.

"W."

[Footnote 1: Alluding to the ships crossing the barrier of ice in Baffin's
Bay, between Hope Sanderson and Possession Bay.]

[Footnote 2: Telegraph signal made by H.M.S. "Hecla," on getting into clear
water in July, 1849, having succeeded in forcing through the barrier.]

* * * * *

FOLK LORE.

_Legend of Sir Richard Baker, surnamed Bloody Baker_.--I one day was
looking over the different monuments in Cranbrook Church in Kent, when in
the chancel my attention was arrested by one erected to the memory of Sir
Richard Baker. The gauntlet, gloves, helmet, and spurs were (as is often
the case in monumental erections of Elizabethan date) suspended over the
tomb. What chiefly attracted my attention was the colour of the gloves,
which was red. The old woman who acted as my cicerone, seeing me look at
them, said, "Aye, miss, those are Bloody Baker's gloves; their red colour
comes from the blood he shed." This speech awakened my curiosity to hear
more, and with very little pressing I induced my old guide to tell me the
following strange tale.

The Baker family had formerly large possessions in Cranbrook, but in the
reign of Edward VI. great misfortunes fell on them; by extravagance and
dissipation, they gradually lost all their lands, until an old house in the
village (now used as the poor-house) was all that remained to them. The
sole representative of the family remaining at the accession of Queen Mary,
was Sir Richard Baker. He had spent some years abroad in consequence of a
duel; but when, said my informant, Bloody Queen Mary reigned, he thought he
might safely return, as he was a Papist. When he came to Cranbrook he took
up his abode in his old house; he only brought one foreign servant with
him, and these two lived alone. Very soon strange stories began to be
whispered respecting unearthly shrieks having been heard frequently to
issue at nightfall from his house. Many people of importance were stopped
and robbed in the Glastonbury woods, and many unfortunate travellers were
missed and never heard of more. Richard Baker still continued to live in
seclusion, but he gradually repurchased his alienated property, although he
was known to have spent all he possessed before he left England. But
wickedness was not always to prosper. He formed an apparent attachment to a
young lady in the neighbourhood, remarkable for always wearing a great many
jewels. He often pressed her to come and