Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-09-07
A WANDERING BELL Buoy.
De Of Selby's Grew Took II to Be Hi
DeathkneeL

Captain McCulloch OF the British
steamship Selby, now In port with a
cargo of iron ore from Nicolaieff, Rus
STA, gives curious account Of an ex-
perience with a drifting bell which he
passed when In the middle of the broad
Atlantic.
ION July H." said Captain McCul-
loch, "at 8 o'clock Mt night we were In
latitude 1928 north, longitude ADJ
west. 1t was dark, gloomy hour,
with quite heavy sea on, one of those
nights which make a fellow feel wor-
ried and fearful, just why he doesn't
know.
1--WE were feeling our way very care
fully. There was every indication OF
heavy fog setting in shortly. At that
time, however, the night was simply
one Of inky blackness.
Samuel Marsteller, one Of our ordi-
nary seamen, was sick. He has since
recovered, but it is a wonder that his
fright on the night have mentioned
did not carry him away.
HE was particularly bad on July IL.
koCNCid tlluCo nC tOli uS that hC Wao
going to die. tried to cheer him up,
but he seemed oppressed with name
less fear. He moaned in terror, while
the wind played a mournful accom-
paniment through the sounding
shrouds.
Suddenly, about $50, bell tolled
sadly over the sea. We all started In
terror and looked furtively at the sup
posed dying man.
"'It's all over, boys he said, that
is my passing bell and relapsed at
once into insensibility so deep we
thought that all was over.
1T was dramatic and fitting climax
to the mental torment which had held
poor Marsteller in it's clutches for
many hours. For the moment /
ascribed the dismal tolling of the lost
buoy to supernatural agencies, and
quickly hurried on deck with that omi-
nous death knell yet ringing in my
! ears. ssss2:falExm.zrEr -'s"-
Its dismal peal continued until day
break. BY that time, however, l had
solved the mystery. Reference to hy-
geographic bulletins and pilot charts in
my possession proved cOnclusively that
the CHASTITY visitant was none other
than the bell buoy that has been so
long adrift and has been so often re-
ported. When morning came / saw
IL distinctly. 1t was painted black
with a square cage and seemed in per-
feet condition. Its course when last
observed was northwest"
Captain McCulloch went on to say
that the effect of the supposed death
knell on the sick sailor lasted several
days. He thinks the explanation had
much to do with his recovery.
Never probably in the entire history
of navigation has floating spar or
abandoned derelict traversed greater
number of miles than this mournfully
changing harbinger of danger over the
trackless waste of the ocean. Again
and again since il broke loose from its
insecure fastening on the wild Nova
Scotia coast has it crossed the track
Of transatlantic vessels. Once 1t was
seen as far south as the north coast of
CuDd' uSdlH IL was pusseu WltniH NOO
miles of Ireland. Now it is midway
between both continents, seemingly re-
turning to its former station.
The photographic office has been
much interested in the erratic course
Of the wanderer The latter has been
Of inestimable value in determining
the true direction of the ocean cur
rents. Captain McCulloch's report was
very much appreciated by the local
office in Philadelphia.-Phi
Times.