The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-04-20
Many Mysteries of Nature to
Clear Up,
T0LLING OF CHURCH BELLS
And the Like Heard, but From
No Found Out Cause.

ID inc origin anu AdHeS o- bitN 7e-~.-'7N
and unexplained sounds heard at different
times. and stated places. in almost all
parts Of the world. There is scarcely
a country in either hemisphere where. in
some special locality or another, phan-
tom sounds are net known to be heard
from time TO time, and TO account for
which local legion or fancifm 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 coun-
tries gnomes and COLLINS. working in
subterranean treasure vaults, are credit
ed with the knockings. In Cornwall it
IS the spirits Of the old jew capuves who
worked the tin mines in the days Of
Phoeuicians. In not Il few instances,
again. the phantom sounds more nearly
resemble tho discharge OF heavy guns
at great distance. The most famous
known example of this special phenone-
non is heard in India, in the ueighbor-
hood Of Barisal in the Delta of the
Gangos. where the sounds have become so
familiar as 10 acquire The name of the
"Barisal guns"
The reports. which are described as
a dun. munied booming are heard at
Irregular intervals. sometimes singly. some
times in quick succession. Various the
cries have been advanced in explana-
ton. one of which attributes the SOUND
of the bursting Of bamboo or other hol-
low canes ia jungle fires; but careful OBJ
servesion has failed to substantiate this
suggestion, or to discover any made
quate cause in the whole neishborhood.
which is far removed from amy but the
humblest habitauons. Nor is Barisai
the only place in India where like dis
turbances are remarked. quite a NUM-
Der of districts there are famous by rea-
son OF this very phenomenon, notably the
country lying between the Brahmaputra
and the Caro- Ellis, in Assam. where.
more particularly in fair seasons, far-of
boomings are heard.
In the same region, on the rivers bank
heavy csunonade has been remarked
apparently coming. from the river it
self; and the native boatmen. who are
perfectly familiar with the sounds. ar
tribute them 10 the gods. celebrating the
marriage of the Ganges with the Brah-
maputra Half the Globe away in the
United STATES is mountainous district
in north Georgia. is a rocky peak. where
for half a century. at least, at an times
md I'm All kinds OF weather. have been
heard sounds. always mysterious and elu-
Ing detection. but invariably described
as resembling the discharge Of distant
cannon. Trustworthy witnesses who
have visited the mountain 10y day and
night expressly for the purpose az MAX
ing careful investigation Shave come to
the conclusion that the sounds appear to
ISSUE from the ground itself There are
several other places in the United States
where similar noises arc heard At Frank
vile, y r.. reports as of solid rock he
ing blasted have frequently seemed TO
come from the center of certain hil
Nearer home. lookout men at Ostcnd
have heard usually towards evening.
duh and distant noises, apparently sub
terranean. while on the Dartmo0r in
England and I'm not a few parts OF Scot
land. circumstantaI evidence of q pre-
cisely similar character is forthcoming
and has. before now, been collected ami
commented on in some of the leading
scientific journals
Even more frequently. however the
phantom sounds haunting voriC>.s local
titles have been described as resembling
the pealng or tolng Of distant ~ells
one O the most remarkable instances of
this occurs i'm the peninsula of Sinia.
where is "a mountain which has always
been known as "Jebel Nagus the noun
tain of the bell. Here, from time imme-
mortal have been heard sounds as OF
subterranean bell toIIing within the heart
Of the hill. This is borne out 10y the local
legend. according to which q. monastery
which once stood near the summit was.
by supernatural agency, Withdrawn with
in the rock and the sounds heard are
those of the hidden bell calling the monks
to PRAYER Burckh8rdt. In hiss Travels
published lS22. attributes this sound to
masses If dne sand which occasionally
rush down the mountain-Sidc. and i'm so
doing give rise to strange beil-like
note.
Professor Palmer who closely eNamin-
ed the whole neighborhood. was able 10
make careful observation of thc sliding
of the sand which ii is said. Is readily
set IN motion when ii rolls down with
a sluggish. vicious movement and the
sound begins as q moan. swelling To a
roar. and then gradually diving away.
We need not so SO ar a6eld. however
10 find many other instances OF phantom
bells, and where the theory Of the fall-
ing sand is not admissible. AT least
half-a-dazen examples may be mentioned
within our own isles The fishermen M
T1trpygirh the Seauorr town cr The SAT-