Thibodaux minerva., 1853-11-19

A Female Crusoe.
s.sr. BARBARA, CALIFORNIA, SEPT. II, 1ss

A Female Crusoe
SANTA BARBARA CALIFORNIA, SEPT II, 1853.
/ We have now in Santa Barbara a grea,
curiosity; it is an Indian woman. who has
| lived for eighteen years alone upon the Is.
land of San NichoIas-a small island about
forty five miles from this place, during which
time she has not seen the face of a human
being. This island was once peopled by a
tribe of Indians, TO whom the Northwest
| tribes were hostile. To preserve the rem.
nant of this tribe from destruction, as well
| as with view to christianise them, the
Padres induced them to come to the main
| land eighteen years ago. After they were
| woman swan ashore to look for her child
which had been left; and storm sprinsins
up in the night, the vessel was compelled to
| put to sea on returning. she could not be
| found She was known TO be alive by those
| who at times visited the island for the pur-
pose of hunting o;ters, from the marks of
fires and from foot prints in the sand.
On being approached the other day she
manifested much joy, which she betrayed
by signs of the most significant character,
and at once commenced packing up her few
articles of furniture. Whether the sounds
yet been ascertained. The man who found
her is familiar with five or six Indian lam
guages but he was unable TO an ierstand a
single expression; il is more than probable
that she has forgotten her native tongue
entirely. Her clothing consisted of skins of
birds sewed together with the fbres of some
trees or plants Her food has been sl,ell-6sh,
seals, and small buIbous root. similar in
appearance to an onion, but wholly tasteless.
The needles with which she stitches her
garments are made OF the sharp bones of a
fish. She had two hooks made of bent
nail and sharpened by friction upon stone.
Her lines were beautifully twisted from the
sinews of some animal, probably a species
of fox which abounds on the island.
Her age, as near as can be estimated is
about IS or 60. Her features are quite mas
culine, and her hair of the color of dark
brown, and very fine. This is quite remark
able for an Indian; their hair, you know, is
always je; black and coarse. In some future
letter will give you more extended ac-
count of this marvel of the 18th century.
She is truly an object for the reflection OF the
philosopher and the inspection OF the Gu
rious.-Neuburypot Herald.
We doubt if the annals of criminal iuris-
prudence ever, on the whole, developed
more of the interior scenery of vice and
depravity than has been exhibited at the
Lebanon trial. Dark and cruel tragedies,
such as filled the vision of Monk Lewis, we
have enough Of But the various details of
minor crime-of prof1igacy without shame.
and vice made business of-have never
been more graphically deIineated than in
what is called the testimony Cl at Lebanon.
Forgery paIpabiy committed at Wholesale
prejuTy made Misunderstanding revealed
as daily business-prostitution without a
blush-polce agents composed of thieves
and agabonds-Iawyers endeavoring to
prove the good character of clients so asso-
ciated-cer!ain!y constitutes tableau
familiar perhaps to Fouchel very remarka-
bic in this country.
One Of the witnesses testi6es to having
been several times in, prison-in fact a
notorious convict, now the acknowledged
utterer of forgeries: a second proves that he
was present at the forgeries, and took part
in the general conspiracies: third. that
she lived with this and that man pretty
much at random: fourth. that he lived by
stealing, when tina, was most convenient;
fifth, that ne is one OF a secret police; and
sixth, that he is vagrant living with
concubine; finally, seventh that he pays
the expenses Of witness to be absent, Just
by way of weIl-timed charity! This is truly
recherche picture; something that con-
noisseur in morals and mysteries would pay
high for. But what is the "upshot" of the
matter trhat has this respectable confede-
racy prored7 They have proved much
which. in the midst of the peIuries, stands
out in striking and startling relief. and to
this we call the attention of our readers.
Firstiy-They have proved that these was
a conspiracy, composed of a large number
of persons-some passing in respectable
society. some outlaws of the most desperate
description, some thieves and vagabonds,
and other Of a nondescript character-of
which conspiracy the object was 10 raise an
immense sum of money. by airoit forgeries,
pnrporiing to be the checks of large mer-
cantiie houses. &
Secondly-They have proved that one OF
the ringleaders 10 this business was the
clerk of the Martha Washington, and thus
proved the strong probability that the for
geries were connected with the burning Of
that unfortunate vessel, and the crimes
committed by that act. .f+
AAHof hosO tso'Oe sn<Ae SS'o'~.
of the principal parties are at large, and
that the whole truth in regard to these mys-
terious transactions has not yet been
revealed.
Fourthly- They have proved enough TO
create an indefinite suspicion that other
persons, in respectable circles, may possibly
be involved "a, - z-g
FifthIy-They have proved that in Gin
cinnati there are numbers Of the most aban-
doned characters, who can be used for any
purpose at any time.-Cin- Cotumbian.
~A girl At one of our schools lately
complained to the teacher that one Of the
boys had stolen her character" and called
on another girl, little meddiesome thing
as school girls usually are-to corroborate
her statement. The little. one, pleased at
being called on as witness, jumped up
and Iisped out: .Yeth. .thir, he did tho, for
,haw him running round the houth eating
thumthingn The bad boy was of course
convicted on such unexcep.ioual evidence,
and properly punished for his thieving pro-
penses.-Memp phis Eagle.