The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1857-03-11
nFROIC CONDUCT or A WOMAN.

.
Lads 1issaty Years Of .igs, trAo Commanded
2 Tasi Ntss'x Days, Dariag Her Hus.
hdads Niasss.
The readers OF the Herald will remember
an account taken from Que of the California
papers, relative to the heroic conduct OF Mrs
Martha Ann Pateu, wife of Capt. Pailsn, of
the ship Neptune's Car. who, during her
husband's illness, took charge of the vessel
and Navigsted il saIely into San Francisco
The lady, together with her husband, who
is now so sick tha, he is not expected to
live, arrived in this city in The George Law,
aud are now stopping at the Battery Hotel.
Her story is an Interesting and painful one,
and shows how much q weak, delicate wo.
mau can do when great emergency call.
ont her powers
Mts faren was born in Eas, Boston OF
wealthy parents, and received an excellent
education, and was in every respect ,eaderly
nutured and cared for, She is now but
twenty years Of a. ,, de petite tailIs, has small
hands anc features, delicate blonde com.
plexion, soft blue eyes, and altogether gives
one an idea OF temeuine aotlness and wo.
manliness that il is impossible to associate
with the daring nerve and decisive qualities
she exhibited IN a remarkable degree. At
eighteen years she married Capt Pauen,
then but twenty-five years of age, he having
been master OF vessel the bark ST. An.
drew, which piled between New York and
South American potls--and was then oil duty
waiting I'LL the Cctnelis Lawrence, a new
ship, was ready for sea, Shortly after he
was married the master of tho ship Nep.
tunes Car sickened a. she was about TO put
to sea for VOYAGE around the world, aud
the owners, Msssrs Foster aud Nickerson,
offered the post to Capt rNten, hu, he hest.
tsed as he did not wish TO leave his young
bride. Tho owners, however, gave him per.
mission to take her with him and io twelve
hours after the first notification the young
couple were on board, and the vessel getting
ready TO leave the dock. The Nsp,une's
Car fist sailed for San Francisco, thence 10
China, from China 10 London, ard finally AT.
rived in New York, after an absence Of sew
cnteen months. During this time Mrs Pat.
ten amused herself by helping her husband
ia his nautical observations. worked up the
Time from the chrouometers, and occasion.
ally kept the reckoning of the ship. Last
Angus, the Neptune's Car again put TO sea,
aud il was on this voyage that Mrs. Patterns
misforiuues commenced, As the vessel
nested the straits OF Magellan, her hus-
band was taken with disease in the head
which finally developed into BRAN fever.
lie attended 10 his ship as long as he was
able. aud when II was impossible to give
any personal orders, he found to his dismay
that bis first mate wa. wholly incompetent
10 take charge OF the ship, aud ,ha, there was
no officer on board qualified to take the ves-
sci into port, He found that the first mate
was anxious TO run the vessel into valpa-
raiso, bu, this he earnestly forbade, as the
crew might all leave and the cargo be de-
s,royed before the consignees could send for
the vessel. In this emergency Mrs. Patterns
rare qualities developed themselves. She as.
sumed command of the vessel herself, ard
the naut ical observations she once made in
sport for passlime she now undertook as
duty. Her time was spent between her de.
lirious husband and the writing desk, work
ing up the intricate calculations inciden, to
nautical observations making entries in the
iog-book in her own delicate penmanship,
and tracing out with accuracy the position
OF the ship from the charts in the cabin
SThe rough sailors all obeyed the "liule wo.
,sn," as they called her, with will, and
eyed her curiously aud afIectionaiely through
the cabin windows while deep in her calcu-
ia,ions in which her life and theirs depended.
There was one person on board, however,
who viewed her course with jealousy and
rnis,,ust. He wrote her letter warning her
of the responsibility she was assuming and
proffering advice, but she spiritedly replied
that "aer husband would NOT irust him while
he was well, and she could not do SO now
that he was sick" For fifty days Mrs. Pat
ten did not undress herself and took very
little sleep, working day and night and
nevef leaving her sick husbands room. Her
ls5ors are the more surprising in view OF the
:aet, that she was all this time in delicate
condition, and soon expects to give birth 10
her first child.
The Neplune's Car arrived safely al San
Francisco on the 18th of November last, it
having been for fiity-six days under The
command of delicate female not twenty
years Of age. What splendid text for the
woman's rights people.
s:. Psiten is nov at the Battery Hotel
WIN nef husband, who, il is supposed is in
aoying condition. The fever has never left
n.m, aod ior some time past be has been
Dhno sno dest They did expect TO leave
~ ne post iof boston yesiefday for her own
MI ksnen's ease 10 one of the most re-.
rgks5ble on record, and adds ons 10 the
AsHV instances that history records of female
re~< lion and heso;s<n = E..e y.sL g,-1s~