The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1912-04-04
The T0lling
Bell
1t Was a Mystery, but 1t
Was Explained

By ALBERT TUCKER KENYON

was no wind. The sea was smooth
only for Il ground swell. According to
All observation taken the previous noon,
we were not near any land or sunken
rocks--that is, nothing to warrant a
warning to ships.
And yet there came across the sur
face Of the water. 'mellowed by dis.
lance" the sound Of a buoy bell. l say
a buoy bell because it 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. hut
no bottom" was reported. Neverthe-
less | confess ! vas very uneasy.
Though we were IN deep water. we
might be nea Il ledge. However. we
could do nothing but keep posted so
fur .s 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.
l would have cast anchor except for
the fact that there was no bottom.
l 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 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. but so far
that we could not distinguish what 1t
was.
Nevertheless we all agreed that it
was aloat and drifting. Gradually
the tolling of the bell became less and
less distinct. but did not die out entire
ly for more than an hour. 1t vas Il
greWSnme sound and depressed the
crew. causing forebodings among the
suprrStitiouS.
The next morning q vessel appeared
far astern Of us. She had no sails set,
and our glasses failed to reveal any
one aboard. \ 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-
volviny 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 cure within hearing distance
we knew that the tolling of the night
before came from her. for we began to
hear it again. 1t vas evident that she
was Il dereiict. and | inferred that the
rope attached to the clapper of her bell
had either rotted away or become
lOOStl'u, Su tiiit Us HIc IOSc uuu lcl'
OH the seas the bell was tolled.
AS soon as we came within easy
reach of her | ordered u boat lowered.
and | was pulled to the derelict. \
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
starboard 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 ! cen any one aboard OF
her | should not have taken her for n
deielict.
There were one thing that puzzled
Inc. The bell rope had not been parted:
it was hanging loose. Why it was so |
could not divine. Such ropes are always
fastened. and saw no reason why it
should have been left u%nfasteued OF
have become SO after the crew had
left the ship.
There was nothing open that would
jeopardiZe the ship in ease Of bad
weather. The matches We're in place
and the companionway closed. Why
this 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, ! went
below by the forecastle companion
way.
There was not a soul below forward.
l did not expect to find any one
there alive. but / fancied l might find
find II or more dead bodies. l went
aft to where the officers quarters were
and looked into every room. The last
one l came to, evidently the captains.
gave me a surprise.
On the broad berth a little boy. not
a year old, sat looking at me. His
eye vas bright and his cheeks rudy.
Indeed. he was the picture Of health.
Seeing me-, he broke into a smile. Be-
hind him, with her face to the wall,