A LEGEND CURIOUSLY VERIFIED.

Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 2, Issue 104, 28 December 1868, Page 312

A LEGEND CURIOUSLY VERIFIED.

■ ; (Corrosiondent of London Examiner.) Tbaixltion informs us that when the old abbey of St. Francis, the remains of which are still extant, existed, anti fburished in Limbrick, it possessed a chime of silver bells, sixteen in number, which were celebrated for their purity, and sweetness of.tone, and' tl*a! \ on the- night before,, .the - church;, fell into the hands oi the reformers, the friars look them away" and lud them in the Abbey river. For three cen, turies has the story .beeu.handedidovvn to posterity., - receiving absolute -..credence from others; viewing it ia the light of a legend, considered that it had no foundation in fact. The tradition, however, which has" formed -the subject.of many poetical 'effusions; both by the Bard * of Thomond and others, and which'has received historical notice, has just been to some extent verified,, and in the following singular manner : *• It appears that a man named Michael who lesides in that portion of the old tqwn known as .the Abbey, and who.is so celebrated-a swimmer that Ke goes by- the name of the *‘ Cormorant,” happening to'he on tfie banjt of the Abbey river on Monday. afternoon , with some friends,, a discussion > arose as to the .-greatest depth of the stream>at any- point; rlie and cavern of wkiqb 'Ahern jpstly^pfbfessed, his rt.„A w s.ti -Sf.'/ -

acquaintance. His statement that he had been to -the bottom of the river, where its depth is said to be from 60 to 70 feet, was disputed and doubted by some of his companions, and a . wager was made that -he would not dive at the spot, indicated and bring up something if am. thq bottom. . This. Ahern Undertook to 'do; and' divesting' himself of hi 3 clothes he went into the y water. ' Having reached the bottom with a few' vigorous kicks‘he came :i upon what seemed to be a stone embedded in the alluvial soil, and this he proceeded to displace and bring to the , surface, as evidence of his visit to the depths below*. On reaching the bank with bis prize, it was found to be a curious bell-shaped trophy, which from its blackened ami discolored Uppepranee the parties concluded to be brass or bronze; but being brought. : into town and examined it proved to . be a bell of solid silver, weighing 2& ounces, but minus the tongue, which is supposed to have become disconnected;'from the instrument by the corrp- , sion of its fastenings. Tiie bell, on .... being struck, gives forth a very harn.ouious sound. This discovery has

created much interest, and it is said that the. fortunate diver is preparing to make- a- regular exploration of the bottom of that part of the river - with the view of seeing whether he can

come across any others of the traditional silver chime.