Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-05-05

his hanc.
Our sailors all drew back. The chaplain,
however, looking s,eadfasIly upon him, went
forward few steps, and asked, "What Is the
purpose Of this visit?"
The stranger replid, ave have long been
kept here by ioul weather, and tandrrGeeKeh
wishes to send these letters TO his friends, IL
Europe"
Our captain now came forward, and said as
firmly as he could. 81 wish Vanderdecken would
p., his letters ON board of any other vessel
rather Than niue
The stranger replied, awe have tried many
ship but most of them refuse our letters
Upon which Tom Willis mu,iered, sit will
be 5esl for us if VIC do the same, for they say
there is sometimes sinking weight in your
paper"
The stranger took no notice OF this, but as
ked where we were from. On being told that
we were from Portsmouth he said, as II with
strong feeling, "Nould that you had rather
been from Amsterdam! Oh that we saw It "a
ga;n!-we mus, see our friends again" When
he uttered these words, the men who were in
The boat below wrung their hands; and cried
in piercing tone, in Ouch, "Oh that we saw
il aeain We have been long here beating
about: but we must see our friends again"
The chaplain asked he stranger, Chow lors
have you been at sea?'
He replied, awe have lost our count; for our
alrnanack was blown overheard. Our ship you
sec, is there still, so why should YOU ask how
long we have been at sea? for Vanderdeeken
only wishes to write home and comfort his
friends"
To which the chaplain replied, "Your letters,
| fear would be Of no use in Amsterdam, even II
| they were delivered, for the persons TO whom
they were addre ss1L are probably no longer 10
be found there, except under very ancient green
turf in the Church yard"
The unwt leone stranger then wrung his hands,
and appeared TO weep; and replied, ut Is I'M
possible. We cannot believe you. We have
been long driving abou, here, but country nor
relations cannot be so easily forgotten. There
is no, raindrop in The air but feels l'sel KIM
dred TO all the rest, and they fall back into the
sea TO meet with each other again. How, 'hen
AN kindred blood be made 10 forget where II
came from? Even our bodies are part OF ihe
ground oil Holland; and Vanderdecken says, II
he once were come TO Amsterdam, he would
rather be changed into a stone post, well txed
into the ground then leave II again, II mat
were TO die elsewhere. But in the mean time
we only ask you to take these letters.
The chaplain, looking at him with astonlsh.
men,, said, "1his is the insanity OF natural al.
lection, which rebels against all measures OF
time aud distance"
The stranger continued, Here is letter
from our second mate, 10 his dear aud only re-
naming friend, his uncle, the merchant who
lives in the second house on S'ucReh facn'
Quay"
I He held forth the letter, but no one would APP
Tom Willis raised his voice, and said, Gone
OF our men, here, says that he was in .,mster>
dam last summer, s he knows for certain that
the stree, called Stuncken Yacht Quay was pull
led down sixty years ago, aid now there is on
ly large church at thai place"
The man from the Flying Dutchman said,
"It is impossible; we canno, believe you. Here
is another letter from myself, in which have
sent bank note to my dear sister, to buy some
gallant lace, to make her high head-dress.
Tom Willis hearing this, said SIT is most
likely that her head now lies under tombs one,
which will oullastiall changes Of the fashion,
But on what house is your bank note
The stranger replied Con The house Of Van
derbruckcr and Company"
The man to whom Tom Willis had spoken
said 81 guess there viii be some discount up
or il, for that banking.house was gone TO des-
| ,ruclion forty yeass ago; and Nanderbruken was
afterwards missing to remember these
things is like raking up the bottom Of an old
canal
The stranger called out passionaely, at is
impossible-W cannot believe ii. It is cruel
to say such things to people in our condition,
| There is letter from our captain himself, 10
his much beloved and faithful wife, whom he
left at a. pleasan, summer dwelling, on the bor>
der of tie Haarcmer Mer. She promised TO
have the louise beautifully painted and gilded
before he came back, and to get new set OF
looking glasses for the principal chamber that
she might see as many images ofN anderdecken
as if she had six husbands at once"
| The man replied, "there has been time enough
! for her to have had six husbands since then, but
were she alive still, there is no fear that Van
derdeckc would ever get home 10 disturb her.
| On hearing this, the stranger again shed tears,
and said, il they would not lake the letters, he
would leave them; and looking around, ne of,
fered thr parcel to the captain, chaplain-S ~
rest Of the crew successfully: but each drew
| H.. -. u, IT,