Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-10
SAILOR GIRLS ADVENTURES.
Three Voyages Sailed as a Messman
Without Suspicion.

From the London Telegraph.
A singular story OF the sea was told at
the Bristol police court. A girl of fifteen,
who first gave her name as Ellen Gordon,
but afterward admitted that she was Esther
McEwan, was charged with wandering
abroad without visible means Of subsist-
ence. The prisoner, who was clad In a
rough suit OF mems clothes. cried bitterly,
and hid her face as she stood in the dock.
A river policeman stated that when in
Princes street that morning he heard some
men talking about a woman dressed as a
man who was being paid off at the board
of trade Offices His inquiries there proved
fruitless, but outside he saw the prisoner
he spoke to her she burst into tears and
admitted her sex. He believed she had
sailed as messman and steward. She was
being paid off from the steamship Gem,
which had just arrived at the Bristol docks
At the police station the accused stated
that her sister lived at Wishart, in Scot
land. She admitted she had completed three
voyages as mess steward, dressed in boys
clothes.
Asked by the bench If she would go back
to her sister, to whom they could telegraph,
the prisoner said she did not wish to do SO,
as she left on account OF her sisters harsh
ness.
The MAGISTRATES clerk: Gould not you
get into Scotch ship as stewardess?
McEwan-"When my hair gets longer.
The bench ordered remand until the
next day.
McEwan, It is stated, had accomplished
only one Of her voyages upon the Gem,
which vessel she Joined at a port in Scot
land.
Further inquiries into the case have
brought to light a remarkable story of her
adventures in boys clothes. She had been
living with a married sister at Wishart,
near Glasgow, and while there she some
times worked as boy, but the reason of
this is not clear. A book came into her
hands containing the story Of girl who,
unhappy at home, ran away to sea dressed
as boy Esther McEwan thought this
plan so attractive that she resolved upon
similar escapade. In September Of 1901 she
ran away to Dundee, and there went as
cabin boy on board a coasting steamer
called the Discovery. On this vessel she re-
manned only a fortnight. landing at New
port. She gave her name as Allan Gordon.
From Dundee she shipped in a boat
bound for Valparaiso, and. having COM
pleted the voyage. was discharged at Car
diff At Penarth she soon obtained another
BERTH this time on board the steamship
Gem where she acted as mess room stew
ard. No one suspected that she was a girl
until Alexandria. the vessels destination.
was reached, and here each member OF the
crew had to pass the doctor. with the re-
suit that the girl was compelled to admit
her sex. The captain of the Gem therefore
brought her back as a cabin passenger. but
she appears to have continued to wear
boys clothes during the return voyage. 1t
is probable that the reason Of the mess
room steward being transferred to the
cabin did not remain a secret aboard. and
1t is not surprising that the sailors talked
the matter over on reaching port.
The girl is now receiving kindly care and
attention She Is a quick-witted child of
fair education. and from remarks which
she has let drop 1t is clear that the rough
manners Of sailors the ships in which
she sailed were very repellent to her. She
did not like the sea at all. and had she
only known the way, in which she would
have had to rough it she would never have
run away. The two discharge notes which
are in her possession relating to her voy-
ages to Alexandria and Valparaiso are
made out in the name of Allan Gordon.