Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1888-04-02
a Girl NJ The Helm.

Ia the fall Of 1877 the ship Femplar, Cap
tain George \ Armstrong, ssllea from New
York bound Tor San Francisco, Cal The
way in Hhith the Templas aler the yellow
fever had decimated her crew was sailed
5000 miles, and finally brought safely to
San Francisco after q most perilous voyage
u $50 days forms one OF he most thrilling
stories in all she history of seaiariug.. When
The ship 1as eight days out from New York
she was caught in q heavy gale, lasting for
ty-eight hours, which stovein her bCWarks,
smashed stenchions, and nearly filed the
cabin With brine. After this damage had
been repaired, she encountered q terrible
hurricane that broke off her rudder head
end made ber leak badly. Relieving tackles
were nsed In steering, and the pumps were
kept constantly going. The crew became
thoroughly exhausted by overWork and ex-
posure; and run into Rio Janeiro was
made. In this port the cargo was dis
charged and repairs attended to- The work
OF re.shipping the cargo was scarcely com.
pleted when the captain was taken sick
with yellow fever, and before tie
vessel weighed anchor nine seemen
died from the same dread disease. But in
spite OF this terrible calamity sails were
hoi5ted ard the ship proceeded on her voy-
age. On the fret day, however, the yellow
fever broke out afresh, and not only the
captain, but his wife and daughter and the
ships carpenter aud four moro sailors were
obliged to seek their berths. On the third
day cut one seaman died, and on the cue
ceeding day the same sad fate befell the
captain's wife On the following day an
I, .el ,t,<,b u !, a 3ia
ease iii less violent form threw the dead
overheard one By one. Just al this juno
ture another serious trouble came 10 tight,
revealing mutiny among the few remain.
ipg of the crcw who on several occasions
sought 10 have the vessel headed for tho
nearea; port. This action made the cap
tain desperate, and with en- expressed deter
Dination, and e pistol in his hand, the mu-
tinous crew agreed to obey orders. This
difficulty again had no more than been COM
promised when the captain completely and
entirely broke down under the rayages Of
fever. He became 80 violent as to necessi-
tate his being chained to the deck TO keep
him from jumping overheard ia search of
the body OF his wife. After the ship had
drifted about for several months without
pilot or navigator tbs second mate and
three or four of the sailors recovered
but being ont of sight Of hand and not under
standing navigation, they were powerless to
do anything with the ship. Finally Emma,
the only child of Captain Armstrong. q
brave and spirited girl of ID, regained her
reason bat not her strength, and when in
this condition she got tire second mate to
carry her on deck. She then sent for the
ships instruments, aud By the aid of these
and her knowledge of navigation she figured
out The location. OF the vessel. She then
took the charts from tho cabin and traced
out O route 90 San Francisco, and from this
time or practically took command OF the
vessel and ordered the second mate and sur.
yiving members OF the crew to make sail,
giving them the direction in which to steer.
Every day formonths she would be carried
on deck to take the bearings and give her
orders. Ao
Being SO light handed the vessel could
not be properly handled, and could carry
but little sail, consequently her progress was
slow. Sba.wss loaded with general mer-
chandise, The cargo being insured for over
5000 600. Her long absence Of $50 days. and no
tidngs from her led the owners to believe that
the vessel, with sll hands, had been lost. After
this supposed fate of the ship had almost passed
from their minds their surprise can best be imag-
iued when, one bright day in summer, the ship
Templar, with her cargo. all intact, came Salhns
into San Francisco bay.
The fathftllness and heroism Of Captain Arm
strong snd his daughter Emma did not fail to
meet with appreciative recognition, and the Board
of Underwriters OF the city, at meeting called
for the purpose, presented to each of them $500
in gold, accompanied bY expressions of approval
and esteem, aud especially was the young lady
commented upon in a5tlsttering manner for nav
ING performed the remarkable feat OF navigating
ship around Caps Horn. In addition to this,
Captain Armstrong and his. daughter were liber-
all : rewarded by the owners of tlle Templar.
Syrup OfFigs I esf