Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-02-13
TERMS OF ADvERr1srsg.
are or 10 lines or less---sa.h In advance
A CALIFORNIA CRUISE.
reed eighteen gears alone


Narrative of Fomam uho heed eighteen gears alone
upon the Island of San Nicholas
captain c. J. w. Russell, who will be recollected
oy inc readers of the Bulletin the writer of many
valuable arhcles In Its columns on the subject of
California Fisheries" has contributed 10 Hufching's
Magazine an interesting narrative of a woman who
lived eighteen years alone upon the Island of San
Nicholas, one of the Santa Barbara group, off tie
lower coast and situated about 43 deg IS min north
latitude. While stationed in that quarter, making
tidal observations for the United States Government,
Captain Ru sell received from one George Nedevir
an old California resident, the following remarkable
history:
Twenty years ago, the whole of the Indian tribes
lnhablting The Santa Barbara group of islands were
engaged in fierce and exterminating war with each
other, and to such extent this deadly hostli-
ty waged that already the population had very much
diminished, and would, In all probability, before
many years, become entirely extinct To prevent
this and at The same time TO ameorale the condition
of the Indians, the good Fathers of The Mission of
Santa Barbara conceived the idea of removing them
to the main land, where they might he watched over
improved and preserved, under their immediate su-
perlntendance For this purpose they visited the is
lands, in company with few partially civilized In
dians, and explained to them the advantages of re-
moving to the Mission. They listened attentively
to the proposal al finally consented 10 CO. on prom
ises of protection IRON their natural enemies being
given by the Fathers.
Accordingly, small vessell Was sent TO the differ
ent islands, and the various trhes We're taken one
by one, to the Mission of Santa Barbara But while
the last of the Indians embar king a the island
of San Nicholas, and all were supposed to be on
board, chi d was missing, and its mother, in great
distress, seeking everywhere, without success
Each portion of the vessel was diligently searched
all the adjacent rocks examined, bul no child
could be found Almost frantic, the mother reoues-
ted the captain 10 wait while she went into the in
terror to search for her child to which he reluctantly
consented.
| AS night closed down in darkness, heavy masses
of clouds rolled up from the horizon and gave ev-
dence of coming storm All We're anxious for the
return of the woman and her child before it broke
upon them but still they came not The wind began
to blow harder and stronger the storm was rapidly
increasing and the groups of Indians on board
strained their eyes, trying to discover in the darks
ness, some object that resembled the returning
man and her child, yet them not, there were
many sad hearts and anxious counte 1ances that
| on their account. The storm at last came on in all
it's fury tossing their little vessel up and down like
a feather, and compelled them at last though reluc-
anty to put to for safety before any tidngs of
the absent ones could be received. Although the
cargo of living freight reached Santa Barbara before
the vessel could return for the woman, it was
wrecked and entirely lost; and as other could be
obtained at that time, the poor woman had to re-
main upon the island, where she lived, alone for
eighteen years; no doubt forgotten or given up
long since dead.
After the discovery of gold it was rumored that
San Nicholas was inhabited, and this, no doubt had
its foundation in the fact that several hunters of the
sea otter had seen the print of human footsteps and
they endeaVored to discover the whereabouts of the
Individuals but could not Yet, all the foot prints
were alike, they concluded that there could be onlv
one person living upon it, Many attempts were made
to lind out who and where this strange being was
but without avail until of Caliornias Oldest p-
oneers, MIR Nediver-the gentleman who related the
story, and who arrived in this country some twenty
e five years ago. and still resides in Santa Barbara
went over to look for her. He, having spent nany
years as hunter ard trapper in the Rocky Noun
tains, expert Indian in following trail
and consequently found but little difficulty in dscov-
ering the track, which he followed until he saw
singular object among the recks upon the sea.shore
near the mouth of ravIne, upon It's knees skinning
a SEAL Upon approaching, he found it to be a wo-
man. clad In singular dress of feathers. When she
saw him she jumped up and, with excessive Joy, ran
, toward him, and seemed almost beside herself with
wild delight at The sight, more of human be.
ing. In her hand she held rude knife blade that
3 she had made from piece Of old iron, probably OBJ
tanned from the fragments of wreck, and which she
evidently valued beyond anything else in her posses
sion. She was unable to make herself understood
except by signs in making which she showed great
amount of intel gence and sgnifed her willingness
b. to accompany him to Santa Barbara. Here Father
Gonzales of the Mission took the greatest pains tC
discover some of the Indians who had been taker
from those Islands eighteen years before, but one
of them could be found and what became of them il
K a mystery unto this day. Not oIe of the Indians
within circumference of many miles, could be fount
who could understand her, she could communicate
n only by signs.
It appears from her narrative that after leaving
, The vessel in search of her child, she wandered abou
for several hours, and when she found it, the wild
dogs, which infest the island, to the present day
e had killed and nearly devoured it. We can etta
IT imagine the feelings of moher at that time, thar
describe them. When she returned 10 the spot wher
L she had left the vessel tell her sorrows for tin
K loss of her child that too, gone, and was bear
o ing away her kindred and friends from her sight
Could she have realized, them that FIR eighteen lon
y years she must live alone in the ord without on
II kind word OF conf ,Tt cheering look from friend
d ly eye, or smile of recognition, it would hav
e been too much for even her wild but womanly ma
ure to BEAR and wth her, with us, is well iha
q We know not the future. From day to day she live
1t in hope, beguling the weary in providing fc
"a her wants. With snares, made of her hair, sh
1t caught Birds and with the SKINS properly prepared
re she made her clothing Her needles were neatI
r made of bone and cactuthoTns her thread was
st snews from the seal. In these and many other a.
tcles found in her possession she exhibited much
the native ingenuity she possessed.
Whether she still remembered her own languag
ce or not will forever remain a mystery She was yer
gentle and kind especially to children, and nothin
seemed to please her than to be near them an
in the poor would often shed tears while aemp
is ing describe, by signs, her own little one, whc
m had been killed and eaten by the wild dogs. Th
l. sympathy felt for her welfare caused the people
ty supply her bountitully with erythlng she neede
b, and very imprudently allowed her to eat almost ~
~ thing she chose, and the result that in about 81
~ months after her escape from her lonely exile sh
D. sckened and died, having, undoubtedly been kille
with kindness
m CR1NoLINE HARBoRING RATs.-Awtul! lt is ev
IS. dent that the capacious hoops and ct ceteas"
It. the ladies have NOR terrible EVIL 10 oear' than
ig had thought Of rat-catcher adVertses In one G
If. our M town contemporaries Ladies and gentems
,yith destructive