The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1849-05-31
MISCELLANY.
Nautical Romance.

In perusing our files of Chinese and East
Indian papers, we have been much interest
ed in the following romantic story of real
life, which we find in the Bombay Tele-
grag,h and Courier. The heroine of the
affair truly exhibited unusual qualities of
mind. The Telegraph says
The Rainbow, from Southampton to Alden,
arrived there about the 10th uit. Captain
Arnold, her late commander, died ten days
before the ship reached that port. and the
chief mate was so habituated to drunken
ness, that he had been confined to his cabin
several times during the passage. he cap
taiu's daughter, abuu, sixteen years OF age,
was on board, and after her fathers death
The second mate, who had assumed the com
maud, made during and insidious attem pit
to ent,ce the young lady end run away with
the ship. She indignantly and successfully
repellell all his base and dastardly attempts,
and although suffering under painful be-
rcavement, at once rushed on the quarter
deck and made a public appeal to the ships
crew, as British seameD, and threw herself
on their protection. i his well judged reso-
luton had The desired effect; the seamen
(except two of their number, who were led
away by the second n,ate) declared, with
that manly feeling which sailors so often
display, that they would to man protect
her from all harm, and told the second mate
and their misguided shipmate in very plain
terms, that if he, The second inate, gave the
slightest molestation to their late command
er's daughter. they would pitch him over
board, and any one else who dared to fol-
low his example should share the same
fate.
Miss Arnold then, with great presence OF
mind begged the ships company would
grant her one especial favor. Her charac-
ter, her manners, ash tbe well-,imed appeal
which she had already rnnde, induced the
crew to declare their assent to any thing she
might ask. Miss Arnold then said that the
safety of the ship and her own security from
insult could only be insured by throwing
overheard that instant every drop OF spirits
in the ship. Without hesitation the seamen
consented, and, leaving no time for reflec-
ton, they forthwith got the spirits OH deck
and threw every drop overheard. From
that time Miss Arnold had her screened cot
secured near the wheel, ard slept alongside
the pinnacle, and three of the crew kept Il
faithful watch around her during the re-
mainher of the voyage and these three
countrywomen never failed to evInce the
utmost respect, and preserved the most rigid
decorum, honorable in every point of view
to themselves, and to tina, charge which they
had pledged themselves to undertake.
Miss Arnold wrote statement of all these
occurrences, and forwarded it TO Captain
Haines, on the ships arrival, when the sec.
.ond mate and disaffecteh men were immedi.
ately arrested and sent 10 prison. The CHIEF
officer has INDUCED himself TO sT'h an ex.
cess, that after the captains death, and in
the absence Of all means of resort to his
.avorite stinulants, he was perfectly use
less.
Miss Arnold became the welcone guest OF
Captain Thomas at Alden, and every posi-
bic attention was shown 10 this undetermined
lady by the whole society there.
Subsequent to Miss Arnold's charge a.
gainst the second mate, Captain Haines ap-
piled to her for a crcuinstantial statement OF
what occurred on board the Rainbow after
her fathers death. The lady complied with
his request Immediately, and her narrative
was so we'll and ably written, that il excited
admiration on all sides. At her solicitation
her fathers remains were preserved in a
cask of spirits, and were buried at Alden the
day after the ships arrival. She had al
ways kept his accounts. The second mate
nayigaied The ship, hut several of the crew
knew the proper course to Alden, and all bis
proceedings were narrowly watched.