Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1850-05-09
A Romance of the Ocean.

The Polynesian, Sandwich Island news
paper, Of Aug. l, gives the following partic-
ulars OF a romantic incident, some account
Of which has been before reported
The following facts relative TO a young A.
merican girl ! think cannot but interest
young readers, especially as they are too we'll
authenticated to admit of doubt of their
having !aker place in the manner 10 be men,
toned.
The American whaleship Washington,
which arrived here on the 18th inst, reports
the whaleship Christopher Mitchell, at Paita,
under the following circumstances. The M.
had touched in at Paita, for the purpose of
putting ashore letters for home, and again
left for the cruising ground bur on the sec
ond watch or third night out, t,when the watch
was called, one of the crew was discovered
to be young girl instead of fair-haired
boy, which created no little excitement on
board, and caused the captain to put back to
Paita TO land his female sailor, to seek some
more congenial way to obtain livelihood
than using tar bucket and marlngspike.
Her story before the American consul was
as follows:
She is native of Rochester, N. Y, was
seduced, like thousands Of others, from her
home by william who promised TO make her
his legal wife, but who abandoned hef in a
short time and absconded to parts unknown.
Returning to her parental roof, she was met
by her parents with bitter scorp, and driven
from home. Too proud to ask assistance
from strangers, and not so far lost to virtue
as to think Of subsisting by the only means
which might now seem left 10 her, she put
on male attire, and for two months drove a
horse on canal Tired of this, she deter
mined TO 60 to sea first engaged as a cabin
boy at four dollars month, but was told by
shipping master that she could make more
by whaling voyage, and consequently pro-
ceeded to Nantucket to look for ship. 1t
was with some difficulty that she obtained a
berth, her youth and delicate appearance
being much against her.
One Of the ship owners, an old quaker, at
the place where she applied, at last became
SO well pleased with the good face Of the
boy as he expressed it, that he persuaded
the captain of the M. to lake her on board.
She performed her duty faithfully for the
seven months previous to her discovery, nev-
er shrinking from going alolt, even in the
worst weather,in the darkest night. She had
also pulled her oar in pursuit of whales, but
the boat in which she belonged had never
been fast 10 one of these monsters, or per-
hnps her courage might have failed her,
She was general favorire on board, never
mixing with the crew any more than was
absolutely necessary. Her quiet and inof-
fensive behavior had also very much prepos-
sessed the captain and his officers in her fa-
vor. When summoned into the presence of
the captain, Immediately after her discovery,
made full and voluntary confession, where
upon she was taken into the cabin, n state
room set apart for her use, and every atten-
ton paid her that could be shown on board
ship. When landed at Paita the excitement
and fatigue had somewhat overpowered her,
but in one or two days she was quite well,
and much elated with the prospect of soon
reaching home in vessel about TO sail.
Only once previous 10 her final discovery
did she run any risk of being exposed but
on the occasion alluded to, by suddenly
working in more bungling manner she es-
capped detection. The cause of attention be-
ing drawn towards her on the above occasion
was the quickness with which she piled her
needle, being more than match for the
sailors in that respect The fact OF her being
on board and doing her duty well cannot be
doubled.
Her name is Ann Johnson, and her age 10
years.