Upon the 5th of March 1722. Being at Blarehead baptizing the Shepherd’s Child, I came off at Sunsetting, or, a very little after. Near Will. White’s March the Laird of Coul came up with me on Horseback as formerly, and, after his first Salutation bid me not be afraid, for he would do me no Harm. I told him I was not in the least afraid, in the Name of God, and of Christ my Saviour, that he would do the least Harm to me: for, I knew that He in whom I trusted was stronger than all them put together, and if any of them should attempt even to do the Horse I rode upon, Harm, as you have done to Dr. Menzies’ man,[1] if it be true that is said, and generally believed about Dumfries, I have free access to complain to my Lord and Master, to the Lash of whose Resentment you are as much liable now as before.
C. You need not multiply Words upon that Head, for you are as safe with me, and safer, if safer can be, than when I was alive.
I said, Well then, Coul, Let me have a peaceable and easy Conversation with you for the Time we ride together, and give me some Information about the Affairs of the other World, for no man inclines to lose his Time, in conversing with the Dead, without having a Prospect of hearing and learning something that may be usefull.
C. Well, Sir, I will satisfy you, as far as I think it proper and convenient. Let me know what Information you want from me.
O. May I then ask you, if you be in a State of Happiness or not?
C. There are a great many Things that I can answer, which the Living are entirely ignorant of: there are many more Things, that notwithstanding the additional Knowledge I have acquired, since my Death, that I cannot answer, and there are several Things and Questions that you may start, of which the last is one, that I will not answer.
O. Then I know not how to manage our Conversation, for whatever I shall enquire of you, I see you can easily shift me, so that I might profit more by conversing with myself.
O. Well then, what sort of a Body is it that you appear in, and what sort of a Horse is it that you ride on, that appears so full of mettle?
C. You may depend upon it, ’tis not the same Body that I was witness to your Marriage in, nor in which I died, for that is in the Grave rotting; but it is such a Body as answers me in a Moment, for I can fly as fast as my Soul can do without it, so that I can go to Dumfries and return again, before you ride twice the Length of your Horse; nay if I incline to go to London, or to Jerusalem, or to the Moon, if you please, I can perform all these Journeys equally soon, for it costs me nothing but a Thought or Wish; for this Body you see, is as fleet as your Thought, for in the same Moment of Time that you can carry your Thoughts to Rome, I can go there in Person. And for my Horse, he is, much like myself, for ’tis Andrew Johnstoun who was seven years my Tennant, and he died about 48 Hours before me.