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

A MYSTERIOUS NIGHT ADVENTURE.
BY LrEurESASr H. c. FOSTER.


the large island Of Papna, OF New Guinea,
les a narrow strait, studded with lnnn- /
msrable islands, rocks, shoals, reefs and
sand banks, rendering the navigation in /
tricate and dangerous, and impossible /
sxcept in the hours Of daylight To add
TO the perils, many Of the islands are in
habited by Papuan savages--a race APP
parently cross between the Malay and
tho negro of Australia, and possessing
all the savage treachery Of the former,
with the disgusting, bestial feroeity OF
the latter class Of saysSss.
II is therefore generally the custom
when vessels are bound from Sydney, or
any port in Australia, to India or China
-neoessitating passage through this
channel. known as Torres Strait-for one
captain to wait for another, until two,
three, or moro vessels are ready to sail
together, and to keep company, and to
render each other assistaude, shoufdit be
needed. The practice is for each vessel
to keep a couple of men aloft during day
light TO mark the course, since tho water
is usually smooth as that of lake, aud
the sand banks and shoals can be dis
tinctly seen beneath. Even then the
garments are so strong aud uncertain that
il is often found diflicnl, to thread some
Of the narrow passages; and as soon as
ID becomes dark some spot is chosen
wherein to come TO with a kedgo anchor
during the night, when it is necessary to
keep q wcll-armed watch on deck TO pro
vent the crew from being surprised by
savsges.
The islands are not all inhabited, and
am of the opinion that the natives are
in the habit of roaming from one to an
other, as their fancy chooses, or as fish
their chief food-grow scarce. Many Of
the islands are perfect paradises. The
land is undulating, rising into hills Of
tolerable height, divided by Valleys, equal
in scenery to the happy abode of Ras-
selas, Prince of Abyssinia. They are
well wooded, well stocked with the wild
fruits of the tropics, and abound in little
lakes, and streams of fresh water. In
fact they possess every varietyof scenery
in miniature so beautifully arranged that
it is scarcely possible to believe that the
art of the landscape gardner has not been
employed to increase the natural beauty
Of these lovely spots, and how the saw
ages who reside upon them can retain
their degraded characteristics amidst
everything that is calculated to soften
and refine mans nature, it is difficult to
conceive.
Several years ago the sloop ol-wal
Coquotte sailed from Sydney, bound fol
the China seas. OF course ships of wal
are sufficiently well manned and armed tC
protect themselves against savages, anC
consequently do not wait for consort
as is the case with merchantmen.
The Coquette duly reached tho straits
and on the second night afterwards eamt
to an anchor under ono Of the islands. =
Il was not yet dark, and the captain ant
some of the officers resolved to make (
trip on shore for an hour. A boat wal
accordingly lowered, aud tho captain anc
five others, with crew, all well armed
In case of troachery on the part Of the
natives, should there be any, landed or
tho island. 1t was of no great extent
perhaps covering an area of more thar
fifteen or twenty acres, but the soil wa
so undulating and so densey wooded
and the miniature scenery so diversified
that it had the appearance Of much
greater extent of surface.
The officers, taking their fowling
pieces with than, wandered oil over the
island. Theysaw numerous traces Of III
having been recently inhab ited for thoy
came across the ashes Of fires, evidently
act long burnt out, and found turtle
half roasted, but they met with no saw
ages. In the midst of wood they cam
across huge wooden idol, grotesquel,
carved, with the mouth stuck full o
Il al -. M,
With -sd ~aa yellow pigments. The
shot several birds, and bringing the lido
with them, returned to the boat, wher
they found tho sailors, who had beer
amusing themselves in gathering shells
of which they found several rare ant
curious specimens on the beach. These
with the birds and the idol, as a souveni
Of their visit, wero all put into the boa
and carried on board the ship.
At eight o'clock the night watch wa
set, tho same as if the vessel had been OF
the open sea, and nothing particular oc
Cured until midnight, when, accordin,
to nautical custom, "eight bells" wa
struck, and the watch below was Gale,
to relieve their shipmates. Scarce. !, bow
ever, had the last tones of the bell cease
TO vibrate, when "eight bells" were agai
distinctly struck.
Forward there" shouted the liouten
ant Of the watch. "NYho struck tina
bell?"
There was no reply. r
"Who struck that bell? Who dareC
TO strike il the second time? / iusis
upon knowing" cried the officer.
"Ploase, sir, nobody" at length an
swsred forecastleman.
"Mr. Hardy" said the lieutenant t
the boatswain, who came aft at this mo
ment, Sind out who struck that bell.
insist upon knowing sir" -
"The men say nobody was near tn
bell after struck eight bells, as usual
sir" replied the boatswain.
"Did you not hear it?" asked tho officer
ayes, sir, thought did"
Thought you did You must be sur
of II, as well as | am. I'll find out tn
offender or bv love I'll nunish the vhal