said a well-known voice--it was that of the
pilot Schriften. There was no alteration in the man's appearance; he showed no marks of
declining years; his one eye glared as keenly as ever. Philip started, not only at the sight of the man, but at the
reminiscences which his unexpected appearance brought to his mind. It
was but for a second, and he was again calm and pensive. "You here again, Schriften?" observed Philip. "I trust your appearance
forebodes the accomplishment of my task." "Perhaps it does," replied the pilot; "we both are weary." Philip made no reply; he did not even ask Schriften in what manner he
had escaped from the fort; he was indifferent about it; for he felt
that the man had a charmed life. "Many are the vessels that have been wrecked, Philip Vanderdecken, and
many the souls summoned to their account by meeting with your father's
ship, while you have been so long shut up," observed the pilot. "May our next meeting with him be more fortunate--may it be the last!" replied Philip. "No, no! rather may he fulfil his doom, and sail till the day of
judgment," replied the pilot with emphasis. "Vile caitiff! I have a foreboding that you will not have your
detestable wish. Away!--leave me! or you shall find, that although
this head is blanched by misery, this arm has still some power." Schriften scowled as he walked away; he appeared to have some fear
of Philip, although it was not equal to his hate. He now resumed his
former attempts of stirring up the ship's company against Philip,
declaring that he was a Jonas, who would occasion the loss of the
ship, and that he was connected with the _Flying Dutchman_. Philip very soon observed that he was avoided; and he resorted to
counter-statements, equally injurious to Schriften, whom he declared
to be a demon. The appearance of Schriften was so much against him,
while that of Philip, on the contrary, was so prepossessing, that the
people on board hardly knew what to think. They were divided: some
were on the side of Philip--some on that of Schriften; the captain and
many others looking with equal horror upon both, and longing for the
time when they could be sent out of the vessel. The captain, as we have before observed, was very superstitious, and
very fond of his bottle. In the morning he would be sober and pray; in
the afternoon he would be drunk, and swear at the very saints whose
protection he had invoked but a few hours before. "May Holy Saint Antonio preserve us, and keep us from temptation,"
said he, on the morning after a conversation with the passengers about
the Phantom Ship. "All the saints protect us from harm," continued he,
taking off his hat reverentially, and crossing himself. "Let me but
rid myself of these two dangerous men without accident, and I will
offer up a hundred wax candles, of three ounces each, to the shrine
of the Virgin, upon my safe anchoring off the tower of Belem." In the
evening he changed his language. "Now, if that Maldetto Saint Antonio don't help us, may he feel the
coals of hell yet; damn him and his pigs too; if he has the courage to
do his duty, all will be well; but he is a cowardly wretch, he cares
for nobody, and will not help those who call upon him in trouble. Carambo! that for you," exclaimed the captain, looking at the small
shrine of the saint at the bittacle, and snapping his fingers at the
image--"that for you, you useless wretch, who never help us in our
trouble. The Pope must canonise some better saints for us, for all we
have now are worn out. They could do something formerly, but now I
would not give two ounces of gold for the whole calendar; as for you,
you lazy old scoundrel,"--continued the captain, shaking his fist at
poor Saint Antonio. The ship had now gained off the southern coast of Africa, and was
about one hundred miles from the Lagullas coast; the morning was
beautiful, a slight ripple only turned over the waves, the breeze was
light and steady, and the vessel was standing on a wind, at the rate
of about four miles an hour. "Blessed be the holy saints," said the captain, who had just gained
the deck; "another little slant in our favour, and we shall lay our
course.--Again I say, blessed be the holy saints, and particularly
our worthy patron Saint Antonio, who has taken under his peculiar
protection the _Nostra Señora da Monte_. We have a prospect of fine
weather; come, signors, let us down to breakfast, and after breakfast
we will enjoy our cigarros upon the deck." But the scene was soon changed; a bank of clouds rose up from the
eastward, with a rapidity that, to the seamen's eyes, was unnatural,
and it soon covered the whole firmament; the sun was obscured, and all
was one deep and unnatural gloom; the wind subsided, and the ocean was
hushed. It was not exactly dark, but the heavens were covered with one
red haze, which gave an appearance as if the world was in a state of
conflagration. In the cabin the increased darkness was first observed by Philip, who
went on deck; he was followed by the captain and passengers, who were
in a state of amazement. It was unnatural and incomprehensible. "Now,
holy Virgin, protect us--what can this be?" exclaimed the captain in a
fright. "Holy Saint Antonio, protect us--but this is awful." "There! there!" shouted the sailors, pointing to the beam of the
vessel. Every eye looked over the gunnel to witness what had
occasioned such exclamations. Philip, Schriften, and the captain were
side by side. On the beam of the ship, not more than two cables'
length distant, they beheld, slowly rising out of the water, the
tapering mast-head and spars of another vessel. She rose, and rose
gradually; her topmasts and top-sail yards, with the sails set, next
made their appearance; higher and higher she rose up from the element. Her lower masts and rigging, and, lastly, her hull showed itself above
the surface. Still she rose up till her ports, with her guns, and at
last the whole of her floatage was above water, and there she remained
close to them, with her main-yard squared, and hove-to. "Holy Virgin!" exclaimed the captain, breathless; "I have known ships
to _go down_, but never to _come up_ before. Now will I give one
thousand candles, of ten ounces each, to the shrine of the Virgin to
save us in this trouble. One thousand wax candles! Hear me, blessed
lady; ten ounces each. Gentlemen," cried the captain to the
passengers, who stood aghast--"why don't you promise?--promise, I say;
_promise_, at all events." "The Phantom Ship--_The Flying Dutchman_" shrieked Schriften; "I told
you so, Philip Vanderdecken; there is your father--He! he!" Philip's eyes had remained fixed on the vessel; he perceived that they
were lowering down a boat from her quarter. "It is possible," thought
he, "I shall now be permitted!" and Philip put his hand into his bosom
and grasped the relic. The gloom now increased, so that the strange vessel's hull could
but just be discovered through the murky atmosphere.