The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1857-04-29

teen years alone upon the island Of San Nico-
las, one Of the Santa Barbara group, off the
lower coast of California, and situated about
33 degrees / 5 minutes north latitude. While
| stationed IN that quarter, making tidal obser-
vations for the United States government, cap
tain Russell received from one George Nede-
vir, an old California resident, the following
remarkable history
Twenty years ago, the whole of the Indian
tribes 5inhabiting the Santa Barbara group of
islands were engaged in a fierce and extermi-
mating war with each other, and to such an
extent was this deadly hostility waged that
already the population had very much dimn-
shed, and would, in all probability, before
many years, become entirely extinct. TO pre-
vent this and at the same time to ameliorate
the condition Of the Indians, the Fathers of the
Mission Of Santa Barbara conceived the idea
of removing them to the mainland, where they
might be watched over, improved and pre-
served, under their i'm mediate. te.superintendence.
For this purpose they visited the islands, in
company with few partially civilized Indians,
and explained to them the advantages of re
moving to the Mission. They listened aten-
lively to the proposal, and finally consented to
go, Cd promises of protection from their nat
ural enemies.
Accordingly, small vessel was sent to the
different islands, and the various tribes were
taken one by one to the Mission of Santa Bar
bara. But while the last of the Indians were
embarking, at the island of San Nicolas, and
all were supposed to be on board, child was
missing, and its mother, in great distress, was
seeking everywhere, without success. Each
portion of the vessel was diligently searched J;
all of the adjacent rocks were examined, but
no child could be found Almost frantic, the
mother requested the captain to wait while she
went into the interior 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 threatening evidence Of a coming
storm. All were anxious for the return of the
woman and her child before it broke upon
them, but still they came not. The wind be-
gan to blow harder and stronger; the storm
was rapidly increasing and as the groups of
Indians on board strained their eyes trying to
discover in the darkness some object that re-
sembcd the returning woman and her child
yet saw them not, there were many sad hearts
and anxious countenances that night, on their
account. The storm came on at last in all its
fury, tossing their little vessel up and down
like feather, and compelled them at last,
though reluctantly, to put to sea for safety be-
fore any tdings of the lost ones could be re-
ceved. Although the cargo Of living freight
reached Santa Barbara in safety before the
vessel could return for the woman, it was
wrecked and entirely lost; and as no other
could be obtained at that time, the poor woman
had to remain upon the island, where she
lived, alone for eighteen years no doubt for
gotten, or given up long since as dead.
After the discovery of gold in California it
that several hunters had seen the print of
cover the Whereabouts Of the individuals, but
could not As all the footsteps 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 without avail until one of Cal
ifornia's Oldest pioneers, Mr.. Nedevir, the
gentleman who related the story-went over
to look for her. He having spent many years
as hunter and trapper in the Rocky Noun
tains, was as expert as an Indian in following a
trail, and consequently found but little Difficult
ty in discovering the track, which he followed
until he saw singular object among the rocks
upon the sea shore, near the mouth of ravne
upon its knees, SHINING seal. Upon ap-
preaching, he found it to be a woman, clad in a
singular dress of feathers. When she saw him.
she jumped up, and with excessive joy ran to-
wards him, and seemed almost beside herself
with wild delight at the sight, once more, of a
human being. In her hand she held rude
knife blade, that she had made from piece of
old iron, probably obtained from the fragment
of some wreck, and which she evidently valued
beyond anything else in her possession. She
was unable to make herself understood, except
by signs in making which she showed great
amount of intelligence, and signfied her will
ingness to accompany him to Santa Barbara
Here Father Gonzales, Of the Mission, took
the greatest pains to discover some of the In
dians who had been taken frcm those islands
eighteen years before, but no cne of them could
be found, and what became of them is mys-
terry unto this day. Not one of the Indians
within circumference of many miles could be
found who could understand her SO she could
only communicate by signs. ...
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 mother at such a time, than
describe them. When she returned to the spot
where she had left the vessel to tell her sor-
rows for the loss of her child, that too was
gone, and was bearing away her kindred and
friends from her sight. Could she have real
lied, then, that for eighteen long years she
must live alone in the world, without one kind
word Of comfort, one cheering look from
friendly eye, or one smile of recognition, it
would have been too much for even her wild
but womanly nature to bear, and with her, as
with us, it is we'll that we know not the future.
From day to day she lived in hope, beguling
the weary hours in providing for her wants.
With snares made of her hair she caught birds,
and with the skins, properly prepared, she made
her clothing Her needles 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 remembers her own Ian
guage or not viii forever remain a mystery
She was very gentle and kind, especially to
children, and nothing seemed to please her