The Palatine Light, Curse of the Princess Augusta - Block Island, Rhode Island

A Dutch sailing ship named the Princess Augusta sometimes referred to as The Palantine, left Holland in 1752 with 150 souls on board, many of them German immigrants heading for the new found territories in America.  Their destination was Philadelphia.  However, a terrible turn of events would prevent most of the passengers from reaching their destination except for the devilish crew.

The Palantine Light off the coast of Block Island, Rhode Island is believed to the ghost of a burning ship from the 18th century

After enduring an arduous journey across the Atlantic losing many passengers due to sickness and disease, the ship encountered heavy storms off the coast of New England and took heavy damage, losing many passengers to the rough seas.  The ship anchored just 10 miles off the coast hoping to endure the storm.  For whatever reasons, the crew decided this was not the best course of action and took matters into their own hands. 

The ship hands decided to mutiny and proceeded to kill the captain, and overtake the Princess Augusta, then ran it aground near Sandy Point on the southern tip of Block Island.  Then in an act of piracy, the proceeded to loot the remaining passengers and killing those who resisted.  They then ran the ship aground and set it on fire before abandoning it.  The tide was rising however and washed the flaming ship out to sea, trapping any remaining passengers on board who then perished either by the flames or by the rough seas.

The crew of The Palantine (Princess Augusta) mutinied and set the ship ablaze

To this day, many claim that a fiery orange light appears off Sandy Point on Block Island.  Some say this a curse brought about by the devilish deeds of the mutinous crew carried out long ago. They believe that this is the ghost of the Princess Augusta returning to haunt those her set her ablaze long ago.  Cries for help can be heard echoing from the sea as well as an area that is marked as a mass grave for the bodies of the victims that washed ashore from the horrible incident.

Sometimes a fiery orange glow can been seen off the coast of Block Island, Rhode Island known as The Palantine Light