The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1888-06-06
A WOMAN REP ULsEs PIRATES.

In the fall of 1857, having been paid
off at Cape Town from an English brig
which had been condemned, | shipped
aboard the bark L escue, Captain Moore,
bound to several ports in Madagascar and
return. We had small but excellent
crew, every man but the cook being
white, and all being English, American,
or Swedc. The day before we sailed
the Captains wife came aboard, and
saw at once that she was sailor. She
was about thirty-five years old, weighed
not an ounce over hundred pounds,
and her movements were those of girl.
She was Just such little woman as YOU
might expect to hear scream out at sight
of a mouse aud to see faint away if she
saw rat. As rule, sa lors are opposed
to women folks at sea. They are all
right as passengers, but when Captain
has his wife along there is more or less
growing in the fo'castle. 1t is taken for
granted that the ''old man" Will be less
on deck and leave more to the mates,
aud instead or cracking ON and carry
ing all sail to make short voyage, he
will go slow and look out for squalls.
We growled about the woman coming
aboard, but, at the same time, cry old
tar vowed her an angel and hoped good
luck for her.
Wecrept along the coast as far as Port
Elizabeth, and then took a departure for
the big island to the northeast, a matter
of 100 miles, before we could sight its
southern end We hal light, steady
winds and fair weather, making easy
work for the crew, but on the third day
out the Captain was taken down with
fever. We hadn't seen much of his wife
up to that time, but now She was every
where in an hour. Although we had a
first mate who was thoroughly compe.
tent, the little woman took full charge
of the ship. And we soon discovered
that she was entirely competent to do so.
She could stand by the log prick off the
days run, figure drift and dead reckon
ing, and order sail set or reduced as
smartly as any man | ever saw, and the
mates had sense enough not to sulk over
it. Her husband owned three quarter
interest in the bark and her venture, and
it was only natural that the wife should
know it. She was doctor, nurse, Captain
and counselor all in one, and things
could not have gone better had the old
man Dcen on ueCk.
All went well until we were within
sixty or seventy miles of the south end
of Madagascar, when the breeze died
away in the forenoon until we scarcely
had steerageway, and almost at the same
time we sighted fclucca on our star
board ow and about ten miles away. In
those days there were-p!enty of native
sea rOyers hidden away in the bays and
rivers at the lower end of Madagascar,
and they had no hesitation in plumber
ing, scuttling. and throat-cutting We
had no sooner made out the strange
craft than the little woman called us all
aft and said;
''Men, you know that the Captain is
very i'll. Yonder native craft is pirate,
and is coming down to attack u.s. If We
surrender, not one of us will live an hour.
If we do our best, we may beat her off
and escape. There may be sixty of
them; there arc only thirteen of us. Will
you fight or surrenderp
flight Fight Hip! Hurrah !" shouted
the crew in chorus, and, after thanking
us, the woman gave oreers to prepare for
the attack.
The sky was cloudless and the breeze
still dying away, and it was certain that
no change in the weather could be looked
for. We had two cannon, nine pound
ers, one on either broadside, and these
were uncovered and loaded with solid
shot. luckily. among the cargo was a
consignment of muskets, and we broke
out two boxes Of fifty each. They were