West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1888-05-17
WOMEN OF GRIT.

w UmEN VI Unll,
We were well into the Gulf OF Bengal
bound for Madras, when one morning
just as night was fading into dawn.
thought heard voice hailing us from
the surface OF the sea. There are sea
birds who cry out almost like human be.
Ings, and although was startled by the
hal / dismissed il aftera few seconds as
the cry Of bird Scarcely had / done
so when it came again, and this time |
knew itswaS the voice of woman
There was no need to hail the mate or
watch, for he had heard the cry as well
We were jogging. along under easy sail.
and he seized the glass and ran up the
torerigging There was sort of steam
rising from The water, but the mate had
not climbed thirty feet when down
ne came again, and in one breath
ordered the ship into the wind. the
captain aroused and boat lowered We
of the watch had no doubt that the shin
had been hailed by castawa,s. but che
boat was down before any of MS had made
out lone woman in a sort of "A canoe
craftabout two cables length away on
our port bow. She had neither Daddle
nor oar, and her craft was driving with
the wind and sea, while she sat COVERING
in the siern. Our boat was soon alongside
OF her craft, and woman and craft were
soon aboard the Admiral Nelson. The
watch below had been turned up. and
everybody was on deck to see what was
going on. The woman was white. and
we soon ascertained, American. / saw
white, but brown would be the better
term, Tor 1t was evident she had long
been exposed TO tropical weather. She
was OF medium size, regular features and
about 40 years of age, and at one time
had been good looking.
Who isthe Captains" she snapped, as
she touched the deck
Here, ma'am, replied our old man. as
he stepped forward
II want to talk to you in your cabin. ~
she continued, her fingers working nerv-
ously and her eyes swapping fire.
They had not been gone n quarter of
an hour when both Teappeared on deck
was at the wheel, and therefore heard
all that was said. 1t appeared that the
woman, whose name was Mrs. Thomas
owned and sailed trading schooner
which had been left her at her husband
death. 1t was strange vocation for
woman, but it seemed she like il and
also had good business head on her
one had crew Of six, her mate being an
Englishman and the Others I.ascars. and
she had been sailing between nearly all
the towns on the Gulf. Three days be.
lore we picked her up, her schooner had
IeIt Sumatra, bound for the Indian coast.
Inc crew seemed to be perfectly quiet
and content, b1t at 10 O'clock of the
previous night, headed by the mate, had
suddenly ladBiolent hands on her and
sent her adrift without water food, or
paddle. The intention was to run away
with the schooner and cargo and sell
them, and this plan might have been
carried out but for her rescue.
she was the spunkiest little woman
ever saw. She was 50 mad she couldn't
stand still for three seconds at a time
What she wanted was for our shin TO 90
IN pursuit Her schooner was armed
with two brass six-pounders, while we
had four twelves, and she expressed her
entire Willingness to see her craft sentto
the bottom before the mutinous crew
should benefit by their ncts. Captain
Wheeler was pretty well along in years.
very careful on the question of insur
ance, and his mind was not made up un.
til after breakfast Then he decided TO
iuit up toward the Andaman Islands
IN search Of the schooner, aud he almost
promised to give her taste Of our metal
II she was sighted aud would not sur
render.
he little woman managed 10 cat n
dozen mouthfuls OF breakfast, and then
returned 10 the deck TO almost assume
control She ordered a man aloft.
bossed the Job of casting loose the guns
and getting mp powder and shot, and
every ten minutes she was hailinu the
lookout TO know il anything was in
sight. Luck was ia her favor. While
We had been jogging along all night.
the schooner being further to the east
had been almost bccalmed We raised
her almost dead ahead about noon. and M
luck would have ID, again we had plenty
Of wind while she had none until the vet.
sells were not over two miles apart. The
schooner could have mo- suspicion that
the woman was aboard OF us, and we
few signal that we wanted to speak
her. She ht once ldy 70, and. as We ran
doWn in her ] saw Mrs. Thomas viit
her teeth, clencE her hands and show
others evidences Of her feelings. She
had borrowed the mates six-shooier.
donned bat and coat TO disguise her.
self and as we lay to about cables
length away no eye could have made out
her sex.
Schooner ahoy" called our captain.
"Aye, aye, sir This is the Nancy
Lee, bound from Sumatra to the main
land"
"Are you the CapsainW
ono, sir. Hes very sick in his berth" "
''3un out those guns whispered The
old man to ms. and down went the big
Bat kers. aud such Of the crew MS were
not at the guns rested their muskots
along DE rail-
"Ivo cot your Captain here and she'll
be put aboard OF YOU .houtcd our Can
tain 'lf you attempt any resistance.
In sink you"
The Erelishman ordered his crow TO
one Of The guns bat they refused 20 obav.
every man of them skulkiug forward aud
down the hatch. The fcl.
low left the deck long enough 10 arm
bimself with cutIass, and as vo low.