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

The admired sptc lac'e of me FLYING DCTcH-
MAN WHICH hiss been pttfo-mrd so often, and
with SO much success in osr NOT them theatres,
derives its birth from The following nautical
legend
Our ship, after touching a, the Cape, went
out again, aud soon losing sight OF the Table
MounIs ain, began to be assaulted by the imprtu>
Gus attacks of the sea, which is well khown TO
be more formidable there than in most parts
OF tie known ocean. The day had grown dull
and hazy, and the breeze, which had formerly
blown fresh, now sometimes subsidized almost
entirely, and then reco, ering it, strength, Tor
short time, and chanui"G its .iirse,iOn- blew
with Temporary violence, and died away aSain'
as If exercising a melancholy caP,ice. A
hsavy swell began TO come from The South
east. Our sails Tapped against the masts! and
the ship rolled from side 10 side, as heavily as
She had been waler-losged There was so lit
tie wind ,ha, she would uol steer?
At . p NJ. We had squat, accompanied by
thunder s. rain. The captain & mates looked
anxiously ahead. They said We would have a
dirty night OF it, and that it ould not be worth
while 10 turn into their hammoCks. AS the
second maze was describing gale he had en-
couutersd off Cape Race, Newfoundland, we
we've taken all aback; and the blast Came upon
us furiously We continued to scud under a
double reeled Inainsail and fore-,opsal ill
dusk; but, IS the sea ran high, the Captain
thought il safest to bring her 10. The watch
on deck consisted Of men, one OF whom was
appointed to keep look out a head, for the
weather was so hazy, that we could not see
two cables length from the bows.-This man,
whose name was Tom Willis, went Frequently
10 the bows, as ii TO observe something; and
when the others called 10 him. inquiring what
he Vas looking at, he would give no definite
answer. They therefore went also to the bows,
and appeared startled, and a, first said no. hing;
but presently one Of them cried, William.
40 call the watch"
The seamen, having been asleep In their
hammocks murmured al this unreasonable
summons, and called to know how i! looked
upon deck. To which Tom Willis replied
"Come up and see--what we are minding is not
on. deck, but a>head."
On hearing this, they tan up without put
ting on their jackets, and when they Game 10
the bows, there was whispering.
One Of them asked, "Where is she? do not
see her," To which another replied, "The
last fash of lightning showed there was not q
reefin one of her sails; but we who know her
history, know that all her canvass will never
carry her into port.
by this time the talking Of the seamsn had
brought some OF The passengers on deck
They could see nothing, however, for the ship
was surrounded by thick darkness, and BY the
noise oil the dashng waters, and the seamen
eSaded the questions that were pui 10 them.
AT this Juncture the chaplain came on deck
he was man OF grave and modes, Geme amour
and was mach liked among the seamen, who
called him Gentle George. He o, erheard one
Of the men asking another, "lf he had ever seen
the Flying Dutchman before, and if he knew
the story about herr" TO which the other re.
piled, II have heard Of her beating about N
these seas. What Is the reason she neve:
reaches port"
The first speaker replied, "They give dife.
rent reasons for it, but my story is this: sShs
was an Amsterdam vessel, and sailed from tina
por, seventy years ago. Her masters nam,
was Vanderdecken. He was a staunch seaman
and would have his own way, in spite Of tn,
devil. For all that, never sailor under hin
had reason to complain; though how it is OF
board with them now nobody knows. fh,
story is this: that in doubling The Cape, the,
were n long day irving 10 weather the Tabl,