SPECK] A MOHEGAN-PEQUOT DIARY 277 



Sometimes the animal, instead of being a blaclv dog, is a pig, and 

 it has even been reported as a terrible-lool^ing man witli long robes 

 and clotted hair. It is explained by the belief that Ividd, when he 

 buried his loot, always killed some animal or man and threw him 

 into the pit in order that his spirit might guard the spot. 



The following are the instructions that must be observed by 

 the treasure seeker, else liis search end in disappointment and 

 fright. The golden disclosure is only made in dreams, and those 

 who are so fortunate as to be visited with one at once engage the 

 help of a trusty friend. The treasure must be sought for in the exact 

 place indicated by the dream. The searchers must provide them- 

 selves with a stake or nail to drive into the box the moment it is 

 seen. And, above all, not a word nmst be spoken until the stake is 

 securely fastened, else the whole thing will disappear and the guardian 

 spirit be released upon the scene. If the taboos be properly kept, 

 success is insured; but unfortunately no one has so far succeeded in 

 keeping them and the treasure j'et rcmams untouched. 



A story is told about a family who occupied the house where 

 Captain Fitch lateh' lived. It seems that Captain Kidd and a band of 

 his followers stopped at this house once, and the mistress served them 

 all with a hearty and bounteous dinner. After they had consumed it 

 Captain Kidd arose, and after instructing the hostess to hold out 

 her apron, poured gold pieces into it until the strings broke, as a 

 reward for her goodness. 



Thunder from the Clear Sky 



Now, there was a time when an Indian man was a preacher here. 

 He was Samuel Ashbow. He was a good man, but his wife was not 

 a very good woman, being fond of "a'nkapi" (rum). For many 

 years she was thus, and it made poor Ashbow very unhappy. 



Then there came a certain time when something was going to 

 happen; when something was going to happen from the sky. The 

 Indians were helping a white man build a mill over on Ston_y Brook, 

 and Ashbow used to go and help too. One time he took his wife 

 along with him. Ashbow was a good man, but his wife had a bottle 

 of "a'nkapi" hidden in her dress. She began to drink, and gave 

 some to the other men. Ashbow only watched her a while, but soon 

 got angry, and taking the bottle from her, threw it on a rock. It 

 broke and the rum spilled on the earth. The wife became furious, 

 and a few moments later, while Ashbow was stooping over a stone, 

 she picked up a piece of rock and struck him on the forehead. He 

 fell down with the blood streaming from him. Then there was a 

 sharp clap of thunder from above, and all looked up, only to see a 

 clear sk}' with a patch of cloud overhead only as large as a hand. It 



