BOO Y'ALL - Whispers From The Grave Traditional Cache

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Hidden : 11/12/2006
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size: micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:


Welcome to Wilmington - a quaint, historic port city tucked along the Cape Fear coast. As you stroll along the streets of downtown Wilmington enjoying the views of the river, the gnarled live oaks, and the significant old homes, you must brace yourself and face one inescapable truth: Wilmington is full of history, and such history is usually accompanied by ghosts. If you keep your eyes peeled, you may spot a cache…and a few lost souls who still call Wilmington home.

This installment of the BOO Y’ALL series brings us to the perimeter of the St. James Churchyard and tells the tale of a pact made by two friends many years ago. It was the early 19th century, and several young Wilmingtonians were sitting around a fire and debating the nature of the afterlife. Among this lively group were two young men who had been inseparable friends since childhood – Samuel Jocelyn and Alexander Hostler. As the fire hissed and crackled between them, the two made a pact that the first of them to die would return from the spirit world to visit the survivor.

Years passed, and the pact was forgotten. The two men remained friends as they continued their privileged ascent into Wilmington society and adulthood. But tragedy struck on a cold night in March of 1810. The two men were on a hunting holiday with their families when Samuel and his wife had an argument. Angry, Samuel rode off into the swamps on his horse. When he didn’t return the next day, a search party set out to look for the missing man. They soon found him floating in the freezing shallows of the swamp, seemingly a victim of a fatal fall. Samuel’s body was immediately brought back to Wilmington and buried in the St. James Churchyard.

Alexander was despondent over the loss of his oldest and dearest friend. He was inconsolable and couldn’t sleep. He also thought that he was suffering from hallucinations when, late in the evening after Samuel’s burial, he turned to find that Samuel was standing in his room. Too stunned and exhausted to utter a word, Alexander was then further surprised to hear Samuel’s voice speaking to him: “Alexander…Come and dig up my body.” It is reported that Alexander then fainted from the sheer shock brought on by this occurrence.

On the next two evenings Alexander experienced two more such visits from Samuel, with Samuel making the same request each time: “Alexander…Come and dig up my body.” Worried about his own sanity, Alexander had not mentioned the first two visitations to anyone. But Alexander couldn’t continue to keep the secret to himself after the third incident and he confided in a friend who had also known Samuel. The friend reminded Alexander of the pact that he and Samuel had made years ago, and recommended that they go to the St. James churchyard and do exactly as Samuel’s ghost had requested.

The two friends, armed with shovels and lanterns, entered the churchyard late that same evening. They located Samuel’s grave and, under the cover of night, they started digging. They reached the coffin and paused, unsure of their willingness to go through with the exhumation. Alexander knew that Samuel’s ghost would continue to haunt him if he did not continue with the task. The friends pried the nails from the coffin lid and lifted it away. They lowered their lanterns to reveal a horrifying sight: Samuel’s body, which had been placed in the coffin face-up, was now face-down. Underneath the body were deep gouges in the bottom of the coffin where Samuel had tried to dig his way out of his own premature grave. Samuel had been buried alive, and Alexander eventually went to his own grave lamenting the fact that he had not fulfilled his friend’s request on the night of the first visitation.

Many old-guard Wilmingtonians still refuse to walk by this cemetery today. It is claimed that, when the area is quiet enough, the muffled sounds of scratching and cries for help can still be heard. Even though the coordinates will keep you on the outside of the cemetery gates, perhaps YOU will hear something unusual while you search for this cache...Good Luck!

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

zntargvp, ohg lbh'yy unir gb ybbx pybfryl!

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


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