East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1861-12-24

falsehoodY Do you mean 20 say that
eight bells were not distinctly struck,
three distinct tines"
Il thought heard it, Sir; so did my
shipmates here; bat 'twarnt nobody |
aboard struck the bell, arter Mr.. Hardy !
aud take it how as ltwarnt our bell as
struck
Tm not TO be put off this way replied
the lieutenant There's no vessel near
ms. There is nobody on the island ; and
| distinctly heard the bell--this bell
struck three times, The matter shall be
investigated thoroughly, and the offender
severely punished.
please, SIR said one of tho men, q
was standing here where / be now, snd i
thought as how the bell sounded up in
the air
Il was on the folk'sell, said another,
/ 'and to me il sounded as If the sound
came from over the bows
"Twarnt no mortal hand struck that
ere bell, your honor, said an old boat
swains mate solemnly. 1T was struck
! by invisible spirits, and it tokens someat.
Once, many years ago, on board the old
Boadicea, heard bell strike Just the
same way, and before week was over
tho yeler fever broke out aboard, and we
lost half the officers and crew.
Stuff and nonsensep exclaimed the
lieutenant, half doubtful, yet unwilling
to give in to superstition. 'We'll see in
tho morning il this invisible spirit can't
be found, and it'll prove the worse for
him for his obstinacy' .....
lie returned to the quarterback,
where he met the captain, just come up
from the cabin.
Mr.. Faulkner said the latter, what is
the meaning Of this? Iheard eight bells
struck twice if not thrice.
Three times, distinctly, sir, the lieu
tenant replied.
: Indeedl Strangel There was no vessel
within miles of us at dusk, and none
: could have come up near enough for us
to hear her bell, with this light breeze
'There is no vessel near, sir
How do you mean? Who dared re-
peat the strokes on the ships boll?'
That, sir, is what Icannot find out
The men all positively deny having done
so, and yet they al say they heard thu
sti okes'
Send the whole watch aft, sir, sale
: the captain.
: The hands came aft in a body, thu
boatswain at their head.
My men, said tho captain, some on'
!, Of You has committed a breach Of disci
= plino by striking the bell without orders
: Whoever has done so must be punished
' but if he will confess, the punishment
shall be light Otherwise, if | find on
!. the guilty person, will punish him Sc
:, :, vcrely, II fail in doing soft you al
;, continue obstinate, for some Of you mus
y know who did it'll viii stop your grol
, for a week
> The men ma le no reply.
you will not answer, continued Tia
= captain. Mr.. Faulkner, see that tn
: whole watch have their allowance of groi
stopped for week
please, your honor, it's very hard, sal
.. =" the old quartermaster who had spoken t
= the lieutenant previously. It's yer,
y = hard on us as we should suffer for inwis
y ible spirits. I'll take my davy, you
: honor, as twas no mortal hand as strucl
= that bell
- Forward all Of you, said the captain
!. do you think I'll pay attention to sue
nonsense? Away with you'll
- 1T is very strange, Mr.. Faulkner con
= tinued the captain, when the men hat
" gone forward. odd jackson is an hon
est old fellow, and he spoke in earnest
! Possibly there may be some vessel near
: We shall sec in the morning.
" The night was clear and calm, and tn
y full tropic moon shed light softer bu
, almost as light as day. The shores q
y tho island and their shadows we're re
lected, inverted, in the smooth water.
- light breeze waited perfume from tn
y land and the scene from the quarter
!, = deck was exquisitely calm and beautiful
~ ~ 1T is q shame to sleep on such a night
y said the captain.
" The third lieutenant had come on dec
- to relieve the second, but both the office
: and the captain remained chatting to
! gether, in reference to the sound of tn
; bell, which called up several Renaissance
= of strange and mysterious adventures q
;, sea. n good many of the watch ais
= chose to roman on deck, and settle
:, themselves down near tho gun carriage
% to sleep, though for an hour they remain
!" ed awake, relating, like their superiort
: tales of mysterious occurrences they ha
= heard Of or met with during their adver
:, turous career.
- - 'One o'clock, said the captain, Il be
= lieye shall go below and turn in. We
T. get under weigh at dsybresk, Mr.. Aller
Come, Faulkner, let us have a glass G
brandy and water together before W
:, turn in
: Strike tho bell .twop sung out tn
liicer of the watch, as the captain an
! first lieutenant descended into the cabt
!, The clang Of the bell resouuded through
" out the ship, telling that one hour of tn
watch had passed away; but before agai
tho sound had ceased to vibrate tw
% bells was distinctly repeated, apparent
- from the ships bell, as before. Tn
captain and second lieutenant returned t
the deck.
- What under heaven can this meant
= cried the captain.
- who dared to strike that bell again
. ouu,r ont tha third l,auto.o~.