Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1895-06-14

SIZE USED THE WEAPON WITH BOTH HANDS.
FOR himself This was the Yankee Land,
and the reader of sea literature will
come across her name III almost every
book of that sort turned out from the
press. During the time, which was be-
fore steamships had grown to be numer-
ous or were considered entirely trust
worthy, she made more voyages to China
and Japan and landed more cargoes Of
tea in New York and BoSton than any
other craft on the rolls. She was called
the queen of the tea feet, and right we'll
did she deserve the title. She was not
only fast sailor, but lucky ship. Aft
er she had made three round trips to
Japan the captain figured up that acci-
dent had not put him to 500 expense.
By accident | mean the loss Of spars,
sails, etc. When the Yankee Land made
her first trip, the captain wife went
along, and she found sea life so agree
able that she continued to live aboard
for the next six or seven years. She was
n little woman. handsome Of face and
cheerful in disposition, and sailors used
to believe that she brought luck to the
ship. Her reputation as Jacks friend
was widespread. She insisted on his be-
ing we'll fed and decently housed, and if
i'll she attended him and nursed him
back to health. She studied navigation
from the first, and after time was
competent to act as mate and even take
charge of the ship In the year lS4S,
while returning from China. with cargo
of tea, the captain and his chief officer
were taken with fever the same day and
were down for 20 days 1t is matter
of record that during this time Mrs.
Young not only navigated the ship, but
had charge of her, even during terrific
gale lasting three days
In the year 1851 the Yankee Land left
Hongkong with the largest and most
valuable cargo she ever carried In ad-
dition to teas and silks she had great
quantity of bar silver to be left at Sin
gapore. At that date piracy still -four
ished in eastern waters, and the Yankee
Land. like all other traders, was armed
for defense. In none of her voyages had
she ever been attacked, and had Captain
Young had his way about things she
would have left Hongkong on this trip
without any extra preparations for an
emergency A few days before sailing
his wife had her suspicious aroused by
certain inquiries which strange men
made of the Chinese cook, and she i'll
sisted that danger threatened and the
ships armament be overhauled The
captain poohpoohed and had taken no
steps to that end when he fell and broke
his leg The English surgeon who at
tended him insisted that he should be
placed in hospital, but this he would
not hear to He was made as comfortable
as possible in his own berth and was ly-
ing helpless when the ship sailed The
ship had four small cannon and score
of muskets and cutlasses. Without con-
sulting her husband in the matter Mrs.
Young purchased from an opium clipper
which was going out Of the business a
carronade and number Of rifles. with
plenty of ammunition Before his acci-
dent the captain had refused passage to
a number of seamen who had long been
confined in Jail in Hongkong for mutiny,
but who had finally been released and
wanted to get down to Singapore. There
were over 20 of these men, comprising
four or five nationalities, and he was
afraid they had designs on the ship
Mrs Young sent for the leaders, lnvestl-
gated their stories as far as she could,
and finally made up her mind that,
though they were tough lot, they were
not as bad as public opinion made them
out She offered them passage to Slnga-
pore against the remonstrances OF the
chief officer, whose name was Mr. Waite,
and almost against the express orders OF
her husband lying helpless on his back.
The second mate was so sure that the
gang would take the ship that he left
her, but good man was easily found to
take his place.
The Yankee Land had crew OF her
own numbering IL men. To these were
added 23 of the Jail birds, and when the
ship finally sailed away everybody pre-
dicted that she would change hands
within two days In this case, as in
many others, the croakers made great
mistake The gang" felt grateful to-
ward the woman, sympathized with the
captain, who was known as q kind
hearted man, and they took hold with a
will and behaved themselves in mall
her to elicit praise In running down the
China sea the captains wife had full
charge of the navigation, and everything
went smoothly until she was opposite
the mouth of the Cambodia river. This
stream flows into the sea on the penln-
sula of Siam, above the gulf OF that
name. To the east are scores Of islands
extending to the coast of Borneo, and
there are also many islands off the Sia-
mese coast. thus contracting the sailing