What was the name of the captain of the mythical ghost ship “Vliegende Hollander”, who was identified in 1821?

The myth of "De Vliegende Hollander”—English translation: "The Flying Dutchman”—probably began in the early 1700’s, when the Dutch East India Company was active. But John MacDonald was the first to write about her in his 1790 work, “Travels in various part of Europe, Asia, and Africa during a series of thirty years and upward.” MacDonald mentioned no captain.

“Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine” first mentioned a captain of the vessel, named Hendrick Van der Decken, in its May, 1821 issue. The story also established that the captain vowed to round the Cape of Good Hope even if it took forever. It also warned that any ship encountering the Flying Dutchman should avoid accepting letters for posting ashore, as those were addressed to people who died long ago and taking them would end in woe.

Captain Bernard Fokke, who sailed for the Dutch in the 17th Century, is said to be the model for Van der Decken. Fokke’s fast voyages between the Netherlands and Java were legendary, and some said Fokke obtained that speed in a deal with the devil. Sighting the Dutchman was an omen of doom. The ship was said to give off a ghastly glow and was doomed never to dock at any port.

In the 1951 film, “Pandora and the Flying Dutchman”, Ava Gardner portrayed Pandora and James Mason filled the role of a man, Captain Hendrick van der Zee,’ who was the Flying Dutchman. Ramhout van Dam was the protagonist in Washington Irving’s 1855 work, “The Flying Dutchman on Tappan Sea”.