Elizabeth daily monitor. [volume] (Elizabeth, N.J.) 1868-1880, 1868-11-30
attention, he asked

What the dooce is the mat
ter p
Its the Bell of Doom r exclaimed
Backstay Bob, tall Scared sailor,
from his position at the wheel
"Pshaw you're too childish" re-
piled the captain. Whatever il is, we
are rapidly approaching it, for notice
how much louder it sounds. ="
Such was the case. The bell was now
heard clear and distinct to the south,
and wassapproachiug nearer every mo
mcnt. Shortly after. the captain took
his night glass, and gazed long and in
tently in that direction When he
lowered it he said, -
: can inst discover dark body
rising and falling on the waves, but
nothing more. Backstay Bob, you
have got the best eyesight of anyone on
board. See what you can make of it,
Bob resigned his place at the wheel
to one of the men, and came forward
and took the glass. He went to the
gunwale, and leaning over, held it to
his eye for several minutes without
speaking, and to all appearances with
out even breathing, while we awaited
his word with the deepest interest.
Finally he gave great sigh and
lowered it.
Bile me up for whale blubber if
it amt old Davy Jones afoat"
How does it look % several of us
inquired in the same breath.
"I'll be hanged if I can tell There's
no bow-sprit, and"
Here he levelled the glass again. and
shortly after continued his observations.
"There's no sail no nothin'."
There must be something
certainly something,
certainly-aw-if your vision-aw--is
able to discern it," ventured the gentle
Adolphus Fitsgibbons."
"Don't you see thing like sail ?"
inquired the captain.
Not spec nor place to put one,
either. Hold a minute" exclaimed
BaelSstay Bob, Give got her in range
now" She hain't got the least mite of
a boom, yard, or anything like. She
looks like some great hulk of light
boat. Hold on again see the bell !!
They have rugged it up at the mast
head, SO that it swings BACKYARD and
for'ard every time the thing gives a
lurch to leeward."
"Can you see anything aboard ~
"Not a creetur, living or dead"
"Keep her away couple of points"
cried the captain to the man at the
wheel.
"Ay, ay, sir p
And the ships course was altered, so
as to bring her near the mysterious
craft towards which all eyes were di-
rected.
Several of the company now openly
remarked that there was something
supernatural in the appearance of
this boat with its tolling bell. To
all of these Florence Harris and her
lover replied lightly, neither of them
having the least faith in their credulity.
The captain listened impatientiy, and
then said,
E'You are all set of towards. No
doubt you imagined old Nick is aboard
with crew of little imps, bound for
the Galapagos Isles with load of brim
stone. If you will content yourselves
for half-an-hour longer, I'll tell you
something about it, for / intend to
board that old numbering hulk, even if
it turns out to be the Flying Dutchman
or Dayy Jones flag ship, and shall ex-
plore it from stem to stern =
To show that he meant what he said,
orders were given to heave to, and to
get one of the boats in readiness. By
this time the nondescript was plainly
visible to all. 1t appeared to be an old
hulk, with a single mast in the centre.
The bell was suspended from the mast
head, and ever and anon sent forth its
solemn tolling, as the hulk rose and
sank with the heayings of the sea.
Before the ship was brought to, we
had passed the hulk some distance, so
that when we halted, there were seve-
raj hundred yards intervening, and it
was only dimlv liscArnihle.