The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-05-07
WEDNESDAY EVENING, MAY 1902.
| PAID FOR TIMBER GHOSTS OF SOUNDS
Phantom Noises That Still Remain
Mysteries.
SOME QUEER sUPERsT1T1oNs
The "DemOn Knockers" of the Mines
The 'sBarisal Guns"-The Bell
Bird and Others.
London Standard.

London Standard
One of the minor mysteries of nature,
which modern science has yet to clear up,
is the origin and cause of the strange and
unexplained sounds heard at different
times, and stated places, in almost all
parts of the world. There is scarce a.
country in either hemisphere where, in
some special locality or another, phan-
tom sounds are not known to be heard
from time to time, and to account for
which local legend or fanciful theory
alone is forthcoming.
OF such a nature, for example, are the
demon knockers of which the miners
speak; curious tapping noises heard in
mines, and coming, apparently, from the
bowels of the earth. In certain countries
gnomes and goblins, working IN subter-
ranean treasure vaults; are credited with
the knOckings. In Cornwall 1t is the
spirits of the old icy captives who worked
the old tin mines in the days OF the
Phoenicians. In not a few instances,
again, the phantom sounds more nearly
resemble the discharge of heavy guns at
great distance. The most famous known
example of this special phenomenon is
heard in India, in the neighborhood OF
Barisal, in the Delta of the Ganges,
where the sounds have become so familiar
guns" 49,.
The reports, which are described as. a
dull, muffied booming, are heard at lrfeg-
ular intervals, some times singly, some
times in quick succession. Various the
cries have been adduced in explanation,
one of which attributes the sound to the
bursting of bamboo or other hollow canes
in jungle fires; but careful observation
has failed to substantiate this suggestion,
or to discover any adequate cause in the
whole neighborhood which is far re-
moved from any but the humblest habl-
tations. Nor is Barisal the only place in
India where like disturbances are re-
| marked. Quite number of districts
there are famous by reason of this very
Phenomenon, notably the country lying
! between the Brahmaputra and the Caro-
| Hills in Assam, where, more particularly
| in fair seasons, faroff booomings are
| heard.
In the same region, on the river S
| banks, a heavy cannonade has been re-
marked, apparently coming from the river
| itself, and the native boatmen, who are
| perfectly familiar with the sounds, at
tribute them to the gods, celebrating the
| marriage Of the Gauges with the Brah-
maputra Half the globe away, in the
! United States, in mountainous district
in north Georgia, is a rocky peak where,
| for half century, at least, at all times
| ana IN all kluuS OIL WtdIuSl, udFc pCNh
heard sounds always mysterious and
eluding. detection, but invariably de
scribed as resembling the discharge OF
distant cannon" Trustworthy witnesses
who have visited the mountain by day
and night expressly for the purpose OF
making careful investigation, have come
| to the conclusion that the sounds appear
to issue from the ground itself. There
| are several other places in the United
| who m noises noticed
! At Franklinville, N. Y, reports as OF
! solid rock being blasted have frequently
! seemed to come from the center OF a
certain hill, Nearer home, lookout men
at Ostend: have heard, usually towards
! evening, dull and distant noises, appar-
i entity subterranean; while on Dartmoor
! in England, and in not. a few parts OF
! Scotland eircumstantial evidence. of q
| precisely similar character is forthcom-
ing and has, before now, been collected
| and commented on in some of the leading
scientific Journals 80 - F.
| Even more frequently, however, the
phantom sounds haunting various local.
ties have been described as resembling
the pealing or telling of distant bells
One of the most remarkable instances OF
this occurs in the peninsula of Sinai
where is a mountain which has always
been known as "Jehel Nagus '-the noun
tain of the bell. Here. from time i'm
memorial, have been heard sounds as o.
subterranean bell tolling within the
heart Of the hill. This is borne out by
a local legend according to which mon
1 astery which once stood near the sum.
nit was, by supernatural agency, with
drawn within the rock, and the sounds
heard are those of the hidden bell calling
the monks to prayer. Bruckhardt In MS
4 'sTravels,' published in 1922 attributes
this sound to masses of fine sand, Whlcf
occasic nally rush down the mountain SIDE
ard in SO doing give rise TO strange
bell-like note. =. -
PROFESSOR Palmer, who closely exam
ired the whole neighborhood, was able
to make careful observation OF the slid
ing of the sand, which, he said, is readll!
set in motion, when it rolls down with
sluggish, viscous movement, and th'
sound begins as "a moan, swelling 10
roar. and then gradually dying away w
need not go so far at1eld, however 70 liil'
MANY other instances of phantom bells
and where the theory of the falling SAM
is not admissible. At least half dozel
examines may be mentioned within on
.. own isles. The fishermen at DunWlch
the sear.ort town on the Suffolk coast
where the encroacbing sea has over
whelmed a once large and populous Town
are known to declare that the beils Oh los
churches can still be heard peallng unoe
; - waves At Boshan. in Sussex. tn
old hell CT the parish church, sacrl
l leg sold in olden times; but lost il
: the bay, yet tolls occasionally, SO the
say, beneath the sea.
So, again, at Boseastle, IN o frad;t il'
. relates which we're being conveyed t
! France for mercenary purposes, sank
: deep water in st. Queens bay. and these
: too. are said to ring before storm;
;, 1ile tale. again, is told of the lost bell Q
y e. Dayid'se Pembrokeshire. Other re
! peated instances Of the same legend Q
: phenomenon may be met with almos
r Without limit, and it has been susgeste
that the cause may be found in the noise
emitted by certain hsh which plouus
sounds under water often vague and har
to locate.
| ton is very satisfactory one, and, more
over, it is powerless to account 1or the ~
stances, nearly as numerous, where tn
| hoIl has heen heard under the ground. A