Inferences from Haunted Houses and Haunted MenHarris, J. W. (John William)
Science
Inferences from Haunted Houses and Haunted Men
Harris, J. W. (John William)
Ghosts; Hypnotism
Three gentlemen who arrived together were not affected; there is strength
in numbers; and whilst people talking to each other are harder to
influence for two or three reasons, they further unconsciously watch over
each other. Mr. W. stayed two days and heard nothing; his scepticism
was convinced later. Mr. MacP. experienced nothing in four nights, but on
a later visit heard sounds. Mr. C., an Edinburgh solicitor, heard voices
in the glen, on the second occasion of a vision being seen there by Miss
Freer, which was during his first visit.
Perhaps it may be guessed that the three gentlemen travelled with no
heavy luggage, and their identity and destination was not detected. The
vision seen most was that of a nun in the black dress commonest among
nuns.
It was seen moving about on a very steep bank, a bank apparently too
steep for walking, and was only visible against the snow. Miss Freer did
not look on the bank for tracks.
It may be noted that on the two previous days in the neighbourhood of
this glen a terrier, who never barked except under strong excitement, had
barked at the same hour, but no vision was seen; on the 6th of February
the dog had been taken off in another direction. After seeing the vision
in the glen, Miss Freer almost always heard strange sounds at night.
The inference is that in the glen, where there was plenty of cover, and
where, judging by the dog's barking, suspicious persons lurked, Miss
Freer was hypnotised, made to see an apparition, and left susceptible to
a further operation that night. Later on it says, "the dog ran up,
pointed, and ran straight for the two women." This was on the second
occasion of a grey woman appearing, and the third occasion of the black
nun being seen. He was found barking in the glen; no cause could be
found; a lurking stranger is a possible explanation. It may be noted,
that the pointing attitude in a dog of the smaller breeds means
reflection, and that something puzzled it, perhaps its mistress's
attitude; but its going on barking would indicate the steady retreat of
some one who frightened it.
At least three voices were heard--perhaps more. Phenomena were scarce;
the gang's powers were still limited, though the horror they inflicted
showed that they reached the bounds of some of the victims' strength.
Miss Freer not only heard sounds in the house, where she was less
exposed than in the glen, but saw apparitions on four occasions.
The visions that can be inflicted telepathically, _i.e._ hypnotically,
seem to be at first limited to two kinds--first, the vision of the person
himself: this hallucination has often been effected by honest
experimentalists; secondly, and this is rather matter of inference, a
rascal who has hypnotised a person may be unable to get rid of the image
of his victim, and transfers the ghost that haunts him to another
subject.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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