"Here (he says) ... we observed the manner of their burials, which is this: when anyone dies the sexton or bellman goeth about the streets, with a small bell in his hand, which he tinkleth all along as he goeth, and now and then he makes a stance, and proclaims who is dead, and invites the people to come to the funeral." On the day of the funeral it was again customary for the "beadle" to ring the bell, walking in front of the funeral procession ringing it as he went. This is also noticed by Ray, who notes that "The people and ministers ... accompany the corpse to the grave ... with the bell before them." This usage has passed to a form, common enough to this day, particularly in the country, of tolling the church bell as the funeral cortège approaches the churchyard. In the scarce _Book of Galloway_ it is recorded how "the beadle had rung the 'passing bell[41] on the bellknowe of Penninghame,' and it was heard again when the mourners approached the graveyard." The ringing of the "dead bell" had its origin in the superstitious idea that by this means evil spirits were held at bay. [Illustration] _CHAPTER VII._ GHOST LORE AND HAUNTED HOUSES. "There are many ghost stories which we do not feel at liberty to challenge."--_Sir Walter Scott._ Passing now to gather up the details of superstitious vestige as they present themselves in the form of ghost traditions and memories of ghost-haunted houses, we find in the district of Dumfries and Galloway much of interest to set forth. Traversing from Western Galloway to Eastern Dumfriesshire, gleaning as we go, the legend connected with Dunskey Castle, which yet in ruined solitude stands sentinel over the rock-bound shore and restless sea at Portpatrick, first calls for mention. The story goes back to the occupation of the Castle in the fourteenth century by Walter de Curry, a turbulent sea rover, who, becoming much incensed at the outspoken and fearless utterances of an Irish piper whom he had taken prisoner and compelled to his service as minstrel and jester, condemned the unfortunate man to a lingering death from starvation in the Castle dungeons. Tradition asserts, however, that the piper found his way into a secret subterranean passage leading from the Castle to a cave on the sea-shore, from which, however, he was unable to find egress, and where he perished miserably. Along this passage the troubled ghost of the piper was long reputed to march, backwards and forwards, playing the weirdest of pipe music, and so indicating, as was firmly believed, to the awe-stricken listeners above, the line of direction of the secret underground passage.[42]