Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-09-15

things happened almos, every Cay on board The
tripate. Tobacco boxes were empiied In the
most mysterious manner and IN the dead OF the
nipb,. sailors would sometimes De missing
whole day, and return again without being able
to give any account of themselves; and mt
few Of them were overtakrn ii65iquor, with
on, their being ever the wiser for II, for they
swore they had not drunk drop beyond their
allowance Sometimes, on going ashore on
| leave for limited time, the sailors would be
decoyed, as they solemnly assured the captain,
by some unaccountable influence into strange
ont of the way places, where they could MOI ma
their road b4ck, and where they were found by
their officers in state OF mysterious s'uPrtac-
ton, though not one hadtasted drop OF H.
ouor. On these occasions they always saw the
f. ghost of Billy Morgan, either hying through
the air, or dancing on the tops OF the steep'es,
with fiery tale like comet. Wonder grew
upon wonder every day, until the wonder tran
scended the bounds OF human credui:y
AT length, Tom Brown, the night af'er re-
ceivipg visit from Billy Morgan's ghost, dis
appeared aud was never heard OF afterwards.
As the chest of clothes, inherited from his de-
ceased messmate, was found entirely empty, it
I might have been surmised that Tom had de-
serted, had not a sailor, who was on the watch,
solrmnly declared that he saw he ghost Of
Billy Morgan jump overheard with Rim in
flame of fire, ard that they hissrd like red
hot plough-share in The water. AT this bold
feat, the spec re appeared no more Tho squad
ron remained some time al Syracuse, and Va
rious adven ures befel the officers and crews,
which tn Sc remaining alive tell Of TO this day.
How Macdonough, then a mGdcap midshi2-
man, licked the high constable OF the town
how Burroughs 1uizzed the governor; what
rows hey kicked up at masquerade; wha' dust
they raised among the Antiquities; ard what
wonders hey whispered in the ears OF DIony'
sius From thence, they again sailed on
cruize, and after teaching The hey Of Tnpoli
new way of paving tribute, and laying The fosn-
da,on of that structure Of imprrishable glory
which shall one dsy reach the highest heaven,
returned home, al, er an absence Of between
two and three years. Tie crew of the frigale
were paid IF and discharged, and il i, on re-
cord, as a wonder, that their three years pay
lasted some Of them nearly 'hree days. But
though we believe in the ghost Of Billy Nor
gan. we can scarcely crcdii This incredible won
der Certain il is, tina; not man OF them ever
! doubted for moment tie reality OF the Spectre,
or would have hesiaed to make oa,h to have
seen il more than once. Even captain r.
spoke Of il on his return as Of those strange,
! inscrrtable lhings, which battle The efforts OF
human ingenuity, and seem 10 justify the most
extraordinary relations OF pas: and present
! times His unders apding rtvoIted al the abb
surdi,y Of great part Of the wonders a.cribed
! to Billy Morgan's ghost; but some of the facts
were SO we'll a,tesed, that a painful doubt would
often pass over his mind, and dispose il to the
reception Of superstitioLs impressions
| He remained in this slate of mixed scepti
cism aud credulty, when, some years af:er his
return from the Mediterranean, being on
journey 10 The westward he had occasion 10
hal. Al log house, on the borders of Tennes
see, for refteshment. man came forth to
receive him, whom he al once rec ognIzed a. his
old acquaintance, Billy Morgan Heavens"
thought captain R." here's Monsieur Ton.
son come again" Billy, who had also found
out who his guest was, when too late % retreat,
looked rather sheepish, and invl ed him in with
little of the frank hospitality characteristic OF
genuine backwoodsman. Captain R fol-
lowed him inro the house, where he found a
cumsiy good naured dame. and two or three
yellow haired boys and girls, al in flu'ter at
he stranger. The house had 40 air Of com
fort, and The mistress, by her stirring activity,
accompanied with smiling looks wihall, SEEM
ed pleased at the rare incident Of stranger
entering heir door.
awkward. Blu, finding captain R treated
him with good humoured frankness, he, in the
course of the evening, when the children were
gone TO bed, and The wife busy in milking the
cows, took occasion to accos, his old comman
der.
Captain, hope you don't mean 10 shoor
me for deserter?"
/" By no means," said the captain, smiling,
there would be- no use in shooting ghost, or
man with as many lives as cat''
Billy Morgan smiled rather melancholy
smile. All! captain, you have not fnrgo, the
ghost, see. But il is long time 10 remem-
Der an old score, andI hope you'll forgive me "
On one condition Twill" replied captain
R: that you will tell me honestly no W
you managed to make all my sailors believe
that they saw you, aigh, after night, on board
The ship as we'll as on shore"