1831.] C 029 ] 



APPARITION-ADVENTURES. 



The sanguinary events which had taken place in " La Isla de Acha- 

 quas," more especially the death of the unfortunate Risdale, created a 

 sensation of horror that became generally prevalent among the officers 

 and soldiers of the British Legion ; yet such was the terror which the 

 recent acts of arbitrary power had inspired, that none dared give audible 

 vent to the indignation which each secretly cherished. The warm cur- 

 rent of social sympathy had been partially frozen by the influence 

 of an icy despotism, and few dared even confidentially communicate 

 their thoughts to one another, from the dread of having such confidence 

 abused : in fact, doubt and apprehension exercised unlimited sway over 

 the British portion of the garrison. 



Such was the state of affairs when mysterious reports began to circu- 

 late of supernatural appearances having taken place, and it was rumoured 

 that the troubled spirit of poor Risdale hovered in the vicinity of his 

 usual haunts. Several of his more intimate companions had been roused 

 from their sleep by strange cries ; a sentry on duty at midnight, near 

 Paez's house, declared that he had challenged a figure bearing the sem- 

 blance of the late lieutenant, and habited in the flannel cap and waist- 

 coat he had worn at his execution, which past near him, and apparently 

 vanished through some palings in front of his post. A little boy, of 

 nine years old, who had been left by his mother a few minutes alone in 

 her house, where Risdale had once lodged, informed her on her return, 

 that " el teniente"* had called, and was then in the back room. The 

 woman's consternation may be readily conceived, when on entering it 

 she found no person there. It must be premised that there was no second 

 egress, the inner apartment not having even a window, and that the 

 child was totally ignorant of Risdale's death. These, and other occur- 

 rences of a similar nature, gave rise to considerable diversity of opinion; 

 many gave credence to the truth of such awful visitations, whilst others 

 more sceptical affected to treat them as the raei'e results of a diseased 

 imagination. Notwithstanding the avowed scepticism of these latter 

 persons, however, an impression of superstitious feeling became very 

 general. Those who had, or fancied they had, seen or heard any thing 

 unusual, felt disposed to rely on the evidence of their own senses, and 

 tenaciously defended any impeachment of their veracity. It was whis- 

 pered, also, that one or two of those officers who had been the prin- 

 cipal instigators of the tragedy so lately enacted were more especially 

 haunted by visions of no very pleasing nature. Trayner had changed 

 his lodgings several times in the course of the week ; and, as if to afford 

 further food for conjecture, Blosset had asked for, and obtained, a month's 

 leave of absence, on the plea of requiring change of air. The colonel's 

 departure seemed to have removed a weight from the spirits of the 

 officers and men, social intercourse was re-established, and acquired fresh 

 force from its temporary restraint. The reported apparition was now 

 the constant and universal theme of conversation, and furnished matter, 

 by turns, for contemplation and ridicule. I have myself been ever a 

 sceptic, so far as related to supernatural agency ; but the dreadful scene 

 of slaughter which I had so recently witnessed, and the solemn asseve- 

 rations of individuals, whose courage and good faith I had no reason to 



• The lieutenant. 



