Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1857-02-21

A HEROINE ARRIvED.-THE Young WIFE WHO
TOOK NEPTuNE's CAR AROUND CAPE HoKS.-
Among the passengers from California, who an
rived bv the steamer George Lac, OH Saturday,
there was an invalid who had to be borne from
the vessel to his hotel upon litter. BY his
side, experimenting every movement, was
young lady, of prepossessing person, but witha
countenance care-worn and anxious from long
watching. The invalid was Captain Joshua p.
Patton, late of the ship &eptuH6's Cur, of New
York, and the lady was Mrs. Mary A. Patton,
his wife, both of whom return home under cir
cumstances of peculiar misfortune. Capt. Pat
, ton left New York for San Francisco about the
middle of August, 1856, IN command of the
Ncptunes Car, belonging to Messrs. Foster a
Nickerson, of this city, carrying with him his
wife who had previously accompanied him on
two voyages Sailing about the same time for
San Francisco were the ship hon'dnce Of me
Seas and the Intrepid, both fast clippers, Capt.
Patton, proud of his ship, and confident of her
sailing qualities, declared his intention to beat
the others, if possible, in reaching their COM
mon port of destination, and made every exer-
ton within the bounds of prudence to insure n
quick passage.
They had not been long at sea, however, be-
fore Capt. P. discovered that he was not sus-
tained by his first officer This Indifference of
the mate, which by degrees grew into sulen-
ness and neglect Of his duties, deyolyed extra
cares and watchfulness upon the Captain, who
by the tine the ship had reached Cape Horn
was worn out with fatigues and cares. The
mate was found on several occasions asleep IN
his watch, with the ship under shortened sail,
when the wind and weather was most favorable
for making the run. repetition of these mis-
dencanors finally decided Capt, Patton to put
the mate off duty, which was done about the
! time they doubled Capt, Horn. The increased
difficulties which this unpleasant state of things
occasioned, brought the Captain down with a
fever about the time they passed the straits of
La Marie He struggled against it for week,
and was then compelled to quit the deck, not
however without hope that his confinement
would be but temporary. As long as he pos
scssed sufficient strength he conferred with his
wife as to the management, and directed her, In
case he was wholly disabled, to navigate the ship
| to San Francisco, giving the second mate the
orders how to steer. Despite the constant nur-
sing of his wife, the disease triumphed, settled
into congestion Of the brain, producing delri-
um and blindness.
True to her husbands directions the wife took
up the sextant and daily, at meridian and ut
night, made the necessary observations, and,
| unassisted kept the run of the ship, giving her
orders as to the course to be steered AT the
same time she consulted all the medical author
tiles at hand as to the treatment other hus-
! bands case, and applied herself in every way
to restore his health.
The mate, meantime, sought to excite a mu-
! tiny among the crew, and desired to carry the
ship into Valparaiso, but in this he was foiled.
Mrs. Patton assembled the sailors upon the
quarterback and explained to them the help
less condition of her husband, at the same time
to them to stand by her and second mate. To.
this appeal each man responded by a promise
to obey her in every command. The mate lost
his power over the crew from that hour, and
Mrs p, without a rival, directed every move
mcnt on board The men manifested their
AsymnathY by the greatest AacritV IN Obeylnp