The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1904-12-02

II is given to the 6O0-ton schooner Ma
rengo, hailing from Detroit. 10 have ths
only woman sailing master now roam
ing over the Great Lakes. The master
has not yet grown TO the age OF woman
hood. however, for she IS only hfteen-
year-Old girl with dresses still above her
ankles. For four years she has sailed
the lakes from Duluth TO Buffalo and
back, times innumerable. She has been
through many squalls aI.1 has been In an
the ports OF Importance along the SHORES
of the lakes.
The youthful master Is Miss Lillian Nc
Gowan, daughter Of Capt Thomas Nc
Gowan, owner OF the Marengo Capt
MCGOWAN Is aboard the vessel on all its
trips, but he has turned the navigation
over to Lillian for almost two years.
During that time she has had practically
absolute control over the boat and its
crew. while her father devotes his time to
soliciting business for the little craft.
The Marengo is a free lance on the
lakes In sailors pariance she is a
tramp" registered from Detroit, but
running in and out Of the ports along the
lakes. This week she has been tied up al
the docks of the YoughiOgheny and Ohio
Coal company, below the Center street
bridge, taking on cargo OF coal for the
Georgian bay country. She was towed
out Of the river yesterday afternoon and
started OH her way up the lake.
On the deck as the boat went down the
river was Capt. Lillian. directing the pas
sage out into the lake. With her long
hair falling to her waist the braids tied
with black ribbons, she gave orders to
the men before the mast There Is no
thought on the little craft but to obey
when the little captain speaks. All the
crew are her willing slaves and Delaying
pins and kindred weapons have no place
In her domain
Yesterday afternoon she was directing
q sailor 70 make fast a line 70 the dock
against which her boat WIS lying HIS
method of executing her orders did not
quite meet with appreciation, and she un-
dertOOk to illustrate 70 the old tar now
the work should be done. She picked up
the rope in her hands and IN a trice she
had secured the line as fast as any jackie
could have done. Her hands We're covered
wltn CRIME and her skirt was bedraggled.
but she had the satisfaction IN seeing the
discontinue OF the sailor who had first
essayed the task
"Oh. IL is pretty hard work being g
MASTER she said. but don't mind II at
all ! love the water. and papa and |
have fine times when We are out on the
lakes Am I ever afraid2 Why should i
be afraid2 / have been sailing with pnpt
for four years, ever since ! was eleven
years old and IL | ever was afraid / have
long ago ceased to remember H. 1 guess
1 do pretty much run the Mareu&O, but
there Is little running 20 do except when
We strike a storm. II Is a good little
boat, not as large as some. and II has
never failed to weather all the storms
that have caught US.
II have becn out in pretty bad wealth
cr. cf course, but / haven't had any eN-
perIcnccs like you read about in story
books. 1 have never been shipwrecked
and J have never been adrift without
something TO eat. as the old sea sailors
have The men on the boat are just as
good as they can be J IKE them, and we
get along perfectly we'll You see. ( have
been all up and down the lakes, and
have come to know all the bad and dam
gerous places. 50 II is not hard matter
to navigate our boat
Capt MCGOWAN came forward and
heard tho last remark ~ tell you" he
said. with emphasis. that little girl Is
the best sailor on the lakes. would
rather trust the Mnrcngo 20 her than
would to half the masters holding gov
ernment licenses / haven't time to at
tend 20 the navigation Of the boat, 50 !
have turned that part Of II over 10 Lilly
And you eun bet she has never got US
into trnnbie either cleveland Leader