The Express.
London, England, 1853-11-12 00:00:00

A FEMININE CRUSOB.

Under this heading the Placer novas, a Califor-
nias newspaper, gives so account of as Indian WNW who
has lived solitary cm one of • cluster of small islands, se-
veral leagues off Santa Barbara, in the Pacific, for 18
years. These islands once contained a lugs population.
The 'pilaus who inhabited them gradually settled down
ilamong the Mission Indians, at Santa Ines, Santa Barbera,
Los Angeles, San Gabriel, and Sas Diego. Oise of those
islands called San Nicholas, situated about slaty miles from
Santa Barbara, was inhabited by a tribe of Indians who
could sever be induced from • desire of change, from the
nape of greater comfort, or from a wish to embrace Christi-
anity, to leave it. About the year 1824 or 1825. this island
was vi.ited by • Russian ship, and some dispute having
arise■ between the sailors and the Indians, about the
women, the Russians killed all the men map two, and
carried of the women. About tan years afterwards, Mr.
Williams (who now owns the branch call "Del Chine,"
in Los Angeles) prevailed upon the captain of a small
schooner, to bring over all the Indians who remained.
This was easily accomplished, as the Indians were desirous
to remove. After they had all pt on board the schooner,

one of the Indian women disoolored that her child was
miming, and asked permission to go on shore to look for it.
This was at once granted. She remained a long time in
the search, and at length made her appearance crying most
bitterly. She said that she could not find her child, and
eapreseed her apprehension that it had been eaten by wild
doge, which it seems infest the island. She remained on
the beach lamenting the loss of her child; and, whether
through fatigue or excess of grief, she laid down and fell
asleep. la the mean time it commenced to blow a gale o
wind, and the schooner put away, leaving her alone on this
desert island.

About three months afterwards It is said the schooner
again touched at the island to bring her away, but she
could not be found. Since that time her foot-prints have
been occasionally nen on the shore, and other indications
met with showing that she still existed.
At the beginning of the present month, an American, by
the name of George Niedever, who is sow, and has long
been a resident of Santa Barbers, was engaged in otter
bunting off the coast, and touched at San Nicholas. While
travelling along the beach, to his great astonishment, he
suddenly came upon this woman. She was engaged clean
ing or curing bird skins, which she sowed together to serve
as a covering,and is a garment made of which she was then
dressed. She did not manifest much surprise at seeing Mr.
Niedever, but readily assented to his proposition to leave
the island and accompany him to his schooner. She imme-
diately set about making preparations for her departure,
aad having packed op several bundles of bird skins end
other " Stings" which she had found serviceable in San
Nicholas, she bade adieu for ever to the land where, for so
long a time, she might have exclaimed with trath—.. I am
monarch of all I survey."

She is now living with the family of Mr. Oscine .lied*.
vet, in Santa Barbara, whore she has all her wants admi-
nistered to. She is about 60 years old, and Las simple as
a child, and quite fres from deception and guile. Slit, is very
contented, and takes great delight in showing to her
visitors, es well as she can, how she dug the roots, caught
the fish, manufactured her garments, sad provided gene-
rally for her sustenance.
She takes great delight in looking at horses and cows,
having probably never seen such large animals before.
On one occasion she caught hold of a horse by the tail,
and had it not been that Mrs. Niedever called her away.
she might probably have suffered severely for her igno-
rance.

Among the 'trades she brought along with her from the
island, were several needles with which she sewed the
bird,' skins together. These needles are beautifully made
of fish bones, sad show a superior degree of ingenuity.
The thread which she toed wu a thin fibre of the sinews
of a whale. She had also several fishing kook. made of
old nails that she probably found in some boards picked up
es the shore. These nails were well best end sharpened,
and attached to a lies made of fibres of whale sinews beau-
Wally twisted together. She had also mese her move.
alike a soft clayey subsumes like brick, but whether she
used this fur dressing the birds' skins, or for simply giving
• rod volute to her garments, no oae could well make out.
Bbe had a knife also about as iamb lug, which menu to
have bees a piece of an iron hoop. It is set in a wooden
handle. she brought with her some seal meat, but how
she could eat this seems incomprehensible. Ten or twenty
yards is about as near as the olfactory nerves would permit
any of the Americans to go to it. She had a quantity of
roots, which are generally known here by the Indian name
of ascender. In .taste they are like the kernel of an
untipe set.
. . .
' •

The learned aid pious Father Gonzales regards it as a
- -

wonderful instance of the providence of Ojd, who, in his
inscrutable ways, has doubtless preserved her up to this
time, as were some of her race, in the truths of Christianity.

Ine Court.

—•—
WINDSOR, Nov 11.

The Qaeen and the Duke and Duchess of Brabant
drove out in an open carriage this foramen. Lord Charles
Fitzroy attended on horseback.
Prince Albert want oat heating, attended by Lieut..
Colewd thstion.A. Gordon. _ .

The ta—lehrldrestOoTtiteir accustomed ezereise.
Lord ward Howard left the castle this morning for
Arundel Cu'.

The Earl of Elgin bad as interview with the Duke of
Newcastle yesterday at the Colonial-o Moe.
A deputation from the committee to secure parks and
open spaces in London, had an interview with Viecount
Palntenton yesterday at the Home-oillee, to solicit the im-
mediate grant of Albert-park for the central districts of
London and the borough of Finsbury. The deputation
consisted of Mr. Tyler (chairman), Mespre.Sundon, Vincent,
Reynolds, Downes, Thomas Dig, Bowerbank, Lloyd, Bar-
nett, Parson, and Leonard.
A depatation from the Local Board of Health of Eton,
consisting of Mr. J. Cleave (chairman), Messrs. Devereuz,
Stephenson, Vaughan, and Stacey, with the Surveyor'
I and Clerk to the Local Board, had an interview yesterday
with the General Board of Health, at their office, White-
hall.
Major Hill, Mr. W. Jackson, ALP., and Major-General
Forks had interviews yesterday with the Duke of New-
castle at the Colonial-Ake.
The Commissioners fur inquirin? into the state of the Cor-
poration of the City of London held a meeting yesterday at
the Privy Council-office in Downing-street. The Commission-
ers present were the Right Hon. H. Labouchere, the Right
lion. Sir J. Pareson, and 0. Cornewull Lewis, Esq.
Despatches were sent last evening from the Colonial-office
fur the Governors of the North American Provinces.

The Archbishop of Canterbury has been pleased
to confer on Junes Pech, Esq. (pianist and composer to the
Countess of Darnley), the degree of doctor in music.

The Rev. Edward Roue, M.A., has been licensed
to the Perpetual Curacy of the Holy Trinity, Tonbridge
Wells, in the county of Kent and diocese of Canterbury,
vacant by the resignation of the Rev. John Norman Pear-
son; and Hey. Charles Vernon Hultne Sumner his been
presented to the rectory of Ringwould, same count) ay.d
diocese, vacant by the death of the Rev. Juhn Monists.
Patrons, the Trustees of the said J. Mooing.

Captain Hastings (brother of Sir Thos. Hastings)
has been appointed secretary to the hisster-General of dr-
Ordnance, Tier Lord Clarence Paget, resigned.—Army
Despatch.

THE ADMIRALTY COURT.—Henry Cadogan
ko-
thery, Esq., has been appointed Registrar of the High
Court of Admiralty, in the plat* of Remy Birth&ld
Sirabey, Esq., who has resigned that office.

THE STRIKES.

(FitON OUR LOCAL 00111111PONDIXT)
BURY, LANCASHIRE, FRIDAY.
All the mills of the associated masters in this town
except three, are closed egoista the operatives this day, and
about 6,250 of thew people have to be added to the estimate
which has already been given in the Daily New of the
numbers on strike, or locked-out of the miW,in the various
towns of Lancashire. The other three mills will close neat
Wednesday,adding about 1,200 more to the list. The opera-
tives of Bury formed their union, and gave none* of a
strike, if 10 per cent. advance was not conceded several
months since, and the masters then responded by the fol-
lowing notice :—" Notice is hereby given that an associa-
tion of the millowners in the township of Bury has been
termed for the purpose of taking into consideration the
demands made upon them in respect of wages, and to sup-
port each other against all such as they consider unreason-
able, in any manner they may consider most effective."
Notwithstanding this notice the employers in many in-
stances gave an advance of 10 per cent., but they now say
that they afterwards found it impossible to conduct their
heelless succeufully in the fate of the dictatorial spirit as-
sumed by the weavers. One mill tried the 10 per alit. sa-
laam) fee live weeks, but found that they could not afford it
aggrieving, end quietly stopped all their looms about a
math ago, sending the weavers away, bat retaining the
Splinters. The weavers were told that the advance given
sonld not be afforded, but refused to make any concession.
Daring the time they were on the higher wages they con-
ducted themselves overbearingly, openly parading the sub-
cription list for operatives on strike before the
employer in the mdl, and occupying time which
should have been devoted to work in collecting money.
One of these gentlemen said he did not object to their sub-
scriptions—they might spend their own nesey as they
liked, but be could not consent that they should spend hie
time is such a way. In the same mill the overseer found a
weaver rot properly doing his work, and at once discharged
Mm. The operatives, however, claimed to be con •
salted in this matter, and at once threw up their
looms on hearing of the man's discharge. The
result was that the employer had to cringe, and
the workman was allowed to go on with his work. Such
instances, it is affirmed, have been numerous within the
last few months; and at length the employers, a fortnight
ego, followed up their former notice by one in these words :
We, the undersigned members of the Bary Cotton
Spinners and Manufacturers' Association, do hereby agree
that we will cease working on the 10th November, 1853,
both as regards spinning and weaving, wales' all disputes
now existing between the operative/ who are now on strike
and their masters, who are members of the said association,
be arranged in the meantime to the satisfaction of the
eigninaittee of arch association."
As above stated, the notice has expired, and the work-
people arc in the streets. The following is a list of the
galls closed, to which is added an approximate estimate of
the hands employed at each, and the number of bags of
oaten consumed :
No. of operatives Bags of cotton
employed consumed
Firms. (about) per week.
Walker and Lomax l,OOO 100
B. ani J. Ashton 4OO •••• 60
Jas. Openshaw and Brother 000 .... 100
Bothwell and Grundy
John Walker
Jas. Haworth and Son
Ryland and Seas 450 •••• 60
John Alcock and Co.
T. and R. Oreenhalgh 3OO ••• • 40
Hutchinson and Openshaw . . 40
Richard Wild
W. Wild and Brothers
W. Weakly', jun.
Nicholas Milnes
W. Warburtoa 6O .... 20
Liven? and Ashton 5O • ••• 0
6,250 .... 700
The following close on the 16th instant:

W. Kay and Bons 25
Thos. Calrow and Boas 9O
10 I
J. R. Calrow
The operatives have made no overture of conciliation. On
Wednesday they sent a note to the masters' committee to
say they desired an interview for a deputation, and the
committee summoned a meeting to afford them this oppor•
tunity. When the deputation arrived, however, they had '
no proposal to make. They said they were not authorieed
to make any proposal, bat they wished to know, now that
the strike was so near, if the employers had any concession
to offer? The committee treated this cool inquiry as a mere
matter of business, and replied that they had not. And so
the conference terminated. At one mill, where many girls
and young women were employed, it is stated that the
wages of many of them were 16e. to 18e. per week ; those
working two looms earning 10e. to 12s. per week, inde-
pendent of the 4e. they would have to pay for helpers, and
such as worked four looms earning 16s. to 18e. after paying
helpers. It was a quiet piece of tyranny on the part of these
young people that alter getting the advance of 10 per gent. on
the earnings of themselves and helpers, they pocketed the
whole advance every week, without sharing any portion
with their helpers. It *as asked at this mill if they had
subjected their people to a reduction of ten per cent., as
was alleged, in the year 1847 The reply was in the
affirmative ; but the manager said that it was a nominal
and not a reel reduction, inasmuch as he could show by
the books (which he offered to produce) that the operatives
had since been earning ten to twelve per cent. more wages
per week, although working as many as nine hours per
week less than they did in 1847. In reply to the question
if the work was heavy or a kind of drudgery the females
accepted unwillingly, the answer was that, on the contrary,
young women accepted factory work at Bury ra-
ther than any other ; that they would not
be domestic servants, and as a consequence that
such servants were difficult to meet with, and that
many families went far into the agricultural districts or to
Ireland for them. Many of the girls of 14 or 15 years of
I age only, in the mills at Bury, earn more money per week
' than their fathers and brothers who are employed at spade
labour elsewhere, in addition to having a shelter from the
; weather, whilst they are much less subjected to loss of time
than out-door labourers.