The Bolivar Bulletin

Burning of the Steamer Erie—Remarkable Dream by a Lady in Buffalo.

A contributor to the Oswego (New York) Times and Advertiser furnishes the following remarkable narrative:

The Erie left Buffalo at 4 o'clock on the afternoon of August 9, 1841, and was discovered to be on fire about 8 o'clock in the evening, when off Silver Creek. She was destroyed, and about one hundred and seventy human beings perished.

I have recently been spending a few days in the city of Buffalo. While there, my landlady, who is a woman of high reputation for veracity, and for more than forty years a resident of that city, related to me the following remarkable dream and its fulfillment:

At the time referred to she was keeping boarders, among whom was a Mr. Brown—I think that is the name. One night she dreamed she saw a steamer on fire on Lake Erie, and in the rigging she saw a man enveloped in flames. She noted his features, the color of his hair, which was very dark. She then seemed to be transferred to the country, where she saw a new-made grave, and saw the sexton, a Mr. Purse, or Pierce, with his horse, bring the charred corpse of the burned man for burial. She awoke from the dream in a great state of excitement and perspiration. She immediately awoke her husband and related the dream. She was so much affected by it that she dare not go to sleep again, lest it should be repeated. The next day at noon, Mr. Brown brought a friend to dine with him, by the name of Pool, from New York. As soon as she saw him she recognized him as the person who she saw in the dream on the burning steamer. The effect on her was shocking; still she said nothing to him or to Mr. B. She had never seen him before only in the dream. At eve he did not return with his friend B. to tea. Mrs. S. inquired where he was. Mr. B replied that he had taken the steamer Erie for Cleveland. She then related her dream and expressed her fears to Mr. B. He only laughed at her credulity, saying she was a woman of too good sense to be moved or excited by a dream. Early next morning Mr. B. went out but soon returned in the wildest state of excitement, exclaiming: 'O! my God, the steamer Erie was burned last night, and my friend Pool was burned in her!' Mr Pierce the sexton, with his white horse, was sent to bring the remains and give them sepulchre in the cemetery, just as was seen in the dream.