Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1855-09-16
SUNDAY MORNING, SEPT. 10, 1855.
A True Heroine.

The Buffalo Commercial of Saturday, contains .
detailed account Of the exploit of Mrs. Becker,
who resides on the Canada shore of Lake Erie, in
ed near her residence: fr-l a
On the morning of the 20th of November, 1854,
the schooner Conductor left the port of Amherst
bnrgh bound for Toronto, with cargo of ten thou
sand bushels of corn. The wind blew fresh from
the south west all day, heavy sea running mean
{ me. About O'Clock P. NJ the wind increased
10 perfect hurricane, and all the canvass was
reefedi snug down. Towards midnight a. severe
storm arose The topsail sheets we're carried away,
the boat was washed from the daEits, the decks
swept clean of everything, and the vessel would
not obey her helm and seemed to settle in the trough
of the sea. I'D, b.
About o'cl )ck in the morning, on the 2lst, the
crew of the schooner made what they supposed to
be Long Point light, but it was really the light at
Long Point cut. The thickly drifting snow in
stantly obscured this light, and in about half an
hour afterwards the vessel struck bottom. Al
though the vessel was not more than two hundred
yards from the shore, it impossible to form an
accurate opinion as to the locality, because of ithe
thiekly drifting snow. The sea made clear
breach over the vessel and forced the crew into
the rigging, where they remained from FIVE o'clock
in the morning until two in the afternoon. Ice
was f, st making aIl the time. The crew then des
cried woman and two little boys approaching
along the beach.
The woman and children built fire on the shore
and made 81. n to the sailors to swim ashore
The sea was So great that they were afraid to veO-
ture, until the captain, thinking the risk of drown
ing better than almost certain death by cold and
exposure, struck out from the wreck aud, by ex
traOrdinary Efforts, nearly reached the shore; but
his streGg h failed, and, being caught by the un-
sertow, be would have been carried cut had no'
the woman come to his assistance Sne, seeing
his critical situation, came to him as speedily as
the deep water would permit, and, having walked
in up TO her neck, fortunately reached him. he being
utterly exhausted. The woman supported the
man and drew him ashore, having been herself sev
erai times beaten down by the force Of the waves
With the assistance of the boys she drew him to
the fire and resuscitated him.
The mate Of the schooner next struck out but
in like manner failed to reach the shore and sank
The captain, supposing himself to be sufficiently
restored went to the assistance OF The mate but
again himself gave way and the woman again
went into the angry waters, out 10 the utmost
depth at which she could stand, and brought the
two men ashore. The mate seemed to be lifeless
but was at length restored. In addition TO these
efforts FIVE several times did the woman 90 ont to
the receditg surge, and at each time bring an ex-
hausted drowning seaman ashore, until seven per-
sons--the master, mate, and five of the crew-were
saved 1t was evening now, and one man who
cOnld not swim still clung to the rigging. During
the whole night the woman packed back and forth
along the shore renewing the fire, encouraging the
rescued men, giving them food and warm tea and
administering to their comfrot From time to
time she would pause, and, wistfully regarding the
stranded vessel thus give utterance to her human
ty :-"Oh, if l could save that poor man | should
be happy"
When the morning at last came, on the 22d, the
storm having abated, the sea was less violent The
master and crew, being now strengthened and in.
vigorated by the food and fire, constructed raft
and reached their comrade whose resolute spirit,
though fast giving way, was still sufficient to en-
able him to retain his position in the rigging
Thus he too was saved, though badly frozen. The
crew remained at the cabin of Mr.. S. Becker for
nearly week before they were able to depart
On the week following this occurrence, two
American vessels were lost on the same poiat,
whose crews were greatly eomforted by Mrs. Beck
er. whose husband was still engaged in trapping
The crews of these vessels were sheltered in her
cabin. and were the recipients of her bospitable
and humane attention and care r
Mrs. Becker has received purse Of $500 raj
sed by private subscription in Canada She ex-
pressed the desire that the money should be ap
propriated towards the education of her children
"a noble purpose. When Capt, Paxten made the
gift she said "she would thank him if she knew
how" She knew how to save the lives of eight
perishing sailors in six feet Of water Mrs. Beck.
er is large, masculine woman, about six feet
high, weighs 200 pounds, was born in Canada, and
is thirty years old. She lives on the island of
Long Point with her husband, aud they gain their
subsistence by fishing