Evening journal., 1905-01-24
n FEMALE
SKIPPER

matterS into her own nands. AIleI we
had sailed she was all over the ship.
giving orders here and there and de-
manding obedience, and it wasn't a day
before everything was at loose ends
and the brig in nobody's charge. She
had never been to sea. but she announc-
ed that she was boss and would have
things as she wished, and the week
that we put in before anybody dared
head a mutiny was a strange episode
in a sailors life.
We were eight days out when the eli
max came. Every man Of us went aft
and demanded Of the captain that his
wife be suppressed. He certainly real
lied that everything was at loose ends
and that never had a peaceful ship had
greater confusion aboard, but he had
no promises to make. He was as clay
in the woman's hands. When we had
stated our case she let fly her temper,
and of all the tongues possessed by wo-
men hers wagged the fastest and pour
ed forth the most bitterness. She even
went so far as to bring the captains
/ pistols from the cabin and beg him to
shoot us down.
What we finally did, though the wo-
man threatened us with a revolver ev-
cry minute, was to lower away the
/ longboat, stock her. with water and
provisions and abandon the craft. The
mates and the steward refused TO leave
the brig, and if the weather held pleas
ant the four men left could work her
into port or hold on until some passing
craft lent them aid.
Twelve hours after our leaving the
ship and heading for the Azores a gale
came down on us from the south. and
we had to turn and run before it. At
daylight next morning we found our
selves within a mile Of the Neptune
Short handed as she was, she had been
obliged to run before the same gale,
and she had lost a topmast and been
otherwise banged about. AS soon as
she made us out we were signaled to
close in and come aboard, and in the
course Of half an hour we found our
selves on her decks again. The cap
tain met us more than halfway, say
ing that his wife should have no more
to say and that he would not enter the
incident in his log book, and, though
the woman was on deck with him, she
had nothing to say, good or bad.
We turned to after breakfast and got
things shipshape and put the brig on
her course. For three days we made
fine runs and everything went well
aboard. On the morning of the fourth
day, however, the captains wife broke
loose again. She gave her husband a
long and vigorous blessing and then
turned on the mates, and before she
got through every one on board had
come in for a bit of her tongue. Her
language to the first mate was resent
ed, and what did she do but bring out
. a pistol and fire bullet into his leg.
1t was mutiny over again. When we
saw that things were worse than be
: fore and that there was no hope fol
betterment we took to the longboat
again. The second mate and steward
were with US this time, and the chiei
officer would have been but for his
wound. We got a piping gale from tn,
east and went drifting of before it
{ Our drift continued for over fifty hours
and at times we gave up all hope, bu
the gale broke at last, the sea wen
down, and after a run Of four hour
e what craft should we fall in with bu
the brig we had twice abandoned. W.
ran down TO her, scarcely able to be
lieve our eyes, and walking her quarte
deck as coolly as If nothing had hap
= pened was the same termagant Of
woman. AS the captain was not il
a sight we lay of and on, not seeing on
way clear. but presently the womai
e came to the rail and called:
Get aboard here, you villains, anC
get to work. The captain is I'll and tn
mate laid up with that bullet I CAV,
him, and, though I'm a determined wo
!. man, cannot sail this brig to Charles
!. ton by myself"
The sea looked mightylwide and tn
brig very inviting, and the result wa
that we tumbled aboard. We got tn
g brig on her course, cleared up tn
decks, and then came the question o
:. what was TO happen when we had sail
ed her into port. We had twice bee
s guilty Of mutiny and abandonment, ant
no matter what excuses we might urg
the lawyers and the courts might ge
e us into a pretty pickle unless we hai
some guarantee in advance.
g A messenger was sent to the captain
but the conduct Of his wife had not on
" worried him into a fever, but in on
y Of her ebullitions Of temper she had as
j, saulted him and inflicted such injurie
that he was ashamed TO appear o
:, deck. He was ready to promise us i'm
g munity, but she would not let him sci
n tie the matter. She declared that sh
would prosecute the case to the las
court and that none Of us should escap
prison, and after talking the matte
over we decided TO take to the Ions
10 boat for the third time. When this ds
cision was told her she replied:
IS "You villains deserve hanging, bu
when we reach Charleston I'll pay 70
of, and you can go where you will
e That's ALL Go to work"
We took her at her word and sale
the brig into port and though sh
thirsted for, revenge she did not pros,
cute. Two weeks later the Neptune 50
h sail on her return voyage, having
new crew all around and the captain
. wife continuing to be boss, and froI
= that day to this the craft has not bee
heard Of. Whatever her fate was.
vvas surely brought about by the grea