Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1890-11-14
THE NANCY LEE.

| THE NANCY LEE
- wore well into the Gulf Of Bengal,
for Madras, when one morning,
ou u = n;oht was fading into dawn, !
~ s = I heard voics Mailing us from
as-face of the sea. There are sea
- Who cry out almost like human
a;rgs and although ! was startled by
Sail dismissed it after few sec
"a a. the cry of bird. Scarcely had
n .a.a 90 when it came again, and this
u knew it was the voice Of wo-
There was no need to hail the
a.s IN watch, for he heard the cry az
.am We were jogging along under
Nv sail, and he seized the glass and ran
: the forerigging- There was sort Of
tsan rising from the water, but the
~ had not climbed thirty feet when
aw, he came again, f.id in one breath
sdared the ship into the wind, the cap
in aroused and boat lowered.
q, Wa of the watch had no doubt that
Ia shin had been hailed by castaways.
Il the boat was down before any Of us
code ont lone woman in q sort of
anoa craft about two cables length
way on our port bow. She had neither
oddle nor oar, and her craft was driv-
rg with the wind and sea, while she sat
towering in the stern. Our boat was
con alongside Of her craft, and the
,ouan and canoe were soon aboard OF
M admiral Nelson. The watch below
ad been turned up, and everybody was
a deck to see what was going on. The
conan was white, and, as we soon ascer-
aimed, American. I say white, but
Bronze would be the better term, for it
vas evident that she had long been ex-
Dosed TO tropical weather. She was OF
Medium size, regular features and about
ID Years of age, and had at one time been
rood LOOKING
.Who an where is the captain of this
hip she suddenly snapped, as she
reached the deck.
"Here, ma am" CALAMITY replied our
bld man, as he stepped briskly forward.
Il want to talk to you in your cabin, ;"
he continued, her fingers working nerv-
busly and her eyes afire.
They had not been gone a quarter or
In hour when both reappeared on deck
was at the wheel and therefore heard
III that was said. It appeared that
HE woman, whose name was Mrs.
Thomas, owned and sailed trading
chooner which had been left her at her
husbands death. 1t was strange vo-
eation for woman, but it seemed she
liked it and also had good business
head on her She had crew of six, her
mate being an EEglishman and the
others Lascars, and she had been sailing
between nearly all the towns ON the
Gulf. Three days before we picked her
lp her schooner had left Sumatra bound
Tor the Indian coast. The crew seemed
10 be perfectly quiet and content, but at
. 10 o'clock of the previous night, headed
by the mate, had suddenly laid violent
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 so mad she couldn't
ftand still for three seconds at time
What she wanted was for our ship to &c
In pursuit Her schooner was armed
with two brass six Founders, while w,
bad four twelves, and she expressed he
Entire willingness to see her craft sen
to the bottom before the mutinous Grew
Should benefit by their acts. Capt
Wheeler was pretty well along il
years, very careful on the question 0
insurance, and his mind was not mad
up until after breakfast. Then he de
ided to huff up toward the Andamal
Islands in search of the schooner, and Ii
almost promised to give her taste o
Dur metal if she would not surrender.
The little woman managed to eat
dozen mouthfuls of breakfast, and the
Returned to the deck to almoat assum
Control. She ordered man aloft, bosse
the job of casting loose the guns and gel
ting up powder and shot, and every tet
nlnutes she was hailing the lookout t
know if anything was in sight. Luc
was in her favor. While we had bee
logging along all night the schooner, be
Ing further to the east, had been almos
becalmed. We raised her almost dea
ahead about noon, and as luck woul
nave it again we had plenty of wine
zwhlle she had none until the vessels weI
not over two miles apart. The schoone
gould have no suspicion that the woma
was aboard of US, and we few signs
mat we wanted to speak her. She a
ence lay to, and as we ran down to her
saw Mrs. Thomas grit her teeth, cline
||z ter hands and show other evidences
per feelings. She had borrowed I'll
mates six shooter, donned hat an
goat to disguise herself, and az we lay I
aoout cables length away no eye coul
nave made out her sex. ..Schoon,
ahoy" called our captain.
'Ay, ay, sir! This is the Nancy LIE
pound from Sumatra to the mainland.
Are you the captain?"
NO, sir. He's very sick in his berth
Kun out those guns!' whispered I'll
Io man to us, and down went the pc
shutters, and out went the big barker
Ano such OF the crew as were not at Il
guns rested their muskets along the raj
I've got your captain here, and she
70 put aboard Of your shouted the ca
u, ,a,h IF You attempt any resistan
I'll sink your
Inc Nancy's mate ordered his crew
oae OF the guns, but they refused
oNy, every man of them sulking fc