The Murdered Dutchman rides again

Budding
HE came from Amsterdam-Holland. Name: Budrus Gravesande. Arriving in the early 18th Century he bought an abandoned sugar plantation at West-Coast Demerara. He revolutionised sugar cultivation to such a level that he and the neighbours – a Londoner named Nelson and a fellow Dutchman named Jonathan – envied him.
To make matters worse he began a love affair with Margaret, Nelson’s niece.
Both Nelson and Jonathon conspired to get rid of their nemesis. They hatched a deadly plot.

Deadly Plot
Every day at mid-day Budrus would jump on his horse Ajax and trot down the track to his estate. But he rode his last on August 13, 1829.

Horse Spooked
At Precisely 1 pm, Ajax refused to move on, halting under a silk-cotton tree. The animal began to neigh, blow steam from its nostrils and snort. Kicking wildly and standing on its hind legs, his eyes grew red as he ranted and raged. Kicking wildly and standing on its hind legs, he threw off its rider.

Trampled To Death
Before Budrus could get to his feet, the horse began to trample him. He became a rag doll. One hoof landed on his chest and broke his rib cage. A splintered bone pierced his heart. Ajax stood silently over his master’s corpse so calm as though nothing happened. The spooking was over. Nelson and Jonathan achieved their goal. Budrus was gone.

Stood Guard
Workers returning home from the backlands found the horse still straddling the fallen master. They tried to retrieve him but to no avail. The horse would not let them. Security personnel were summoned but the horse refused to budge. The authorities were forced to put Ajax down.

Ajax Put Down
Both steed and master were buried in one tomb. It was a huge funeral. Nelson and Jonatan kept away. No more competition. And Margaret was supposedly cleansed of the red-neck Dutchman. Budrus gone?

One Tomb
Each night following his interment the murdered man mounts his beloved horse and patrols his estate and that of his enemies

Clipity Clap
You could hear the metal sound of the hoofs on the concrete road at midnight. Clipity clap…clipity clap…! But you see no one, not even on a clear night. Budrus would ride up to Nelson’s bungalow and break down the gate and Ajax would let out an incessant neigh. Nelson was robbed of his sleep so too his family and acre of cane burned to the ground. The same happened to Johnathan. Budrus was on a rampage.

Tie Down the Spirit
Budrus got the last laugh. The two distressed planters tried to ‘tie down” this ghost but failed. A month later Nelson met with a terrible accident. His land-rover turned ‘turtle’ and pinned him to death.

Awful Envy
Jonatan suffered from incurable sores. He went back to Holland. No one knows for sure who exacted the curse on Ajax. But all were convinced that Budrus had brought his arch enemies down.

Who’s the culprit?
The peasants remembered the sad day man and animal entered the chamber of the mausoleum for eternal rest. But was it?

Reading the Headstone
And in his memory a dam is named after him – Budrus Dam – still there to this day. The huge blue marble tomb still can be seen today and curious visitors wishing to know what was written on its headstone brought a Dutch from Suriname. He read the inscription-Man and beast together –forever –Ajax and Budrus killed by evil hands (1832).

The Curse
As a boy my mom would wake me up past midnight to hear those hoofs on the concrete pathway. It was a bright moon-lit night. Mr Budrus was still on patrol but invisible.

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