Something which occurred on the night of the 12th of December was of a nature to support the opinions of all partisans of the supernatural, and there were many at Melrose Farm.
Irvine, a little seaport of Renfrew, containing nearly seven thousand inhabitants, lies in a sharp bend made by the Scottish coast, near the mouth of the Firth of Clyde.

The most ancient and the most famed ruins on this part of the coast were those of this castle of Robert Stuart, which bore the name of Dundonald Castle.
At this period Dundonald Castle, a refuge for all the stray goblins of the country, was completely deserted.

It stood on the top of a high rock, two miles from the town, and was seldom visited.

Sometimes a few strangers took it into their heads to explore these old historical remains, but then they always went alone.

The inhabitants of Irvine would not have taken them there at any price.