This Ghost story is based on actual events, and takes place on Westchester Mountain, Cumberland County, Nova Scotia.
Sometime about the year 1880 a man, by the name of Eagles, disappeared on Westchester Mountain. A search was made for him but he was not found.
Some time after, a ghost was reported to have been seen by several different people, and always at the same place on the Halifax road. One evening, the sun was down, but it was not dark, Hugh Scott, who had been on a short visit to his brother William, was coming home over the mountain on horseback, as that was the way many folks traveled at that time. His horse had trotted or cantered for several miles. He had eased him down to a walk and was about to fill his pipe, had got from his pocket, knife, tobacco and pipe, had commenced to cut tobacco, when he noticed what he supposed was someone walking close to his stirrup.
He took a second look and recognized Bill Eagles. He then whipped up his horse and hurried away from there.
Sometime after he met his brother William, who asked Hugh why he did not speak to Eagles and said that if he ever saw the ghost he would ask him what he wanted. Several months after this William Scott was traveling the same road on the way to visit Hugh and at nearly the same place on the road he had allowed his horse to walk and had started to fill his pipe, when he noticed Bill Eagles walking beside his horse. William Scott said, "Hello, Bill, what do you want?" Bill Eagles said, "I want to be buried." William Scott said, ''How will I find you?" Eagles said, "You will find me just a short way up this little brook under a pile of old brush." William Scott said, "All right, Bill, I'll attend to that tomorrow", and went on his way to Hugh Scott's.
Next morning he wanted Hugh to go with him to look for Bill Eagles' remains. Hugh could not go, so William went up on the mountain and got someone to go with him. They found the pile of old brush without much trouble, gathered Eagles' bones up the best they could, carried them out and buried them. Bill Eagles' ghost was never seen again.
Many years afterwards, an old man by the name of Shacksteed died at Springhill and before he died he told that many years before he had killed Eagles and took his boots. Eagles was known to have a new pair of boots shortly before he went missing, but no sign of boots was found with his bones.
Story obtained from the Oxford Journal News Nov. 10, 1954. A Ghost story.
If you know of any Ghost stories from this area, or have a story of your own that you would like to share, we would love to hear from you!
Read another great story! - The Forerunner of Westchester Mountain