The Cock Lane Ghost.
Extraordinary Manifestations in the Arctic Regions Thirty Years Ago.
Apropos of the recent revival of interest in the Cock Lane ghost and the possible verity of its manifestations it may be worth while, says the New York Evening Post, to put on record certain events which took place in the early ’60’s at Fort Yukon, the outmost post of the Hudson Bay company in Alaska, north of the Arctic circle. At this lonely fort half a dozen from the northern isles of Scotland traded for furs under the command of Strachan Jones, post trader of the company.
Once a year a party ascended the Rat river and crossed to La Pierre’s house, at the head of navigation on the Porcupine river, bringing a supply of trading goods, one sack of flour, and a little tea and sugar for the commander, with the mail of the last six months, and receiving in exchange the bales of furs which had been purchased during the previous twelve months. The bateux from the fort then returned down stream with the goods. In midwinter a courier on snowshoes brought the half-yearly instructions from the chief factor at York factory. At other times the little community vegetated among the tundra, or was busied with the hunting and trade which supplied the business and subsistence of the post.
About a year after Jones relieved his predecessor strange rumors prevailed among the residents at the fort. Sincular noises were heard during the still arctic night. Raps on the door were responded to, but, the door being opened, there was no one there. Utensils hung on the walls of the log huts in which the company’s servants lived fell down or were moved when nobody was near them. Jones had a house to himself as commander, and around this house the uncanny doings seemed to concentrate. Jones himself preserved a dignified silence, or professed ignorance of anything out of the common. But in spite of this the noise and turmoil continued, and were experienced by every one at the post, even by visiting Indians.
When spring came the bateaux started as usual for La Pierre’s house with the bales of furs, Jones commanding the party. At the nightly bivouac, to the astonishment of the voyagers, the noises continued. The man who slept in the boat as a sort of guide reported that he heard raps and a curious scratching on the mast. Men who slept around the campfire ashore declared that they heard Jones talking in the night to some one who answered in a voice unknown to any of the party. On meeting the party from Fort McPherson at the portage the voyagers naturally compared notes, and the doings of Jones’ familiar were soon discussed by every campfire and trading post throughout the Northwest territory.
A visitor at the fort in 1866 was assured of the reality of these manifestations, which remained without explanation, as Jones has retired from the post and carried his secret with him. The same visitor, while waiting the return of the officer then commanding, had the curiosity to look through a little library which in the course of years had accumulated in the commander’s quarters. Among the worn novels and less dilapidated volumes of Scotch theology of which the collection was made up was a copy of Dr Johnson’s account of the extraordinary history of the Cock Lane ghost.
The Aspen Daily Chronicle, 18th November 1893.