HomeMy WebLinkAboutX2023-013-0464 . The Loss of the Schooner
Annie Bell
by
Miss Edith Henderson of
Dunbarton, Ontario 1890
The "Annie Bell" was registered as
"Anna Bellchambers" and this wreck
occurred on October 30, 1873 off
Toronto Island.
From the Pickering News of September 25th, 1891.
I
The following,
lost in the towering
mile east of the harbor.
"The Loss of the
hills which guard it on
The wind had been
Schooner Annie Bell,"
the north and west with
blowing a hurricane
was written by Miss
zealous care, and on
from the northwest all
Edith Henderson, of
the south by the ever-
day, but towards
Dunbarton for which
restless waters of Lake
evening fell to a calm.
she won a recognition
Ontario. It, being a
The crew consisted of
medal in the Witness
convenient shelter, they
four, Captain W.
competition of 1890.
established a trading
Edwards, (my uncle),
The medal is a
post and gave it the
his son Joe, a bright
handsome one and will
name of Frenchman's
lad of fifteen, an old
likely remain long in
Bay. Since that time
salt who had braved
the family. Thinking
the hardy woodsman
the storms of the
that it would prove of
have cleared away the
Atlantic Ocean for
interest to our readers,
forest, and villages
forty years or more,
we append the sketch: -
have sprung up around
and a man called
About twenty
its shores. As time
Mansfield who had
miles east of the city of
rolled on, the city of
a I s o had some
Toronto, there lies a
Toronto began to grow
experience on the deep.
beautiful natural
and the demand for
The moon shed its
harbor called by the
fuel increased. A fleet
silvery rays across the
early settlers of this
of small vessels
water. The little
country Frenchman's
commenced a brisk
ripplets danced in the
Bay, now called
trade, carrying wood
light inviting the sailors
Pickering Harbor. Old
from the Bay to meet
upon its treacherous
settlers tell us that this
the demand. Among
bosom. Nothing
body of water was the
the many there was one
transpired during the
scene of the murder of
which brought sorrow
trip except large heavy
a Frenchman who lived
to many homes, called
clouds rolled up over
upon its shore in a
by name the Anna
the water. The wind
lonely cabin. Others
Bellchambers named
sang its mournful dirge
claim that when the
after a daughter of her
through the rigging.
French first navigated
part-owner. At the
Egyptian darkness had
the north shore of Lake
time of which I write,
set in shutting out all
O n t a r i o, t h e y
the little vessel of about
light from the city,
discovered this body of
forty tons registered,
except the light from
water nestling in a
had loaded a cargo of
the lighthouse on
dense forest as far as
green wood from the
Toronto Island. At the
the eye could reach till
lake shore one half
eastern gap the vessel
2
dropped anchor and
spray upon the vessel
claimed him for their
Captain Edwards sent
until everything was
prey, after becoming
Mansfield ashore to
coated with ice, and
stiffened from cold and
fmd the entrance. He
when hopes of soon
the constant wash of
was soon lost in the
reaching shelter ran
the waves all strength
darkness passing
high, the vessel plunged
gave way. On rushed
through the channel
madly before the gale,
the mad waves, one
into the harbor.
now in the valley of
larger than the rest
During this time the
death, again upon some
raised its towering head
wind had shifted to the
snow white crest of
above its fellows and
east blowing a fresh
some huge wave, she
running high into the
gale. The waves began
suddenly began to
rigging swept the old
to beat against the side
settle down, and rising
man from off his seat
of the vessel. It being
upon a wave, rolled
and embraced him in
extremely cold for the
o v e r u p o n her
its icy folds of death;
last of October, my
beamsend a lifeless
was carried away and
uncle deemed it
bulk. The vessel had
never more seen by
necessary for the safety
water-logged, she now
mortal eye. Father and
of the vessel and crew
lay to the mercy of the
son now remained
to hoist anchor and sail
wind and waves. The
alone. The sun was
around the west end of
Captain let go her
just rising out of the
the island. Much time
anchor to keep her
mad watery waste,
was spent in getting the
from drifting, and the
throwing a feeble light
vessel under weigh.
crew took to the
through the clouds. A
The waves ran
rigging for safety. My
passing steamer
mountains high, the
uncle lashed cousin Joe
inspired new hopes in
wind whistled through
and himself to the
the now sinking minds,
the rigging. The old
after -rigging. The poor
and summoning all
salt pulled down his
old sailor was in the
their remaining strength
tarpaulin and glanced
forward shrouds, and
they waved their frozen
uneasily to windward.
the waves leapt in their
hands for help but on
Cousin Joe looked up
mad fury over the
she passed not noticing
to his father's face with
vessel and into the
their distress. The
a look of confidence, as
rigging washing away
anchor chain parted,
his father grasped the
the old man. The
and the wreck now
helm and away they
Captain caught him
washed ashore. Father
sped before the ever
and placed him again
and son clasped in each
increasing gale. The
in safety but the mad
other's embrace, the
cold wind froze the
waters of Ontario
boy raises his face to
3
his father and said, "Pa
the beach and with all
answer, "Joe is no
don't be afraid to die
the strength he could
more." The above
for I aint," his head
command made signals
occurred eighteen years
drops upon his bosom,
to attract his attention.
ago 30th of October,
again in a full whisper
The man saw the
1873, which is still
"do you hear that
helpless condition of
fresh in the minds of
music upon yonder
the remaining sailor in
many living here, and
shore." the father
the rigging, fired off his
as the writer sits and
hears nothing but the
gun that it might carry
gazes upon Ontario's
hoarse roar of the
back to a sinking heart
bosom so calm and
breakers and the wild
the news that help was
majestic, sweeping in its
winds, but clasps with
near, hurried away, but
onward course to the
a feeble embrace his
what could man do, no
ocean I ask it the
dying boy to his breast
boat could live in the
questions, "why have
to shield him from the
surf, strong hearts and
you bowed our young
storm, but the youthful
hands went to the
hearts with grief?
spirit had fled to join in
rescue but the waves
Where have you hidden
those songs of the
threw them back again
the poor old sailor?"
redeemed.
upon the beach, but
In a little graveyard
His voyage of
our motto is "rescue or
upon the sloping banks
life was o'er though
perish in the attempt."
of a rippling stream
young in years, it
At last a boat braved
that flows into Lake
pleased the Master to
the fury of the gale and
Ontario, lies the
take him to Himself to
strong hands tenderly
remains of Joe. The
that home above,
took the lifeless body
wind sighs through the
where sorrow nor trials
of cousin Joe from the
weeping willows. The
can ever come. We
wreck. My uncle by
birds sing their
mourn our loss but
this time became
morning songs, the
rejoice in the blessed
unconscious. Late in
wild bee gathers honey
knowledge that a little
the afternoon of that
from the flowers upon
farther on we will hear
fatal day three doctors
the graves, the stream
the summons calling us
and a number of
flows on and on
to join our dear cousin,
friends stood around
bringing to o u r
where no wild storms
his bed, when he
remembrance, that such
can again sever us or
recovered, the first
is life and we are
death can come. On
question was "where is
passing on and will
drifted the wreck
my darling Joe," and
soon be laid beside our
against the shore. My
gazing in the faces
loved ones.
uncle saw a man upon
around, he read their
Reprinter: J.D. O'Brien
Fairport, Frenchman's Bay