The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-07-26
GHOSTS ON THE CAPE FEAR.
A Glimpse Of Mr. Sprunt's sketch En-
titled ga Colonial ApparitiOn -
story Of the Cape Fearr-Interesting
cide of Real History

IL NAO 1
''Senex' wrote of the pamphlet en-
tilded "a Colonial Apparition-A story
of the Cape Fear" by Mr. James Sprunt,
of our city. In his article he paid a
Just tribute to the genius Of Mr..
Spunt and his marked literary talent.
We have since read Mr.Sprunt's produc
ton and to be sure it is weird, thrill
ing, intensely interesting and very in
structive. While Mr.. Sprunt's story
is woven about with a bit Of romancing
involving certain apparitions on the
lower Cape Fear-making it a ghost
story of remarkable im~pressiveness
and displaying fine literary merit
the main features are truthful, charm
ing narratives of real historical incl
dents on the Cape Fear. The reader
easily picks out these bits OF history
and there are many OF them to be
treasured in memory. Most of them
have beer exploited before, but very
few have ever heard that in the Co
lonial days two Scottish H~ihglanders,
in Colonial times, were executed at Old
Brunswick, now an interesting ruin,
located ON orion plantation, between
Wilmington and Southport. The story
is that three Scotsmen were senten-
ced to be shot, for treason in violating
their oath, and that two Of them were
shot to death by soldiers, but the
was William Mcmillan, great grand
father of Mr.. Hamilton Mcmillan, Of
Robson county, d gentleman we'll
known and highly esteemed in Will
mington. But to this incident we
merely make allusion, in order not to
rob Mr.. Sprunt's story of the interest
which the reader will have in perus-
ing it for himself.
The purpose of Mr.. Sprunt's sketch
is to encourage excursions from the
up country to the historic Cape Fear,
and to entertain the travellers with
something new but true about the
rivers history. The incidents, as we
have said before, are all true, relating
to a severe snow storm on Christmas
eve some years ago, and to the peril
GUS trip Of the steamer Wilmington,
and also to two Scottish wings whom
the noted Colonel David Tanning cap
tured while on his way from Hills
borO to Wilmington with Governor
Burke as his prisoner. The morning
after the dreadful night of the storm
affords Mr.. Sprunt an opportunity for
some brilliant word painting, and his
description of it is the following gem:
"Once more the steamer made her
way towards her destination. At
Federal Point they saw the first faint
streaks of early dawn; and while Nc
Millan's mind dwelt on the sacred
story of lowly Bethlehem in the far-of
east, the brightness of the morning
star grew paler in the radiance of the
dawning Christmas day.
THE Southport wharf was reached
at last; the boat was berthed and
moored in silence. So hushed and
beautiful the day appeared after the
terrors of the dreadful night; and as
the weary toilers separated for their
holiday, their hearts were full of
thankfulness.
LAS Captain Harper trudged through
crunching snow and reached the high
er level of Fort Johnston of colonial
times, he turned at the gateway of
the ancient garrison to gaze upon a
scene of lOvlinesS. Below the sleep
ing, snow-bound village lay Battery
island, shimmering in the morning
glory like a field of floating ice, while
sunbeams danced along the ripping
waters of the bay, rejecting rainbow
tints upon the ice-clad spars of an
chored vessels outward bound.
Around Cape Fear, old Neptune's
racers rushed with crested names, ev-
er charging and reforming for the
fray. Above it all, secure, serene and
beautiful, old Bald Head Light house
pierced the blue, amidst a wilderness
Of snow
Beyond Smiths island rose the
oceans murmur like the dreamy roar
ing of a sea-shell to the listening
ear, while far away from the heaving
bosom of the sea, the b%ell-buoy rock
gu duu rang III CSdSSlCSS udl uIouy. "A
little stOrm-tossed coaster neared the
wharf and lowered her glistening
sails, while chuckling blocks gave out
a pleasant sound. Then pun waves
appeared, and seemed to whisper, as
they gently kissed the welcome shore.
Along the shining beach from Cas-
we'll to Fort Fisher the tossing break
ers rose and fell in the sheen of the
rising sun, and from the deeps the
mystic voices of the sea joined in the
song of the angels, Glory to God in
the highest, on earth peace, good will
to men,"
Before the Harper cottage gate a
robin sang his joyous note, and when
the captain bent above the cradle of
his motherless boy, the sleeping baby
stirred and smiled; perhaps he too,
had heard the angels in the sky
Our boy has been continually
troubled with collie and cholera infan-