The Irish standard., 1915-05-29

AoVAOA . AAoACy anu LIS OWu Lllue. WIN
my fathers sanction l now wrote to
the board of works in Dublin asking
them to send me another. Mr.. Harris,
the man whom employed, obstinatelv
refused to go on with the search. This
diver was actually on his way down
from Dublin, when-[when in fact
Edward Freeman himself disappeared
just as suddenly and unaccountably as
his brother had done].
CHAPTER VII.
CROHOOR-BEG - SAMUEL WATKINS tt,
HENRY vIGoRs.
You will no doubt have already read
the official report in which l have i'll
formed the authorities Of the disappear
ance of Rev. Mr.. Freeman's second son
under circumstances somewhat similar
to those which attended the disappear.
ance of the eldest, Mr.. John freeman.
This extraordinary event has caused a
degree Of CONSERVATION and alarm over
the whole countryside which it would
be impossible to describe. On the morn
ing of Friday last about 10 o'clock Ed
ward Freeman, whose exertions for the
discovery OF his brothers. place of con-
cealment, voluntary or enforced, have
been so interchangeable, was seen walking
in the direction of Dhu-C orrig and no
doubt on his way to that fatal and i'll
omened rock. Two children coming
along the main road saw him turn
aside and step briskly down the little
lane or boreen leading to Dhu-C orrig.
He had a fishing rod on his shoulder
and box of bait in his hand. He has
not been seen since. The mystery is
infinitely more than doubled by this sec
ond disappearance, for with it our n.y.
pothesis regarding the first-viz, that
Melody murdered him-vanishes too. /
declare 1 begin to think there is some
thing supernatural and uncanny in the
whole of this Freeman affair. All other
theories having failed, can assure you,
though may earn nothing but your
contempt by the avowal, that find my
thoughts straying perpetualIy in the
direction of experimentation as that
which may supply us with the key to
this astounding mystery. A singular
superstition of old standing, but which
was believed to have died out, has been
revived among the people to account
for the disappearance Of the brothers.
1t is said that the coast is haunted by
what the English speaking fishermen
call "a worm," and the Irish speaking
piast. Even before the disappearance
of Edward Freeman overheard talk of
this piast in connection with John Free
mans disappearance, but when laugh
ingly desired more definite information
on the subject was refused. AS you
are aware, when was first stationed in
this district determined, for profess
sional reasons, to learn the language in
which the people express their most ir-
innate thoughts-that is to say, the old
Gaelic tongue. 1t has been very useful
to me. have always found that the
people are much more communicative
and confiding with a person who can
speak to them in this ancient language.
Concerning the piast, however, on the
occasion referred to, found the men
whom I had overheard speaking sui
lenly and obstinately communicative
l am certain, however, that the notion
Of supernatural and man devouring
monster now haunting these shores is
universal among the island and coast
population. Since John Freeman was
lost not man has been seen fishing
upon any of the rocks along the coast
and since Edward disappeared in the
same equally amazing manner no fish
ing boat has ever remained out altar
dark from our little basin. For myself
l must say that, although of course do
not believe in any such nonsense. yc,
for some days I have found my imugi.
nation most disagreeably haunted b..
the thought of this reptile providing
round the shore and seeking whom he
may devour. have dreamed of the
brute and that he had plucked me. too.
not from off rock, but out of my
flower garden as l was watering my
flowers. The beast seemed to be mon.
strous serpent with wings and hairy
name. He reared himself out of the sea.
and looking all around with his basilisk
eyes suddenly swooped down upon m
and seized me. screamed SO loud that
the whole household came running to
my room. You can imagine what fool
l seemed to myself and others.
On Friday in the afternoon, say,
the second young Freeman was lost OF
what we have done and attempted in
the meantime you will find enough in
the official report. The following is for
your private eye, for know you take an
interest in these queer superstitions
which still linger among the peasantry
and fisher people, and which are. sup
pose, remnant of paganism:
On Sunday afternoon l saw four
cared boat endeavoring to gain the long
island where you and l made such
bag of rabbits last summer and which
the people call Lau-woper. Curious to
see whether the rowers could accom-
plish their purpose against the head
wind which blew strongly from the
west, l kept watching them. The boat
had started early that morning from
the little fishing village of Coos-beg,
which lies to the east of our own village.
Dun Beacon. and some 10 miles distpnt