"J. B. Surgey."

Mr. Bass has since been interviewed by Mr. Barkworth who writes:-

"18thApril, 1890.

"William Bass confirmed his previous evidence to me this day.

"About the time when the incident occurred (and for a long while afterwards) systematic horse - stealing had gone on in the neighbourhood, but Bass has no recollection of being specially anxious about this. Pressed as to the details of the dream, he recollected that he saw the horses in the dream, and had a vivid impression of ' something wrong,' but what it was he did not know. Although thus vague, the impression was so strong as to be irresistible, so that although his wife begged him to go to sleep again he lay awake for about one and a quarter hours until he could bear it no longer, when he got up and went to the stable.

"His wife confirmed all this, particularly as to his having twice said there was something wrong in the stable and he must go and see to it. He had always reproached her since with having prevented his going to the stable when he first awoke. Bass states he is not in the habit of dreaming. Pressed as to any previous experience of the kind, he said that about twenty years ago he dreamt he saw his father dead. The father, who was quite well at the time, died suddenly ten days afterwards."

The two following dreams proved distinctly useful in that they were the means of averting a very serious danger. Mr. Brighten (by whom they were experienced) is known to Mr. Podmore, who concurs in what appears to be the estimate generally formed of that gentleman, namely, that he is a shrewd, unimaginative, practical man.

" 1 I owned a thirty - five - ton schooner, and in August, 1876, in very calm weather I dropped anchor in the Thames at the north shore, opposite Gravesend, as it was impossible to get to the other side, there being no wind.

"The current being exceedingly swift at that part we let out plenty of chain cable before going to bed. I had captain and crew of three men on board, besides visitors. Towards morning I found myself lying awake in my (owner's) cabin with the words ringing in my ears, 'Wake, wake, you'll be run down'. I waited a few moments, then dropped off to sleep, but was again awakened by the same words ringing in my ears. Upon this I leisurely put on some clothes and went on deck and found the tide rushing past very swiftly, and that we were enveloped in a dense fog, and all was calm and quiet in the early morning, and there was already some daylight I paced the deck once or twice, then went below, undressed, got into my berth, and fell asleep, only to be again awakened by the same words. I then somewhat more hastily dressed, went on deck, and climbed some way up the rigging to get above the fog, and was soon in a bright, clear atmosphere with the fog like a sea at my feet, when looking round I saw a large vessel bearing down directly upon us.

I fell, rather than scrambled, out of the rigging, rushed to the forecastle, shouted to the captain who rushed on deck, explained all in a word or two, he ran to the tiller, unlashed it, put it hard a-port; the swift current acting upon the rudder caused the boat to slew across and upward in the current, when on came the large vessel passing our side, and it would have cleared us but her anchor which she was carrying (having lifted it in consequence of having heaved anchor at low tide with very little cable) caught in our chain when she swung round and came alongside, fortunately, however, doing us very little damage. I at once jumped on her deck and woke up some men who appeared on deck in various stages of intoxication, who stupidly wanted to remain as they were, but by dint of coaxing and threatening in turn, I induced them to take some turns at their capstan, which had the effect of freeing their anchor from my chain, and she soon left us and dropped her anchor a little lower down. I at once narrated the above facts to the captain, and next day informed my visitors of the voice to which we all owed our preservation.

I cannot think that it was really a human voice as in consequence of the fog no one could have seen the relative position of the vessels, and no other vessels were near us within half a mile or more. My visitors at once desired me to return to Greenwich, and discontinued their trip.

1 Vol. viii., part xxii. of Proceedings S. P. R.

"William E. Brighten."

"Argyll House, "Southend - on - Sea, 6th December, 1884.

"I was one of the visitors on the occasion above referred to, and Mr. Brighten related the occurrence to us on the following day.

"Robert Parker.

" Solicitor. "31, Liverpool Street, "London."

So much for the first of Mr. Brighten's premonitory dreams. The second is certainly of no less singular a character.

"I was serving my articles to a solicitor in the city of Norwich at the time of the following dream, and although it happened in March of the year 1861, it is as fresh and vivid in my memory as if it happened yesterday, and I have frequently narrated it. In that year Mr. C. (also an articled clerk), having purchased a long paddle steamer for river use (of a class since supplanted by the launches of the present day), arranged with me that we should have a week's holiday in the steamboat, so putting our provisions on board, we (perhaps rashly) started without any engineer or attendant of any kind. Our trip was a pleasant one from Norwich to Yarmouth, and we proceeded up the North River, i.e., River Bure, as far as Acle, returning that night to the North Quay, Great Yarmouth, where we were conveniently moored stem and stern to a wherry (i.e., the local name for barges conveying goods) and we turned in about 9.30 p.m. The cabin was comfortable and we were able to enjoy our beds as at home, and I must describe the doors as two small folding doors, secured by shutting from the inside against the threshold, and at the top by a hatch coming over and secured, with bar, top and bottom. I must have slept some hours before my dream commenced.