lad Involuntary
turned his head. Far away in the depths of
the tunnel a little knot of ghts circled and
danced like swarm of fireflIes. Another
faint cry reached mis- ears, and the rocky
walls echoed and re-echoed with the sound.
A splash and then another cry followed.
The boy, not waiting to hear more, started
his horse at a full gallop down the tow
path. Frightened almost out of his senses,
he firmly believed he had witnessed a super
natural spectacle, The news quickly spread
through the neighborhood that a ghostly
mule, towing phantom boat, manned by
a crew Of spooks, had been seen in the tun-
mel, aud thereafter money could not have
tempted the inhabitants within 100 rods OF
its mouth.
One day LEWIS came that it was proposed
90 build branch railroad along the bed of
the canal, and before the sleepy inhabitants
ISdllE6u "udL IL all IuBhuL COTD6 Oh buT~
veyors was In their midst squirting through
their instruments and making mysterious
notes in their books. By and by the
strangers had run their line right up to the
mouth of the tunnel, and, like the boy ish
explorers who preceded them found further
progress barred by a break in the tow path.
The engineer in charge at once instituted a
search for q Skiff, but was unable to find
one until the following day.
Haantina the had hard oil tho
1sots and legends connected with the tun-
mel, and more than one farmer endeavored
TO dissuade the surveyors from carrying out
their intention Of running their line
through it, asserting with many gloomy
headshakings, that no luck could follow an
enterprise connected with such an ILL
omened place. The pretty daughter eff the
planter, with whom the chief engineer
boarded, told the history of the tunnel to
the stranger one moonlight night as the
pair sat in the shadow of the porch and
gazed over the narrow valley at the great
mountain which was pierced through and
through by the opening.
The listener was strangely impressed.
Whether by reason Of the horror of the tale
OF by the fascinating influence of the soft
voice and picturesque scene or both, he be-
came intensely interested, and long after
the family had retired he sat alone on the
porch smoking and musing over the story.
At last, 1t must have been very near mid
night, the inclination to visit the spot be-
came 80 strong that he rose and stroked
over to the canal, walking toward the tub
mel. The water lay black and still in the
moonlight, unmoved save by the sudden
plunge of frogs, disturbed by the dread of
the wanderer. Gaining the mouth of the
tunnel, he lit fresh cigar and took seat
on a huge rock. Not q sound broke the
stiffness of the night.
At last as his cigar was nearly finished,
the engineer rose TO go, but as he did so he
seemed to hear a faint halloo from the
tunnel. Considerably startled, he peered
into its depths and listened eagerly. Moth.
ing rewarded his vigilance, and, thinking
that the cry was but a creation of a sleepy
brain, he again turned tc depart. Scarcely
had he taken dozen steps ere the sound OF
voices reached his ears, and once more
turning he was Mortified to see lights
waving far away In the tunnel. The
spectators hair fairly stood on end for g
moment, but realizing that the mysteriou,
lights were approaching, he crouched down
behind pile of stones and awaited develop
ments.
In few minutes the water began to re.
feet the rays of torcnes, and presently the
sound, not of a struggling mule, but of oars
was distinguishable Finally a long, mar,
row boat shot out of the tunnel, and at tn,
same instant the lights disappeared. Quickly
the craft sped down the canal so that BY
the time the engineer could recover hi
senses ond stand erect the boat had vanished
in the darkness the moon having set Par