The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1847-01-16
Miscellaneous.
A Female CrusEo,e..

1Hgl7 -
degrees distant, bearing nearly west from
Point San Pedro which is in the latitude of
80 43 NJ, and longitude 1lS IA W., will be
found small island, called by the Spaniards
St. Nicholas This island was formerly in
habted by an inoffensive, indolent race of
Indians, who subsisted almost entirely upon
fish, which they caught from the rocks, aud
, muscles, which they found in the sands of
the beach. They were lstless, quiet race
with others of the human family, and who
had but few wants, and fewer cares. us
About the year eighteen hundred and eigh-
teen ortwenty, the Russians, from their set
Elements at the North landed on this Island a
party of Kodac Indians for the purpose of
hunting the sea otter, which at that periods ia
: bounded in those waters. This party re-
manned on the island for more than two
years; and were the means of sowing disease
and contention amongst its unsuspecting and
, unsophisticated inhabitants. " pas i"W
Some ten or twelve years after the depart
ure of the Kodiacs, this tribe had become di
minished TO about twenty or thirty individu-
ais, when the Governor Of the department of
California sent over small vessel and re-
moved them TO the main. ls. .l1Y1 H. IH...'r .
In the last boat, which was eWbarking with
the last ofthis people, (some si&of eight per-
haps in number) to convey them TO the yes
sci, which was to carry them from the home
oftheir nativity forever, was one ofthe tribe
small in stature, not far advanced in years
and his dusky mate, thenin the bloom of life.
The order had been given to shove from the
shore; the oars had dipped in the wave, the
boat was rising on the foaming surf then
breaking on the beach with an awful roar,
wren, with the impulse of the moment as it
werc, this young and blooming bride of the
red man, the imprint of whose footstep had
been the last left on the sands Of her island
home, waved an adieu TO her chosen mate,
plunged into the abyss, 'strove through the
SURGE and in another moment, stood alone
on the shores of her native land. She turned
to give the last lingering look to her depart
| ing help-nlate; and then gathering around her
form her flowing mantle, wet by the ocean
wave, in an instant Disappeared forever from
the sight of her astonished and sorrowing
companions. r .Irfqrt l.,l. .t.... .r....
The vessel weighed anchor, spread her
canvass, and in forty-eight hours, this rem
nant of the inhabitants ofSan Nicholas were
landed on Point San Pedro houseless and for
Torn. 600 i..E4 ai ssris &. 40 ,aaa0. frg r.
From that period to the present--ifshe be
not dead, or has not left within the past eigh-
teen Inouths--has resided alone, on the isle
offs San Nicholas, this female Crusoethe mon I
arch of all she surveys. She preferred to
part even with her chosen mate. and sever
every human tie that could be binding, rather
than leave the home other birth--that lonely ]
little Isle, that had been TO her world, which
she cared not to exchange for the abode of
civilized man, with all its promised luxuries.
Since our Crusoe became the sole monarch
Of the Isle, San Nicholas has been visited
perhaps ten or twelve different times, by diff
erent individuals; but there sbo has contin-
ued to he found, with none to dispute her {
solitary and forsaken.
Her dress. or covering, is composed of the
skins ofsmall birds, which she kills with
stones, and sews them together with needle
and the light sinew ofthe hair seal, c
sometimes found dead amongst the rocks {
Her only food is shell fish, of the muscle {
Species with now and then a stil smaller fish !
which the surf sometimes throws on to the 4
beach, She never remains long in one spot
but is constantly wandering around the shores I
of the Island, sleeping, which she seldom C
does, in small caves and crevices in the rocks. v
During the last few years, it has been very t
difficult to obtain any communication with
her. AT the approach of the white man she S
fees, as from an evil spirit, and the only way g
to detain.her, is by running her down, you G
wouldthe wild goat ofthe mountain, or the 9
young fawn of the plains. 3t.i, s.., .t.,.a .f II
Those who have seen her at the latest Pc n
riod, report that she appears to have lost all v
knowledge oflanguage; that she makes only g
a wild noise, altogether inhuman; and when l
taken and detained against her will, becomes II
frighteped aud restless; that the moment she a
is liberated, she darts off, and endeayors to =
secrete herself in the wild grass, or amongst
the rocks which hang over the never-ceaSing v
surf. 'eai7YoFq aasAi ~ hln'h aai tea if7nng
Every endeavor has been made, and every f
inducement offered, by different individuals, a
to preyailupon her to leave, the Island, but in v
vain. The only home she appearsto desire, d
is her own little isle. Her last hope, if she a
has any, is to finish her Journey alone. She t
has no wish now, TO hear again the sweet I
music ofspeech. Its sounds are no longer q
music to her ear--and as for civilized man, !
his tameness is shocking even to her dormant {
senses. t.r r,ryp ...
To all appearance, she is strong, healthy, :
and content to be alone. D What can reconcile /
her to heriot, who can conjeettire? Human- s
ity{may hope thar contentment may continue !
to be hers to the last hour; for she is destined
to lie down and die alone, on the cold shore :
of her isolated home, with no one to admin I
lister to her last wants, and none to cover her
cold body when the spirit shall have left the
clay. iu yiiliiu 7ai 90 ,i09mo.H rot aool sn e
en- But the story of our Crusoe's chosen mate,
the companion of herearly life has yet to be
told He saw her for the last tinle, as we /,
have stated, when she stood alone on the
shores of her own Isle; when the boat with
himselfand his companions was dashing
through the wild surf, that broke in uninter-
rupted succession against the rocks which !,
encircled the resting place of his fathers, and
which he was then leaving forever. With
the remnant ofthe family from San Mich
olas, our hero was landed at San