riend Mr. Barker tells me there was, at one time, a ghost in the
Hebrides called the Lamper, which was like a very big, white dog with no
tail. It ran sometimes straight ahead, but usually in circles, and to
see it was a prognostication of death. Mr. Barker, going home by the
sea-coast, saw the Lamper in the hedge. He struck at it, and his stick
passed right through it. The Lamper rushed away, whining and howling
alternately, and disappeared. Mr. Barker was so scared that he ran all
the way home. On the morrow, he learned of his father's death.

In Northumberland, Durham, and various parts of Yorkshire, the
ghost-dog, which is firmly believed in, is styled Barguest, Bahrgeist,
or Boguest; whilst in Lancashire it is termed the Boggart. Its most
common form in these counties is a large, black dog with flaming eyes;
and its appearance is a certain prognostication of death.

According to tradition there was once a "Barguest" in a glen between
Darlington and Houghton, near Throstlenest. Another haunted a piece of
waste land above a spring called the Oxwells, between Wreghorn and
Headingley Hill, near Leeds. On the death of any person of local
importance in the neighbourhood the creature would come forth, followed
by all the other dogs, barking and howling. (Henderson refers to these
hauntings in his _Folk-lore of Northern Counties_.)

Another form of this animal spectre is the Capelthwaite, which,
according to common report, had the power of appearing in the form of
any quadruped, but usually chose that of a large, black dog.

"_The Mauthe Doog_"

One of the most famous canine apparitions is that of the "Mauthe Doog,"
once said--and, I believe, still said--to haunt Peel Castle, Isle of
Man.

Its favourite place, so I am told, was the guard-chamber, where it used
to crouch by the fireside. The sentry, so the story runs, got so
accustomed to seeing it, that they ceased to be afraid; but, as they
believed it to be of evil origin, waiting for an opportunity to seize
them, they were very particular what they said or did, and refrained
from swearing in its presence. The Mauthe Doog used to come out and
return by the passage through the church, by which the sentry on duty
had to go to deliver the keys every night to the captain. These men,
however, were far too nervous to go alone, and were invariably
accompanied by one of the retainers. On one occasion, however, one of
the sentinels, in a fit of drunken bravado, swore he w