Stone throwing diablesse at Craig Island.
Weird happenings at midnight.
Extraordinary experiences of a party.
Here is a queer story from Craig Island and it is rare that one is told such stories in Trinidad, or for that matter, in the West Indies with any thing of the degree of seriousness with which this narrative was told to the writer and its accuracy was vouched for withal.
It seems a party of Port-of-Spain-ians decided to spend some time at Craig’s Island, and proceeded thither last week. On Wednesday, at 12 o’clock midnight, their slumbers were rudely broken by a shower of stones falling on the roof of their house. Among other things which happened in the general confusion and agitation which followed, was that one of the men who went to the window with a lamp to throw light on the subject proved such a conspicuous mark to the “diablesse” that the lamp shade was struck by a stone and remained unbroken!
Although the stones were seen scattered about the house at 12 o’clock that night, when the party went to gather them up they became at once intangible and invisible. The matter was mentioned to the caretaker of the place who, naturally, laughed the idea to scorn, but the following night he was doomed to become a convert by sharing the experience of the party. That night there was a repetition of previous happenings and although the windows and doors were closed the stones found lodgment in the house.
This time the merry pic-nickers managed to collect a bag of stones as they fell. Like doubtful Thomas, the caretaker said “seeing is believing” and at once he became troubled and set sail for Port-of-Spain to report the matter.
On the Friday night at the same hour, and while the caretaker was away another volley of stones was sent into the house through the door which was ajar. Moreover, there was a scuffle between one of the party and an invisible antagonist. It appeared to those who were listening to be a struggle between twenty people – something like a football scrimmage in front of a goal. It seemed as if the mysterious visitants could not enforce an entrance although the door was ajar, and that on the last stroke of twelve there was a terrific slam and simultaneously the door flew wide open!
This is not an all fool’s day story or the writer would patiently have waited until April 1 to give it to the reading public, and if there is any doubt whatever about it, all such Thomases are advised to interview the party who were staying at Craig Island and who actually experienced the things related above. They can be found in Port-of-Spain. Meanwhile we should like to know the brand of “sweet drink” favoured on this occasion.
Mirror (Trinidad & Tobago), 17th January 1911.