124 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



The balls were then thrown into the deep water of the Chenail 

 Écarté. In a short time the same balls came back through the windows 

 as before. The "Black Dog" figures prominently in some of the 

 narratives. Certain ludicious features, in others, are vaguely re- 

 miniscent of "Mother Goose" stories. Many other incidents, as 

 mysterious and startling as those mentioned, are recorded in the 

 pamphlet on "Belledoon Mysteries." 



The fame of Baldoon's witchcraft spread throughout the Province, 

 People came from far and near, some even from New York, to see for 

 themselves, and went away convinced by the evidence of their own eyes. 



Dr. Troyer Called In. 



Every effort was made to conjure away the evil spirit. Min- 

 isters of every known denomination were called to assist. The regular 

 formulas for exorcism were used by the authorized ministers of re- 

 ligion. Even the priest, with bell, book and candle, failed to check 

 the manifestations. Happily, the Methodist minister. Rev. Mr. 

 McDorman, thought of Dr. Troyer of Long Point, more than a hundred 

 miles away, and John and the minister went together to consult him. 



Witchcraft accompanied them through the Longwoods, a stretch 

 of about thirty miles of forest, north of the Thames, without a single 

 dwelling on the road, and in which they had to pass the night. Mc- 

 Donald was terrified by the melancholy wind stirring the tree-tops, 

 owls hooting, wolves yelping, then the heavy tramp, tramp of a vast 

 multitude, inarticulate voices of men, crashing of boughs and snapping 

 of twigs, and then the rush of some great unseen host. Soon there 

 was the sound of combat in the air with an opposing multitude, 

 followed by groans of the wounded and shrieks of the dying. 



In three days they arrived at Dr. Troyer's. The various narratives 

 differ greatly in important details. According to one version, it was 

 Troyer's daughter, a sallow fragile girl of fifteen, with wild eyes 

 gleaming when excited, who possessed the gift of divination. She 

 used a stone, which, she said, was "by some called the moonstone," 

 but as its employment was "always attended by great physical pros- 

 tration and much mental agony," she used it only "under very extra- 

 ordinary circumstances." Before doing so on this occasion, she had 

 already divined that John had had trouble with neighbours over his 

 refusal to sell them a portion of his land. "I see," she continued, 

 "a long, low, log House." McDonald listened in wrapt wonder to 

 the alliterative description of his evil-minded neighbour's dwelling, 

 and minute details of the personal appearance and peculiarities of 

 its inmates. 



