| With its tumultuous and colorful past, it's hardly | | | | proposed, such as flooding or seismic activity, many |
| surprising that ghost stories abound in the Caribbean. | | | | believe that even after death, the family simply |
| Some believe that Blackbeard's ghost haunts the | | | | couldn't get along. The crypt still remains empty. |
| former Old Fort Nassau in the Bahamas; others | | | | While no one knows exactly what happened at the |
| report strange incidents at the Stirrup Cay | | | | Chase crypt, there's no dispute about what's haunting |
| Lighthouse. Some countries are home to a long | | | | Rose Hall Plantation in Montego Bay. It's Annie Palmer, |
| tradition of supernatural occurrences, such Haiti's | | | | the plantation's former mistress, and her victims. Still |
| well-known apparitions of corpses that are said to | | | | known as the White Witch of Jamaica, Annie earned |
| appear in Port-au-Prince's City Cemetery. | | | | her nickname by practicing voodoo, murdering several |
| But one of the most famous hauntings in the | | | | of her rich husbands, and treating her slaves harshly. |
| Caribbean, and perhaps the world, occurred at the | | | | Meting out torture or death for minor infractions was |
| Chase crypt in Christchurch, Barbados. Owned by a | | | | commonplace for her. Then she found a new way to |
| wealthy sugar plantation owner, its first confirmed | | | | entertain herself, by enticing slaves to be her lovers |
| occupant was Thomasina Goddard, placed there in | | | | and killing them when she got bored. |
| 1807. Ownership soon passed to another plantation | | | | Her slaves understandably weren't fond of her. |
| family, the Chases. Col. Thomas Chase, the head of | | | | Legend has it that, unbeknownst to her, one of her |
| the family, was reputedly cruel to both his family and | | | | slaves was a powerful voodoo master. Deciding to |
| his slaves. Two of his young daughters died (in 1808 | | | | take care of her for good, he performed a voodoo |
| and 1812), and their lead coffins were also put in the | | | | ritual, creating a grave for her. When he finished, he |
| crypt. | | | | confronted her in her home. They battled to both of |
| A month after his second daughter, Dorcas' death, | | | | their deaths. Afterward, other slaves who knew of |
| Col. Chase himself died. At his funeral, when the | | | | his plan buried her in the specially-prepared grave. |
| pallbearers opened the crypt, they were shocked to | | | | While this story may be embellished, there's no doubt |
| see that the coffins looked as though they had been | | | | that Annie Palmer met a murderous end. |
| thrown around the small room. They rearranged the | | | | A Ritz-Carlton now stands on part of the old |
| coffins, including the new addition of Col. Chase, and | | | | plantation grounds, and its developer restored the |
| replaced the heavy slab at the crypt's entrance. | | | | decaying Rose Hall great house to its former glory. |
| Rumors spread that Dorcas had starved herself to | | | | During its renovation, workers experienced numerous |
| death, driving Chase to commit suicide. Over the next | | | | eerie occurrences. For instance, the day after |
| few years, every time the crypt was opened, the | | | | refinishing floors, they'd appear to be damaged by old |
| coffins had moved, apparently with violent force. | | | | blood stains. |
| Thomasina Goddard's wooden coffin even splintered | | | | Now a museum offering guided tours, the house's |
| into bits. | | | | visitors report plenty of supernatural phenomenon, |
| At first, people suspected vandals because Mr. Chase | | | | too. Whispers in the dungeon, old music, footsteps, |
| had plenty of enemies, particularly among his slaves. | | | | and the sound of crying babies have all been heard. |
| However, on two occasions the crypt was mortared | | | | Photographs showing an original mirror and various |
| shut, even including an impression of the Governor's | | | | rooms of the house often contain figures of people |
| seal; the mortar was never tampered with. Similarly, | | | | who weren't there when the pictures were taken. |
| sand spread on the floor of the crypt showed no | | | | Of course, these are just a few of the haunted |
| signs of disturbance, even with the coffins in | | | | locales in the Caribbean. If you're ever lucky enough |
| complete disarray. A thorough examination of the | | | | to visit the islands yourself, keep your eyes and ears |
| crypt for secret passageways, cracks, or other | | | | open. You just might see a phantom ship sailing on |
| explanations yielded no answers. In 1820, the family | | | | the horizon, or hear the raucous laughter of pirates in |
| removed all the coffins and reburied them elsewhere. | | | | an old saloon. |
| Although several natural theories have been | | | | |