The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1862-07-19
MISCELLANY.
Adventures of a Female Sailor.

Fifteen years ago fair and ardent girl of
fourteen, residing in a certain part OF New
York State, became SO fractions under pa
rental discipline that accorded i'll with her
irrepressible nature, that her maternal un-
dertook to bring her to reason by the aid of
that presentment of leather which little
boys regard as capable of communicating
rather more temporary warmth to the system
than an ordinary cooking-stove. The maiden
bore the infiction with commendable heroism,
but improved the first opportunity thereafter
to elope from the scene of her sufferings. Go
Ing to Boston, she there purchased and donned
complete outfit of masculine attire, cut off
her hair, and sauntered to the wharves with a
marine determination.
1t was not long before she found a captain
of China-bound ship, who willingly agreed
to take her voyage with him as cabin-boy:
and to the Celestial Kingdom she went, with
out betraying her sex or her ship. The voy-
age was long one, lasting no less than five
years; and when the vessel re-appeared in
Boston harbor it was as mate that our dstin-
guished heroine trod the decks. Her good
conduct had won promotion for her, through
all the intermediate grades. Upon receiving
her appointment she could no longer keep her
secret, but with true womanly confidence in
formed the good-looking next-highest officer
of her womanhood. Like a sensible man and
sailor this officer at once fell in love with her,
anu tilc TWAIN were HdfTleO, having
previously determined, however, that the dis
guise should still be kept up.
The happy couple occupied the same state
room, on the next outward passage without
exciting suspicion. The voyage was long
one; and on the arrival of the vessel at Mar
settles, the young mate, having been prompt in
her sailor-duties, as before, received permission
from the captain to go ashore for two weeks.
At the expiration Of this leave, she came
ord hut. ;t.I<
to the care of an honest French couple a wee
bit of humanity in her own image.
The ship sailed again for America, and once
more fnrled her sails at the wharves of the
City OF Notions. During the absence of the
craft the owners had built a new and larger
vessel, the command of which they conferred
upon our heroine's husband. He accepted the
position gratefully, and at once appointed his
still disguised wife first mate of the vessel
The new ship made prosperous trip around
Cape Horn to San Francisco where contract
was made for her to go out to the Sandwich
Islands tor cargo, and back. She made the
trip, and then, after cruising about from one
port TO another, started once more for home
Half the passage was accomplished, when the
captain died, and his wife took command, and
brought the vessel safely to Boston, when the
owners offered her half-ownership, and the cap
taincy OF the ship. Wishing to visit her child
at Marseilles, she was obliged to decline this
handsome offer, and took passage Immediately
in steamer for Europe.
Arriving at Marseilles she visited the spot
where she left her babe; but, to her horror, the
house even was gone, and she could get no in
telligence of her missing babe. As last re-
source, she enlisted the aid of the police, who
finally succeeded in discovering that, some
three years before, the husband of the woman
to whom she had entrusted the child had died,
leaving his wife without means of support
She had relatives living at Belcastre, i'm Ma
pies, and thither she had gone for help. taking
her youthful charge with her, using for her
travelling expenses the money that had been
forwarded, just previous to the death of her
husband, by the mother of the child. To Bel
castro, accordingly, the anxious mother took
her way, and on her arrival there. learned that
the woman and child had been there, but that
the relatives OF the former would give her no
aid, and that she was obliged to go elsewhere
In search OF employment; where she had gone
and what had become of her none could tell
Our heroine still refused to be discouraged,
and continued the search perseverngly and
yaInly for two years. At last she was repaid
for her labor of love. One day, while passing
through ward in hospital at Florence. her
attention was attracted by the groans of poor
woman who lay dying in one of the rooms,
with a handsome boy weeping over her. She
approached and heard her own name murmur-
ed by the sufferer. In another moment she
was on her knees beside the bed, clasping the
sick ones hands in her own, and asking her
the question she almost dreaded to hear an
swered. The answer was in the affirmative,
and with her last breath the dying woman re-
stored TO the mother the child she had been
so long looking for. Scarcely was the faithful
creature dead when the impatient mother un-
did the jacket of the weeping boy, and discov-
cred about his neck little trinket her own
hands had placed there years before Mother
and son Immediately proceeded to Havre,
from whence they sailed for this country, and
are now residing in the city of Detroit