Society could do more--and in the absence of any authentic history of
the spot where the manifestations occurred, such a surmise can be of
little value. Since the phenomena were seen by three people at the same
time, it is quite safe to assume they were objective, but it is
impossible to lay down the law as to whether they were actual phantasms
of the dead--of a woman, child, and Newfoundland dog who had all three
met with some violent end--or phantasms of three living beings, who,
happening to think of that locality at the same time, had projected
their immaterial bodies there simultaneously. But whichever of these
alternatives be true, the same thing holds good in either case, viz.
that the Newfoundland dog had a spirit--and what applies to one dog
should assuredly apply to the generality, if not, indeed, to all.


_Phantom Dog seen on Souter Fell_

Miss Harriet Martineau, in her _English Lakes_, refers to certain
strange phenomena seen from time to time on Souter Fell.

In 1745, for example, a Mr. Wren and his servant saw, simultaneously, a
man and dog pursuing some horses along a razor-like ridge of rocks, on
which it was obviously impossible for any ordinary being to gain a bare
foothold, let alone walk. They watched the figures until the latter
suddenly vanished, when Mr. Wren and his servant, thinking, perhaps, the
man, dog, and horses had really fallen over the cliff, went to look for
them. They searched elsewhere, but despite their vigilance, nothing was
to be found, and convinced at last that what they had seen was something
superphysical, they came away mystified, and no doubt somewhat
frightened.