Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 6 1888.djvu/94

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Three miles above Georgetown (now West Washington) the Potomac in a narrow stream comes shattering through arid over a mass of rocks, making a "rapid" rather than a cataract, which is known as the Little Falls. The Virginia shore rises from the water's edge in precipices of considerable height, generally wooded, here and there indented by ravines, and at some points blasted out by quarry-men. The Maryland shore is flat; at low water a labyrinth of rocks and thickets, pools and devious waterways; in times of freshet a reach of hidden obstructions where the water tears and boils and wears great hollows with stone in stone. From the Chain Bridge, inaccurately so called, you look down on the ceaseless rush and upflowering against the piers. It is the very place for strange and musical noises, and the fancies which should go with them; and there, from time to time, has verily been heard the phantom drum.

It seems that in one of the early British expeditions a boat-load of soldiers attempted to cross the river, where the water widens about a quarter of a mile below the falls. Near the Maryland shore they were upset, and a drummer boy who was with them went down, and never rose again. But his music did not cease. He played one tune down below, and that usually in token of coming death. My first informants had heard the sound more than once when out fishing, and made all haste for the shore. But they knew of a less fortunate result of the warning. A certain river man, growing tired of the endless repetition of notes in the same order, turned on his unseen borer, demanding with a curse, "Can't you play anything but that?" My narrator added with all solemnity, "That man never reached the shore alive."

The main items of the legend, with certain additions which I did not get at first hand, were first made public by Mr. Charles Lanneau in one of his books, he having derived them from an old fisherman who was dead when my inquiries began. I have since heard the tale, with slight additions, from divers persons. The musician is heard by those ashore as well as by those afloat; occasionally he seems to be ashore also; and finally there are those who believe him to have come