| With its colorful and turbulent history, it's no surprise | | | | believe that even after death, the family simply |
| that tales of the supernatural abound in the | | | | couldn't get along. The crypt still remains empty.While |
| Caribbean. Some believe that Blackbeard's ghost | | | | no one knows exactly what happened at the Chase |
| haunts the former Old Fort Nassau in the Bahamas; | | | | crypt, there's no dispute about what's haunting Rose |
| others report strange incidents at the Stirrup Cay | | | | Hall Plantation in Montego Bay. It's Annie Palmer, the |
| Lighthouse. Some countries are home to a long | | | | plantation's former mistress, and her victims. Still |
| tradition of supernatural occurrences, such Haiti's | | | | known as the White Witch of Jamaica, Annie earned |
| well-known apparitions of corpses that are said to | | | | her nickname by practicing voodoo, murdering several |
| appear in Port-au-Prince's City Cemetery.But one of | | | | of her rich husbands, and treating her slaves harshly. |
| the most famous hauntings in the Caribbean, and | | | | Meting out torture or death for minor infractions was |
| perhaps the world, occurred at the Chase crypt in | | | | commonplace for her. Then she found a new way to |
| Christchurch, Barbados. Owned by a wealthy sugar | | | | entertain herself, by enticing slaves to be her lovers |
| plantation owner, its first confirmed occupant was | | | | and killing them when she got bored.Her slaves |
| Thomasina Goddard, placed there in 1807. Ownership | | | | understandably weren't fond of her. Legend has it |
| soon passed to another plantation family, the Chases. | | | | that, unbeknownst to her, one of her slaves was a |
| Col. Thomas Chase, the head of the family, was | | | | powerful voodoo master. Deciding to take care of |
| reputedly cruel to both his family and his slaves. Two | | | | her for good, he performed a voodoo ritual, creating |
| of his young daughters died (in 1808 and 1812), and | | | | a grave for her. When he finished, he confronted her |
| their lead coffins were also put in the crypt.A month | | | | in her home. They battled to both of their deaths. |
| after his second daughter, Dorcas' death, Col. Chase | | | | Afterward, other slaves who knew of his plan buried |
| himself died. At his funeral, when the pallbearers | | | | her in the specially-prepared grave. While this story |
| opened the crypt, they were shocked to see that | | | | may be embellished, there's no doubt that Annie |
| the coffins looked as though they had been thrown | | | | Palmer met a murderous end.A Ritz-Carlton now |
| around the small room. They rearranged the coffins, | | | | stands on part of the old plantation grounds, and its |
| including the new addition of Col. Chase, and replaced | | | | developer restored the decaying Rose Hall great |
| the heavy slab at the crypt's entrance. Rumors | | | | house to its former glory. During its renovation, |
| spread that Dorcas had starved herself to death, | | | | workers experienced numerous eerie occurrences. |
| driving Chase to commit suicide. Over the next few | | | | For instance, the day after refinishing floors, they'd |
| years, every time the crypt was opened, the coffins | | | | appear to be damaged by old blood stains.Now a |
| had moved, apparently with violent force. Thomasina | | | | museum offering guided tours , the house's visitors |
| Goddard's wooden coffin even splintered into bits.At | | | | report plenty of supernatural phenomenon, too. |
| first, people suspected vandals because Mr. Chase | | | | Whispers in the dungeon, old music, footsteps, and |
| had plenty of enemies, particularly among his slaves. | | | | 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.Of |
| sand spread on the floor of the crypt showed no | | | | course, these are just a few of the ghostly spots in |
| signs of disturbance, even with the coffins in | | | | the Caribbean. If you're ever lucky enough to visit |
| complete disarray. A thorough examination of the | | | | the islands yourself, keep your eyes and ears open. |
| crypt for secret passageways, cracks, or other | | | | You just might see a phantom ship sailing on the |
| explanations yielded no answers. In 1820, the family | | | | horizon, or hear the raucous laughter of pirates in an |
| removed all the coffins and reburied them elsewhere. | | | | old saloon.Karen Joslin writes for and other Segisys |
| Although several natural theories have been | | | | travel Web sites. |
| proposed, such as flooding or seismic activity, many | | | | |