d, was riding along the road homeward. I had just reached the old
Plaistowe field, when I suddenly discovered a long black something, like
a monster cat or panther, running along the fence at my side. I was
seized of some strange power and despite my will was forced to wink my
eyes. If I closed my eyes but for a second, the black object was back at
the point where it started from and ran along again, until I closed my
eyes, when it appeared where I had first seen it. My horse became
affrighted and ran away with me."

John Bly knocked the ashes from his pipe and began:

"I have an uncle in Virginia, who was sorely tried by witches. One witch
in the neighborhood, especially, did grievously torment him. He would go
to his door and see his field full of cattle; but on entering the field
itself, no cattle were to be seen. Knowing full well that he was
bewitched, he loaded his gun with a silver bullet, and one day fired at
a large white cow. Instantly every beast disappeared, and he saw an old
woman over the hill limping as if in pain. It was the suspected witch,
whom he had shot in the leg. She did not bother him any more; but
another witch used to come at night and ride him. She would shake a
witch bridle over his head, utter some incantation and my uncle would be
turned into a horse, and she would ride him hard until morning. Then she
would bring him home, remove the spell, and he would be asleep in bed at
dawn. One night he was thus ridden to a witch ball and tied to a tree.
He rubbed his head against the tree until he got the bridle off, the
spell was broken and he was once more a man. He took the enchanted
bridle and laid in wait for the witch. As she emerged from the door, he
seized her, shook the bridle over her head, repeated the words she had
used, and instantly she was changed into a fine gray mare. He mounted
her and rode her furiously, out of revenge, for many miles to a
blacksmith, where he alighted and, awaking the smith, had him shoe the
mare at once. Then he rode her nearly home, when he turned her loose.

"Next morning he went to the home of his neighbor, whose wife he
suspected of being the witch, and inquired after the health of the
family.

"'My wife is ill,' answered the head of the house.

"'What ails her?'

"'Alas, I know not.'

"My uncle went into the room where the woman lay in bed suffering
greatly.

"'Are you very ill?' my uncle asked.

"'I am sick almost unto death,' the woman answered.