Point Lobos, the locale of Stevenson’s Treasure Island has been the focal point of many odd tales. People have reported seeing all manner of nature spirits, Varying from beautiful devas (angels) with brilliantly flashing wings and talons. The sea spirits are reputedly the most dangerous to mankind, for they are always dragging people into the sea and drowning them. They do this not malevolently but playfully.*
*A Wild Coast & Lonely—Big Sur Pioneers by Rosalind Sharpe Wall
Stories of nature spirits haunting the Coast have gone back as far as anyone can remember. First there were the fog-ghosts, whom the Indians loved and made friends with. These ghosts were lonely and sad. The Indians went out at night from the Mission to meet them in the woods and cheer them up. When the Franciscans fathers learned of this, they followed them out one night and performed an exorcism. The fog-ghosts, howling, departed and the Indians mourned. According to legend, the Father who performed the exorcism went mad, ran over a cliff and was drowned at sea near Point Lobos.*