Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1885-11-13
"A Secret of the Sea. y

The following story was told me
hort time ago by friend, who had ii
only at second hand from an eye-wit-
ness of the whole affair My friend
began thus:
The strange thing l am going tC
tell you is true; | know it because
have it from a friend, or, rather re-
lation, of one of the officers on board
the ship.
"Some years ago, before the exist
ence of the Suez Camel, a large East
Indiaman was making her way easily
with light Summer winds, along
through the Indian Ocean to Calcutta
The Cape had been passed several days
before, and now, with charming
weather, officers and passengers, to say
nothing of the crew, were looking for
ward to the end of what had been a
pleasant, though quite uneyeGtful
voyage
They had had nothing more serious
than 'halfgale o wind, had met only
three or four ships, homeward bound
and in spite of score or more agreea-
ble passengers, in spite of the last sen
sation novels, of musical entertain.
ments, of nirtations by moonlight Oh
deck, and even IN spite of unlimited
gossip, the days had grown very mo
notOnous, and the weeks unaccOuntabll
long; even light-hearted middies ha,
begun to chafe and fret over the lon,
confinement ON shipboard. ana 81
young ladies to sigh for an excitement
II take it for granted that you know
that the service of the East Indi
Conpany's ships was like the Naval il
its organization; there were captain
lieulenants, midshipmen and petty OF
liceTs; the ships were mounted wit
heavy guns, and were well armed, an
manned with men trained for fighting
The voyage was long, and in time Q
war the Indiamen were regarded a
very desirable booty. The ships wer
large, strongly built and very commC
dious, and often luXuriously fitted VI
THE day had been hot, and the ligh
wind had died almost entirely away
the great ship rose and fell on tn
waves. and her sails hung loosely fror
the tall masts that slowly swayed bac
and forth with monotonOus, crackin
sound one knows SO we'll who has bee
much at sea. It was sundown,' an
the short twilight of the tropics wa
fast deepening into night; eyerybod
had come upon deck to enjoy sue
wh!lfS Of air as might be stirring, tn
passengers and officers on the quarter
deck, while the crew were hangin
over the side or lazily lounging on tn
neat coils of rope about the deck.
suddenly faint. very faint soun
So faint, one knew not what it wa
whence it came-or scarcely if ther
ad ben a sound ut all People aske
each other about it; some had heard
nd others had not; and after SON
discussion it was decided there reall
vas nothing at all. And just as the
cached that conclusion the soun
anc again, and little clearer, MOI
nostive than before, 50 that every on
heard something. 1t was the moan
he hreeze through the riggingp N
1t WAS the bell or'ard = 1t was fift
most ordinary sounds in the worlt
and quite a matter Of course that
,hou.d have been heard; and then
again it came-a as if it dropped frol
| he air, and were the OBJ of some sal
hearted spirit floating by. And the
The thing was talked over an
over, and everybody had theory, an
nobody was satisfied with any of then
"Meantime it grew darker, and Il
great stars of the Southern WOrl
started out, making the night lum
nous with their wonderful glcry.
silence fell upon the busy tongues, an
all eyes were gazing upwards. whe
suddenly through the hush broke Il
tone of bell Full, clear, musical
rang out, then died slowly, seeming
go further and further away. until II
last faint sound came from long di
tance off; then again silence, and pc
| pie Looked strangely at each other, ar
almost as if they were fearful0f brea
ing that stiffness by speaking Il
words that hung on every lip. Z
last Captain Stanley hailed the mas
head
"'No. sir, nothing in sight It's
little misty up to windward.
Keep sharp lookout-d'ye hear
"'Ay, ay. sir =
"A slight puff of wind blew past Il
ship-just enough to bear the distin
tone OF the mysterious bell, and also
tell from which direction it came;
'as deeper, clearer, fuller than befoT