New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1857-01-26
A California cr,1soe
NARRATIVE OF A WOMAN WHO LIVED EIGHTEEN
YEARS, ALONE, ON SAN NICOLAS ISLAND.

/
Capt c. J. W. Russell, who.will be recollected by
the readers Of the Bulletin as the writer of many val
liable articles in its columns the subject of Cali
foTnia Fisheries has contributed to Hntchings Maya
zine an interesting narrative of woman who lived
eighteen years upon the island of San Nicolas one Of
the Santa Barbara group off the lower coast and sit
uated about 3S degrees Is minutes North latitude.
While stationed in that quarter, making tidal observa
tons for the United States Government, Capt Russell
received from one George Nedivef an old California
resident, the following remarkable history:
Twenty years ago, the whole of the Indian tribes
inhabiting the Santa Barbara group Of islands were
engaged in fierce and discriminating war with each
other and to such extent this deadly hostility
| 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 ameliorate the condition of the In
dans the good Fathers Of the mission of Santa Bar.
| Bara conceived the idea of removing them to the
main land, where they might be watched over, i'm
proved and preserved, under their immediate super
nendence For this purpose they visited the islands
in company with few partially civilized Indians,
and explained to them the advantages ofremovng to
the Mission. They listened attentively to the pro-
posal and finally consented to CO. promises of pro-
lection from their natural enemies being given by the
| Fathers
Accordingly, small vessel was sent to the different
islands, and the various tribes were taken one by one
to the Mission of Santa Barbara But while the last
of the Indians were embarkng, at the island of San
Nicolas, and all were supposed to be board, child
was missing, and its mother in great distress, was
seeking everywhere. without success. Each portion
of the vessel was diligently searched all 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 in 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 threaten
| ing 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
began 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 resembled the returning
woman and her child, yet saw them not, there were
many sad hearts and anxious countenances that night
their account The storm at last came on in all its
fury, tossing their little vessel up and down like a
feather, and compelled them at last, though reuc-
tanty to put to sea for safety before any tidings Of
the absent ones could be received. 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 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 as
long since dead.
After the discovery of gold, it was rumored that
San Nicolas 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 indi
viduals, but could not. Yet, as all the footprints
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,
DuG ulltll one OF Oldest
pioneers, Mr.. Nediver-the gentleman who related
the story, and who arrived in this country some
twenty-five years ago. and still resides in Santa Bar
bara-went over to look for her. He having spent
many years as a hunter and trapper in the Rocky
Mountains, was as expert as an Indian in following
trail, and consequently found but little difficulty in
discovering the track which he followed until he saw
singular object among the rocks upon the shore,
near the mouth of ravine, upon its knees sknning
seal. Upon approaching, he found it to be woman,
clad in singular dress Of feathers. When she saw
him, she jumped up, and with excessive joy ran
towards him, and seemed almost beside herself with
wild delight at the sight, once more, of human
being In her hand she held rude knife-blade that
she had made from piece of old iron, probably OBJ
tanned from the fragment of some wreck, and which
she evidently valued beyond anything else in her
possession. She was unable to make herself under
stood, except by signs in making which, she showed
great amount of intelligence, and signlied her will
lingness to accompany him to Santa Barbara. Here
Father Gonzales of the Mission, took the greatest
pains to discover some of the Indians who had been
taken from those islands eighteen years BEFORE but
no one Of them could be found, and what became of
them is mystery unto this day. Not one of the
Indians within a circumference of many miles could
be found who could understand her; so she could
communicate only 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 nfest the island to the present day.
had killed and nearly devoured it. We can better
imagine the feelings of mother at such time than
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 them that for eighteen long years
she must live alone in the world, without one kind
word of comfort, one cheering look from friendly
eye, 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 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 the skins, properly prepared She
made her clothing Her needles were neatly made of
| bone and cactus thorns her thread was of snews
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 mystery. She was very
gentle and kind, especially to children, and nothing
| seemed to please her more than 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 sympathy felt for her welfare caused
the people to supply her beautifully with everything
she needed, aud very nprudenty allowed her to eat
almost anything she chose and the result was that in
about six months after her escape from her lonely
exile she sickened and died, having undoubtedly
been killed with kindness.-[San Francisco BulIn.
My LOST FRlEND.-Even while he was counting
kept my hold on him. Against opposition on the