treasure lying dormant in the
earth at Schooley's Mountain. It seems repeated efforts had before been
made to obtain the treasure, but all had proved abortive, for whenever they
attempted to break the ground, it was said, "there would many hobgoblins
and apparitions appear which in a short time obliged them to evacuate the
place".

Rogers called a meeting of the eight and "communicated to them the
solemnity of the business and the intricacy of the undertaking and the fact
that there had been several persons murdered and buried with the money in
order to retain it in the earth. He likewise informed them that those
spirits must be raised and conversed with before the money could be
obtained. He declared he could by his art and power raise these apparitions
and that the whole company might hear him converse with them and satisfy
themselves there was no deception. This was received with belief and
admiration by the whole company without ever investigating whether it was
probable or possible. This meeting therefore terminated with great
assurance, they all being confident of the abilities, knowledge and powers
of Rogers". To confirm the illusion of his supernatural power, Rogers had
made chemical compositions of various kinds, of which, "some, by being
buried in the earth for many hours, would break and cause great explosions
which appeared dismal in the night and would cause great timidity. The
company were all anxious to proceed and much elevated with such uncommon
curiosities". A night was therefore appointed for the whole company to
convene. The scene which the author proceeds to describe is worthy of
Washington Irving in his "Legends of Sleepy Hollow", (see page 25 Young's
edition, 1826). The night was dark and the circle "illumined only by
candles caused a ghastly, melancholy, direful gloom through the woods". The
company marched round and round in (concentric) circles as directed, "with
great decorum" until suddenly shocked by "a most impetuous explosion from
the earth a short distance from them". Flames rose t