New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-01-27
Stories of Sailor Women.

There have been cases, says an old
sailor, though not many of them.
where women have shown themselves
so,be frst-class sailors. Maybe you
have seem a big schooner yacht cruiss
Jag about the lower bay with a hand
some, grsy-haired woman standing at
the wheel and keeping her full and by
with, one spoke 7 have, anyhow, and
aaa' told chat there are half a. dozen
ladies whose husbands belong to the
New York Yacht Club, who are as
handy about decks as their husbands
are.
Shipowners have cast-iron, case
hardened rule which forbids shippers
to take their wives to- sea, the theory
being Shat g. captain will be looking
after the wife when he ought to be
looking after the ship. It's a bad
theory and is not always held to.
There Isl the case OF the cargo ship
Edgar homeward bound from Sen
egal to- London. The fever broke out.
and all the crew were Frustrated ex-
cept the captain and the mate. These
two men went into the engine-room,
and the captains wife. steered. But
for her grit, the ship would have been
lost.
Ehen therewas the heroqc May Pat
en,who was with her husband in a voy-
age around the Hornin the early days
OF the California gold excitement.
Her husband. was taken sick off the
he'Aorn, and she took his place on
the quarter The crew was lot of
swahs; none of'them knew a sextant
from a. spudbag, not sven the mate;
but Mrs. Patten kept the log, and
took the sum- and navigated the ship
into Frisco. caring for her husband
when a6;was her watch below
Another case was where a woman
served as skipper is that of the British
brig "Cleotus,' Miss. Betsy Miller,
mastezg Her father was q ship
owner of Saltcoats. Ha had no sons,
and took his daughter into his Office
and about the docks asa companion.
She gradually picked up.a knowledge
OF ships<andi navigation: Finally she
became SO enamored with Life at sea
that her father put her in COM
mand Of She "Cla1tus,1 which
he buiat expressly for her. For
more than twenty years, she sailed the
''Cleotus' about the stormy coasts
of Great Britain and theeontment, re-
sisting the woeings Of the many GAL
liant sailor boys who.w fascinated
by her bravery, and when, hel. father
died she succeeded to and conducted
his business successfully.
Not the least interesting OF the sto-
rles Of: women at sea are the tales OF
the carbohydrates. Some of them are
historical as well as romantic Anvil
da, the daughter of Sys1ardus, aGoth-
ic King, was sbetrothe6,by her father
to ALI, tie heir to the throne OF Den
mark The. promised marriage was
SO dlsagreeable to AIiyilda that she
gathered q troop OF young amazons,
dressed them in theegarb Of sailors,
left her home and put TO sea as a Vik-
ing. Shelves exceedingly courageous
and successful. Finally she one day
found :asaaw Of pirates who were be-
waiting tiie-loss Of thair commander.
She's. proposed that they sad under
her command. The rsen were pleased
with her bearing and readily accepted.
Wlthithls increase offDrces she became
a terror tosthe coast and rapidly in
creased; her fleet and the naamher of
her Sailors,
1t finally became necessary to exter-
minatethis new band* Of pirates under
an unk.,awn and handsome command
er,~andi Alf, the ra,aeted lover, was
placed in, commanded the naval feet
that.was. ordered TO search for her.
The; fleets met in ths.G Gulf Of Finland.
Alwilda laid her ship alongside the
Admiral's, and, ir,hie battle that en-
sued ,halDo of her crew was killed out
right, and she was @oMerpowered by the
Admiral himself. She wore. g. casque
over hen. head, ara; was net recognize
ed until she hadstbsen disarnled and
the oasGne was removed. The aston
lshment OF the prospective king was
great when he SAW the runaway girl.
Hissvalor in actianhad meantime won
the-respect OF tila,&air pirate, and she
married the man,who conquered her.
Scarcely less romantic were the
careers Of a namber of women who,
by priWatlon, hseve been lad to assume
The dress of mem and take to the sea.
fora living. Ths case Gs Mary Reed ;.
an, English gisl'. is lin point Her moth.
ar.rassed her in.a boys dress, SO thai,
she. should hsssa, less trouble. in rising
ADORE the RsiNations which she ear
durqd as child She was first a foot
man and than, cadet In the guards.
| Finally she fell in love with a brother
cadet, revealed her seq, and the TWO
We're marrnd In the presence OF their
regiment The husband died, after.;a
year or two, and then Mary dressed
UP as a mann again and went tassea.
She eventually was captured bNauaa
joined a pina.te. Here she again fell in
love. TIE object Of her passion hav-
| ing become. involved in q quarrel with
q shipmate she was very fearfulsless he
should be. killed.
1t was,inapossible that he sap,tM re-
fuse to- fight, and 80 she picked a
quaraal with his antagonist, forced a
fioht and came ont >-icto~;nfs two