The Anaconda standard., 1899-07-30
FRANCES STURDY SAILOR LASS
Louise Fabert, the Girl Diver, and Her
Heroic Life on the Water.

Louise Fabert, the famous girl diver
of st. Nazaire, France, has just re-
ceiyed gold medal from the French
Society for the Encouragement of Good
Actions tSociete Encouragement au
Bien).
This medal and the small pension that
goes with 1T, lis given" says the report
of the society, lin recognition of Louise
Fabert's merit, as shown by her life OF
unremtting toll and five courageous
rescues of persons that were in danger
of DEATH
Louise Fabert is universally admired
in France, where newspaper articles
written about her good heart and PROV
ess have made her a popular character.
She comes of a family of sturdy sal
ors and is herself about six feet tall,
finely proportioned stronger than most
strong men, not mannish, but quietly
confident in her Drawn and in her judS-
ment
In youth she used to wear her twin
brothers clothes, and she always ac-
companied her father and his six sons
to sea.
1t was in the bay of Rio de Janeiro,
when she was but II, that she saved a
sailor who had fallen from the yards
of her fathers ship. He had struck the
water in such way as to inJure hlm-
self severely; he was drowning. Louise
twice succeeded in finding the sunken
body She swan with it to the boat
that had been lowered. The man was
restored to life.
When her father sold his merchant
man to engage in the salvage business
at Bordeaux, Louise Fabert, who liked
long voyages, managed to ship on a
whaling vessel as a common sailor,
thanks to her male attire and strong
appearance. The expedition remained
away two years
When it returned the female sailor
carried a 3-months' -old baby in her
arms-the captains son. She had be
come the captains wife, but within
six months she became widow.
For the last ten years she has worked
as a diver First with her father, and
since the latter's death as the head of
the salvage firm in which three OF her
brothers are also partners.
This extraordinary woman is now 81.
very handsome, though sun-tanned to
the complexion of a jack tar just back
from a cruise to the tropics.
She has long given up wearing male
attire. Even in the course of her busl-
ness she now wears the short skirts of
the Breton fishwife, EXCEPT when she
goes down under water to inspect the
work of her gang. Then, of course, she
gets into the ordinary diving suit.
In her profession 1t is said that she
has no superior. Her brothers rely en-
tirely on her judgment ITO close all con-
tracts or to direct the execution OF
difficult undertakings. Not only can
she go as deep as anybody Will VEN
ture, but her iron constitution will per-
nit her to remain at great depths fof
a length of time that would exhaust
ANYBODY else In addition she can use
the pick, the hammer, the croWbar OF
,f tl,, Ar'S
as the most skilled of her employees.
Among the rescues she has effected
may be cited that of Lieutenant Chail-
| her of the French navy. lie was IN
| specting some government work Whef
| the explosion of a steam engine on {
| floating derrick knocked him senseless
| Louise Fabert went into the volcano o
kissing, steam and burning planks where
the lieutenant lay, and brought hin
back, badly scalded, but alive. Louis'
herself was severely burned about tht
neck forearms and legs, and had t
stay in the hospital for six weeks.
AS a proof of the young woman
strength the story is constantly told o
her memorable battle with two seapor
rowd:es who once had insulted her al
she passed in front of cafe. 1t sct'n
that the men got so mad al the uneN
| pscted severity of the first 5lows sh
inflicted on them that they tried Il
| knife her.
The powerful and dexterous way il
which she handled them and thei
weapons makes long and intercS,i1i
tale of battle. 1t is enough to say her
that in their admiration crowd t
sa iors and roustabouts who mad wit
| messed the fight carrie! Louise Faber
in triumph on one of IN. cafe table
through several S.. NazaIre streets he
fcre she could escape from their enthu
| siasm
AS it may be imagined, the mani.
and womanly charm of the woman
have made many slaves and brough
her many suitors, but Louise so far ha
always declined to marry again.
Her life is absolutely devoted to he
! business and to caring for her son,
strapping youngster of l3