Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1912-03-21
The 'TOlling
Bell
1t Was a Mystery, but 1t
Was Explained
BY ALBERT TUCKER KENYON


rendering the night dark. but there
was no wind The sea was smooth
only for ground swell. According to
ali observation taken the previous noon,
we were not near any land or sunken
rocks that is, nothing TO warrant
warning to 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 IL tolled with that
irregularity which sailors would recog-
nize at once as belonging to these bell
warnings against dangerous places at
sea
| at once ordered the lead heaved but
mo bottom" was reported Neverthe-
less confess | was very uneasy.
Though we were in deep water. We
might be near a ledge. However we
could do nothing but keep posted so
far Gs possible as 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 ny sterious sound might he.
The strokes continued to approach US
or we them till they seemed TO be
scarcely a 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 it was there. uut so far
that eve could not distinguish what it
was
Nevertheless we all agreed that 1t
was aaoat and drifting. Gradually
the tolling of the bell became less and
less distinct. but did not die out entire
" for more than an hour. Ii was a
grcwsome sound and depressed the
crew, causing forebodings among the
supcrstitious.
The next morning a 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
ahead ] concluded to turn about and
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 it again. 1t was evident that she
was a derelict, and 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 l ordered a 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 a
cable dangling from her bow with the
st6rboard anchor gone, indicating that
she had been lying at anchor and had
been blown away. This theory was
borne out by the fact 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 l seen any one aboard of
her ! should not have taken her for
derelict.
There were one thing that puzzled
me. The bell rope had not been parted:
it was hanging loose. Why it was so |
could not divine Such ropes are always
fastened, and l saw no reason why It
should have been left unfastened or
have become so after the crew had
left the ship.
There was nothing omen that would
jeopardize the ship in case Of bad
weather The matches were in place
and the compani0nway closed. why
this was so ! could not understand
that is, If the crew had gone ashore
from the anchorage, leaving her alone.
and she had been blown of.
Having noted these things. went
below by the forecasue companion.
way
There was not a soul below forward
/ did not expect to find any one
there alive, bat / fancied / might End
find one or more dead bodies. | went
aft to where the officers quarters were
and looked into every room. The last
one | came to, evidently the captains.
gave me a surprise
On the broad berth little boy. not
year old, sat looking at me His
eve was bright au7 ISIS .l,,..t.. -.