The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-01-20
Women as Sailors.

1t is no new thing Tor women In. be-
come sailors. We are informed in an
cient history that Artemesia, Queen of
Halicaruassus, commanded five slips at
the defeat of the Persians at Salamas,
and made a brave resistance, distin-
gushing herself by undaunted courage
and activity, and perfect know ledge cf
strategy. Toward The end o! the battle,
seeing herself in great danger Of being
taken, she lowered her flag, and attacked
Persian war vessel with terrible fury.
Her slratagem had the desired effect. for
the conquerors, believing her vessel TO
be one OF their own, failed to pursue her.
There are several instances on record OF
American women, wives OF deceased
captains, navigating their vessels into
port after the death of their husbands.
In the reign of George Ill, OF Great
Britain, an Irish woman, named Hannah
Whitney,, served for five years in the
Royal British Navy, and kept her secret
SO well that she was not known to be q
woman until she retired from the service.
A few years later a young Yorkshire girl
walked from Hull to London in search of
her lover. She found him enlisted on his
Majesty's man-of-war Oxford, and there
upon she donned sailors suit. assumed
the name OF Charlie Waddell, and enlist
ed on the same ship. Her lover, not be-
ING as faithful to her as she to him, de-
serted the ship, and in attempting to fol-
| low his example. she was arrested, and
her sex detected.
The officers raised contribution for
her. and she was dismissed the service
and sent home.. In 1882 II Mrs. Cola be-
came somewhat famous by serving on
board Il man-of-War as a common sailor.
| She afterward resumed her proper attire,
and opened coffee-house for sailors. In
| 1900, a girl of fifteen tried to chip at Lon.
don on board a South Sea whaier, and
being refused, she put on boys clothes,
hired herself to waterman, and became
very skillfnl in rowing. She did not
learn 10 swim, however, and, one day,
the boat capsizing, she was nearly
drowned. In this crisis her sex was dis.
covered, and she ceased to be "a Jolly
Young Waterman" and became domes.
tic servant in her proper apparel.
| Another girl aged IA, named Elizabeth
Bowden, being left an orphan, went up
to London in 1907 from village in Corn
lwall in search of employment. She did
mot succeed in finding such work as she
desired, and, putting on male attire, she
walked to Falmouth, and there enlisted
as a boy on board his Majesty's ship-of
war Hazard, and did good service alof
and below. Her sex was finally discov'
cred, however, and by the kindness o.
the officers the poor girl was placed in Q
proper position. Still another. namee
Rebecca Ann Johnston, had cruel faith
er. who dressed her as boy when she
was 13 years old and apprenticed her t
j a collier ship, on which she served foul
years, and then left the service because
4 brutal mate gave her severe beatini
for being slow when called on watch.
In 1915, when the British war vesse
Queen Charlotte was being paid of, /
'negro woman was found among th'
crew, who had served eleven years a
sea under the name of William Brown
and had become so expert sailor tina
she was promoted to be captain Of tn
foretop. She had all the peculiarities
good sailor, and had kept her secret s.
we'll that no one suspected her real sex
This woman had been married, and ha,
adopted q sailors life to escape tn
abuse OF cruel husband.