Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1857-05-07

alone for eighteen years; no doubt forgot
ten, or given up as long since dead.
After the discovery of gold in California,
it was rumored that San Nicolas was in
habited, that several hunters had seen the
prints ofhuman footsteps, and they endeay-
ored to discover the whereabouts ofthe In
dividual, but could not. As all the foot
steps were alike, they concluded that there
could be only one person living upon it
Many attempts were made to find out who,
and where this strange being was, but with
out avail, until one of California's Oldest
pioneers, Mr.. Nedeyir-the gentleman who
related the story-went over to look for
her. He having spent many years rs
hunter and trapper in the Rocky Mountains,
was expert as an Indian in following a trail,
and consequently found but little difficulty
in discovering the track, which he followed
until he saw singular object among the
rocks upon the sea shore, near the mouth
of ravine, upon its knees, skinning seal.
Upon approaching, he found it to be a
woman, clad in simgulardress Of feathers.
When she saw him, she jumped up, and
with excessive JOY ran toward him, and
seemed almost beside herself with wild de-
light at the sight, once more, of a human
being. In her hand she held rude knife
blade, that she had made from piece of
of old iron, probably obtained from the frag-
ment of some wreck, and which she eyi-
IDENTIFY valued beyond anything else in her
possession. She was unable to make her
self understood, except by signs; in making
which she showed a great amount ofintelli-
gence and signfed her willingness to ac-
company him to Santa Barbara. Here
Father Gonzales, of the Mission, took the
greatest pains to discover some of The lndi-
ans who had been taken from those Islands
eighteen years before, but no one of them
could be found, and what become of them
is a mystery unto this day. Not one of
the Indians within circumference of many
miles could be found who could understand
her: she could only communicate by sigrs.
1t appears from her narrative, that after
leaving the vessel in search of her child, she
wandered about for several hours, and when
she found it, the wild dogs which infest
the Island, even to the present day, had
killed and nearly devoured it. We can
better imagine the feelings of a mother at
such a time, then describe them. When
she returned to the spot where she had left
the vessel, to tell her sorrows for the loss
of her child that too was gone, and was
bearing away her kindred and friends from
her sight. Could she have realized, then,
that for eighteen long years she must live
alone in the world, without one kind word
of comfort, one cheering look from friend
ly eye, or one smile of recognition, it would
have been too much for even her wild but
womanly nature to bear, and when her, as
with US, it is well that we know not the
future. From day to day she lived in hope,
beguiling the weary hours in providing for
her wants. With snares made Of her hair she
caught birds, and with skins, properly pre-
pared, she made her clothing. Her nee
dies were neatly made of bone and cactus
thorns; her thread was of sinews from the
seal. In these and many other articles
found in her possession, she exhibited much
of the native ingenuity she possessed.
Whether she still remembered her own
language or not will forever remain mys-
tery. She was very gentle and kind, es-
pecially to children, and nothing seemed
to please her more then to be near them;
and the poor woman would often shed
tears while attempting to describe, by signs,
her own little one which had been killed
and eaten by the wild dogs. The SYM
pathy felt for her welfare caused the people
| t. supply her bountifully with everything she
chose, and the result was, that in about six
months after her escape from her lonely
exile, she sickened and died, having un-
| doubtodlv hoan killed with kindness.