either that the body had been consumed by the lightning, or that it had
been taken away by the master whom the Laird served so well while on
earth, from among their hands, ere ever they got to the church-yard.
But now I must tell you o’ what took place on the night o’ the Laird’s
death, to the great horror of a ship’s crew who chanced to be at sea.
Just as they were sailing past the coves of Culzean, the fearful
tempest, I mentioned before, arose, and the ship was tossed by the waves
in such a manner, that the sailors gave themselves up for lost. Well,
in the very midst of this awful turmoil o’ the elements, when even the
mightiest vessel was in danger of perishing, the man at the helm cried
aloud, "a boat, a boat!"
"Nonsense," replied the Captain, "what boat could live in a night like
this?"
Just as they were speaking, a fearful flash of lightning lit up the
darkness, thereby permitting the terror-stricken crew to perceive a
coach and four coming along the sea. Again the blue lightning flew down
the mast, while onward pranced the horses, whose black plumes waved, as
the ghastly-looking driver urged them onwards. The hair of each
individual sailor stood on end as he gazed on the appalling sight; when,
just as they were passing the side of the vessel, the Captain hailed the
spectral-looking coachman with, "From whence to were?"
And the answer was, "From h—ll to Culzean’s burial!"
"Well done," said Mr. Anderson, at the close of this harrowing
narration; "this is indeed a most probable story, and quite in keeping
with ’open, open to the Duke of Drumlanrig.’ Surely," he added more
seriously, "you do not believe any such nonsense?"
"Never you mind whether I do or not," replied Mrs. Anderson, evidently
enjoying her husband’s look of astonishment; "but just go your ways to
that small drawer on the left there, and bring me the little box tied
round wi’ red tape, which you will find in the farthest back corner."
Mr. Anderson, in obedience to his wife’s request, proceeded to the
drawer, and in a few seconds placed in her hands the wished-for article.
After fumbling for a short space of time amongst its varied contents,
Mrs. Anderson succeeded in fishing out, from its mysterious depths, a
sheet of paper carefully folded up, which she opened and placed in my
hands, saying, "there now, that was written by a friend of mine while
studying at the College of Edinburgh." Glancing my eyes over the
verses, I perceived that they bore immediate reference to the legend
Mrs. A. had just been narrating, and so wrote them down, as an
appropriate finish to the Legend of Culzean:—
THE LAIRD OF CULZEAN.
Around Culzean Castle the wild winds did howl,
And the trees bent like leaves to the blast;
Whilst the heavens looked black with an angry scowl,
The wild clouds were careering on fast.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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