Page:George Dobson's expedition to hell.pdf/12

There was a problem when proofreading this page.

12

yes, go I must, and go I shall, though I should borrow David Barclay's pair.' With that he turned his face towards the wall, groaned deeply, and fell into a lethargy. while Dr Wood caused them to let him alone, thinking if he would sleep out the appointed time, which was at hand, he would be safe; but all the time he kept feeling his pulse, and by degrees showed symptoms of uneasiness. The wife ran for a clergyman of famed abilities, to pray and converse with her husband, in hopes by that means to bring him to his senses; but after his arrival, George never spoke more, save calling to his horses as if encouraging them to run with great speed, and thus in imagination driving at full career into hell, he went off in a paroxysm after a terrible struggle, precisely within a few minutes of twelve o'clock.

What made this singular professional dream the more remarkable and unique in all its parts, was not known at the time of George's death. It was a terrible storm on the night of the dream, as has been already mentioned, and during the time of the hurrlcane, a London smack went down off Wearmouth about three in the morning. Among the sufferers were the Hon. Mr R. of L. and his son. George could not know aught of this at break of day, for it was not known in Scotland till the day of his interment: and as little knew he of the deaths of the two young lawyers, who both died the evening before—Etrick 'Shepherd.