GLION
FOR HONGKON
KELPIE MAGIC
Was that the reason why three
men vanished?... by Henry Lewis
"LIGHTHOUSE! Lighthouse ahoy!" bellowed the sailor in the bow of the ship. "Jim Tom! Donald!" called another. But only the screams of the gulls answered. The lighthouse stayed uncannily quiet.
the grass had been poor en Lewis.
For a year the light- to graze when house a new one had But the Hebrideans would done its duty faithfully, not stay in the Flannans over- its 140,000-candlepower night. They were lantern flashing its re- and strange wee folk. gulay warning to ship- ping.
Then the lantern went
said to be homes of kelples and pixies
Because of, their danger to ships the lighthouse was built on the highest part of Eileat Mor. It took four years to
dark. Why? What had ; all the materials had
build Instead of the estimated
cliffs.
to
happened to the three be swung from boats up the keepers? The boat party had come to find out.
It was Christmas, 1900. The lighthouse was on Eilean Mar, biggest of the Flannan Islands, SEVCI wild, isolated crags the turbulent North Atlantic, nearly 20 miles west of the Outer Hebrides.
מן
The rocks, known to sea-
men as the Seven Hunters, had been uninhabited for centuries -except for sheep landed there.
The 17-21
Club's
five rules
• Membership in the 17-21 Club is open to all within that age group. Contributions and all ac- tivities of the Club will be, limited to members only.
But when it was finished the lamp was 275ft, above the water and its beam could be seen for 40 miles.
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Strangely, there was no reply to his call
to
And the lantern had not been came from a fool chest kept in But there were no signs of a lit..
a crevice in the rocks another struggle: No axes, knives, ham- Moore and the.
sailors 50ft. up in the cliffs. The box mers or other possible weapons searched the whole island, was missing......
missio's. And ro evidence back up the theory, They found no trace of the three men in 'cliarge of the lamp. The lamp itself worked perfectly.
And so the Hesperus sailed back to the Hebrides, taking back with her the unopened Christmas presents. And Joseph Moore was left to keep the Then after a year, the light lantern shining. went out....
It was Boxing Day, 11 days later, before the boat could put out from Lech Roag to invest- igate because a fierce storm had been blowing.
The ropes
To have been swept away it would, have beeted a wave more than 100ft, high, so that
ation. But what was? didn't stem to be the explan-
Another theory is thất Ducat and Marshall were doing rome work on Edo west Jetty · con- rected with thẻ cradě. The weather was fine and MfcArthur Was it just possible that the came along to watch westing
Cothing. Then keepers had gone to the jetty his ordmary to lash down a cover on the up came a break rüft, high crane and been swept away by wave that snatched them all,
winds? fierco
Would they away. have been foolish enough to
It seems unlikely to say the Two days later Ughthouse go to the stage in such a gale?
And with the third keeper, least. But such strange tidal board officials came to hold a Donald McArthur, without cil- treaks, have been known to investigation. Now they dis sking or seaboots?
happen, say seamen, covered that the seiboots and oilskins of two of the three It was just possible but for Could one of the men have The boat was the Hesperus, men-Ducat and Thomas Mar. one thing. The weather had gone for a strell and southow belonging to the lighthouse shall-were missing. Normally been calm on December 15. slipped into the water. The board, and she carried Christ the keepers only put these on And the galo had not come up other two might then have mas presents and food for the when visiting one of the land- until the following day.
dorned boots and oilskins to three keepers of the lighthouse. ing stages.
From that day to this the search for him and met with Also on board was Joseph Moore, the fourth keeper, who The eastern jetty was in mystery of the missing light- a similar accident,
house keepers has never been was due to relieve one of his good order. But at the western solved.
The only other suggestion comrades. In fact he was over- jetty they fotind a number of
comes from arfcient › Hebridean due. But he had not been able ropes lying over a crame 65ft. It has been suggested that crafters who shake the Ends to get out to the lighthouse, above the water. What were one of the keepers went mid, and talk darkly about the He was naturally worried for the ropes doing there? Mocre killed the other two and then magical powers, of the ke’pies his friends.
was able to say that the ropes hurled himself into the ocean. and the little people..
No reply
There were
two landing stages on Eilean Mor, one on the east and one on the west, So that ships could get some
shelter. The skipper of the Hes-
perus went as
Dear to the he
eastern landing stage dared in the weather.
&S
still-rough
He had signals run up. No gly came from the lighthouse. They called out. But still there was no reply.
· Contributions may consist Moore and two sailors rowed of anything that is to the jetty in one of the ship's publishable articles, boats. The landing stage should have been piled with empty letters, stories, photo-
provision boxes for return to graphs, drawings, verses. the Hebrides. They were not But only the best will there. And nor did anyone be printed.
come to meet them.
Thoroughly alarised now
• All contributions MUST the men ran up the path to the be original.
lighthouse. In the living room the fire was dead. The clock
Written contributions| was stopped; There was still
should not consist of no sign of anyone. more than 350, words,
They rad up the spiral steps In the
photographs and draw-shouting as they ran. ings will only be accept- sleeping quarters the beds were
made. éd in black-and-white.
In the galler the pots and pans were sparkling clean. But no cae was there.
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Fill this in and send · it to the China Mail, 1-3 Wyndham Street, Hongkong.
Name
Ago Occupation Address
In the lamproom the lanferrs had been trimmed, the lenses cleaned. But no one was there.
They looked for the sinte oa which Chief Keeper Jamies Dureat kept his log; the last entry was nine em on Satir- day, December 15.
At midnight on that day a ship, the Archer, had passed the lighthouse, The lamp bad | been in darkness,
Whatever had happened must have happened on December 15. For the morning's work had obviously been done, But the beds had not yet been used.
.
The Hit Parade
By
My remarks about the
monopolising of the radio request programmes by certain selfish young- sters brought about miñor typhoon amongst the many people who write to me each week.
a
One young lass, claiming to represent an obscure fan club, Hovik a mámbership of over a thousand cats,” says that I'm a spollsport for vetting requests to filter out the obvious phonies
What the request pirates fail to understand la that these programmes are designed to appeal to all sections of the community, and not serve as a private line for a few thought- less and selfish individuals who will stop at nothing to hear their name repeated over the Airways is often as possible.
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66 THE Most Popular
Ted
Thomas
1. Are You Lonesome Tonight?—Ēvis Preslēy.
2. Yes, I'm Lonesome Tonight÷Dodle. Stevens.
3. I Love You Baby-Kong Ling.
4. You are the Only One-Ricky Nelson.
5. The Clickity-Clack Bang-Brian Hyland.
6. J Will Follow You-Eydle Gotme.
7. Let's Go Off-beat-Kong Ling.
8. Many Tears Ago-Connie Francis.
9. Dear John-Pat Boone.
10: The World is Getting Smaller-Mark Dinning. 11. I'll Save the Last Dance for You-Damita Jó 12. Don't Read the Letter-Patti Page. 13. What a Night_for Love-Addrisi Bros. 14. The Story of My Love-Paul Anka. 15. That's My Desire-Johnny Nash. 16. If I Didn't Care-The Platters. 17. C'est SL Bon Conway. Twitty.
18. Lop-Sided Over-Loaded÷Brian Hyland. 19. Where The Boys Are Connie Francis. 20. Somebody Johnny Nash.
부
A přetty face, a charming and melodioua voice, a re markable acting ability—plus a warmth of personality that shines clear through which. ever medium she cares to ure are the attributes that have
that's what they're calling the world's number one box actress/songstress Doris office attraction, Day lately.
WHO
is to take over
exhausted making the way' clear for any - youną vocalist. with a sob in his thrbát and an emphasis on the big beat.
Tipped as the most likely candidate for the job is Eng- land's Marty Wilde whose
sound and definita "Holly" could do a great deal for the career of Mr Wilde.
HITS HERE AND THERE DEPARTMENT
AmeḤed: 1. Wỡndàriẳng By Night by Bert_Kampfert 2 Are You Lonesome Tonight? by Elvis Presley.
That Doris doesn't rata top spot as a recording war and
the spot vocated would fall far short of Connie by the tragic death of Francis ог Patti Page is conceded, and still admit that Buddy Holly somê two her drawing power on the years ago? screen is slightly less than that : Until now Buddy's records, of. Elizabeth Taylor and cut before bis death, have been Marilyn Monroe-But add up slowly trickled out, to the Britain: 1. Poetry In Hotion, Miss Day's combined talents public at the rate of one or by Johnny Tuletson; 2 Are Lonesome Tonight? by and you have a combination two a year, but by now, the You that's hard to beat.
must have been almost. Elvis Presley.