West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1888-05-17
A woMAN nEr uIsEs r1nArEs.

! In the fall Of 1857, having been paid
off at Cape Town from an English BRIG
which had been condemned, / shipped
aboard the bark Rescue, Captain Moore.
I bound to several portsin Madagascar and
I return. We had small but excellent
crew, every man, but the cook being
white, ana 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 a 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 mouse and TO sec faint away il he
saw rat. AS a rule, sailors are opposed
10 women folks at sea. They are all
right rs 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 ''oid man" will be less
on deck and leave more to the mate,
and instead or "cracking ON aud 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, ererv 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 200 miles, before we could sight its
southern end. We had liQht. steady
winds and fair weather, making easy
work for the crew. but on the third day
out the Captain was taken down with
lever. We hadn't seen much Of his wife
mp TO that time, but now she was every.
where in an hour Although we hnd n
first mate who was thoroughly CONNIE
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 Oft the
days run. figure drift and dead reckon
ing, and order sail set or reduced rs
sm1rtly any man ! ever saw, and The
mates had sense enough not to sulk over
g. Her husband owned a 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 al i'm one, and thinps
could not have gone better had the old
man been ON deck
All went we until VIC were within
sixty or seventy miles Of the south end
Of Madagascar, when the breeze died
away in the forenoon until wo scarcely
had stcerageway, and almost az tho same
time We sighted q fclucca on our star
board ow and about ten miles away. In
those days there were-plcnty of native
sea rovers hidden away IN the bays and
rivers at the lover end Of Madagascar.
and they had no hesitation in plunder
ing, scuttling. and throat-cutting We
had no sooner made out the strange
craft than The little woman called us an
aft and said
Men, you know that the Captain IA
very ill. YOnder nativo craft is a pirate
and is coming down 10 attack u.s. III VIC
surrender, not one Of as will live an hour.
IT we do our best, we may beat her off
and escape. There may be sixty of
them there orc only thirteen Of us. Will
you iioht or surrenderm
Fight Fight Hip TIurrah r shouted
the crew in chorus. and after fhankin0
us, the woman gave oreers TO prepare for
the attack.
The sky was cloudlcss and the breeze
still dying away and it was certain that
no change in the Weather could be looked
for. VIC had two Cannon. ninc-pound
ere, one ON either broadside, and tbese
were uncovered and loaded with solid
shot luckily, among the cargo was
consignment Of muskcts, and wo broke
ont two boxes of ifly each. They were