The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-05-06
The TOIling
Bell
II Was a Mystery, but II
Was Explained
BY ALBERT TUCKER KENYON

was on deck one night keeping a gen
eral lookout The sky was overcast
rendering the night dark. but there
was no wind. The sea was smooth
only for n ground swell. According t
all observation taken the previous noon
we were not near any land or sunker
rocks-that is. nothing to warrant {
warning 10 ships.
And yet there came across the sur
face OF the water. 'mellowed by dis
lance" the sound OF buoy bell. say
a buoy bell because it tolled with that
irregularity which sailors would recog
nize at once as belonging TO these bel
warnings against dangerous places al
sea.
Mt once ordered the lead heaved. but
"no bottom" was reported. Neverthe
less confess I was very uneasy
Though we were in deep water. we
might be near n ledge. However. We
could do nothing but keep posted Sc
far as possible ms TO the depth of wa.
ter beneath us. and. though we kept
lowering the lead. we did not reach
bottom.
Meanwhile, though we were scarcely
moving. we continued to approach the
bell or it approached us, for the sound
became gradually more and more dis
tinct.
/ would have cast anchor except for
the fact that there was no bottom.
could only wait for developments.
The watch heard the tolling and were
on the qui vive for something to hap
pen. Those below came up one by one
and leaned against the rail, listening.
or in knots discussed in low tones what
the mysterious sound might be-
The strokes continued to approach Us
or we them till they seemed TO be
scarcely cables length distant. Then
we began to make out something black
dead ahead. called out to the man at
the wheel to port the helm. He did So,
but there was so little Roadway that
our course was but slightly detected.
A black hulk passed so near us that
we could see 1t was there. but so far
that we could not distinguish what it
was.
Nevertheless we all agreed that it
was a1oat and drifting. Gradually
the tolling OF the bell became less and
less distinct. but did not die out entire
~ for more than an hour 1t was n
grewsome sound and depressed the
crew. causing forebodings among the
superstitious.
The next morning n vessel appeared
far astern of us. She had no sails set,
and our glasses failed to reveal any
one aboard A fresh breeze blowing in
her direction sprang up, and since on
the course we were sailing it was dead
investigate this strange ship. AS we
neared her we failed to see any one
aboard of her. and her wheel was re-
volving as the rudder was swayed by
the waves.
If any Of the sails had been set
they had been blown away. AS soon
as we came within hearing distance
we knew that the tolling of the night
before came from her. for we began to
hear il again. 1t was evident that she
was a derelict. and l inferred that the
rope attached TO the clapper Of her bell
had either rotted away or become
loosened, so that as she rose and fell
on the seas the bell was tolled
AS soon as we came within easy
reach of her | ordered boat lowered,
and l was pulled to the derelict. A
ladder was hanging to her side, so we
had no difficulty in getting aboard of
her.
We found the sails furled and
cable dangling from her bow with the
starboard anchor gone. indicating that
she had been lying Mt anchor and had
been blown away. This theory was
borne out by the sact that most OF her
boats were gone no fragment of them
being left, indicating that the crew
had taken them The ladder hanging
over the side was further proof of this. |
The ship was not in bad condition |
Indeed. had | seen any one aboard of |
her should NOT have taken her for a |
1erelict.
There were one thing that puzzled |
me. The bell rope had not been parted;
It was hanging loose. Why 1t was so |
,ould not divine. Such ropes are always |
fastened. and saw no reason why 1t |
should have been left unfastened or
have become so after the crew had
eft the ship.
There was nothing open that would
jeopardize the ship in case of bad
weather. The matches were in place
and the companionway closed. why
his was so could not understand
that Is, IL the crew had gone ashore
from the anchorage. leaving her alone,
and she had been blown off.
Having noted these things. I went
below by the forecastle companion.
way.
There was not soul below forward.
i did not expect to find any one
here alive. but l fancied l might End
ind one or more dead bodies. wen,
aft TO where the officers quarters were
ind looked into every room. The last
'ne came to. evidently the captains.
gave me surprise.
On the broad berth a little boy. NOT
year old. sat looking at me. His
ye was bright and his cheeks ruddy.
indeed, he was the picture of baaIth