East of the Barrow

[luthien-elvenprincess]

I would like other's thought concerning the hobbit's capture by the barrow-wight.

Tom Bombadil warned the hobbits more than once to "pass barrows by on the west-side, if they chanced to stray near one."
In "Fog on the Barrow-Downs", the mood seems to be cheerful and upbeat when the hobbits arrive at the hollow circle. But a foreboding enters the story when "But even as (Frodo) spoke he turned his glance eastwards...". Then, the hobbits sit facing east with their backs against the stone in the middle of the hollow circle. Lingering too long at this stone sets the stage for them to be captured by the barrow-wight.

Question: Would the hobbits had been captured if they had stayed to the west of the barrow. Are there any superstitions regarding the east side of a barrow that Tolkien was using for this part of the story?