The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1857-02-17

collected by the readers of the. papers as
the writer of many valuable articles in their
columns on the subject of California Fish
cries." has contributed to Hutching's Mag
azine an interesting narrative of woman
who lived eighteen years alone upon the
Island of San Nicholas. one of the Santa
Barbara group, off the lower coast, and sit
| uated about 43 deg. 5 min. north latitude.
While stationed in that quarter, making
tidal observations for the United States
Government, Captain Russell received from
one George Nedevir, an old California resi-
dent, the following remarkable history.
Twenty years ago, the whole of the In
dian tribes inhatiting the Santa Barbara
group of islands were engaged in fierce
and exterminating war with each other, and
to such an extent was this deadly hostility
waged that already the population had very
much diminished, and would, in all proba-
bility, before many years, become entirely
extinct. To prevent this, and at the same
time to ameliorate the condition Of the In
dians, the good Fathers of the Mission of
Santa Barbara conceived the idea Of moving
them to the main land where they might be
watched over, improved and preserved, un-
der their immediate superintendent. For
this purpose they visited the islands. in COM
pany with few partially civilized Indians,
and explained to them the advantages Of
removing to the Mission. They listened
attentively to the proposal, and finally con-
sented to go, on promises of protection 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
1ndilns were embarking. at the island of
San Nicholas, and all were supposed to be
on board, a child was missing. and its moth
er, in great distress, was seeking everywhere,
without success. Each portion of the ves-
sci was diligently searched; allthe adjacent
rocks were examined, but no child could
be found. Almost frantic, the mother re-
quested 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 evidence of 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, on 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 reluctantly,
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, 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 eigh-
teen years, no doubt forgotten or given up
as long since dead.
After the discovery of gold, it was rumor-
ed 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 as all
the foot prints 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 California's
oldest pioneers, Mr.. Nediver-thc gentle
man who related the story, and who arrived
in this country some twenty five years ago,
and still resides in Santa Barbara-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 In
dian in following a trail, and consequently
found but little difficulty in discovering the
track. which he followed until he saw a sin
gular object among the recks upon the sea-
shore, near the mouth of a ravine, upon its
knees, skinning seal. Upon approaching,
he found it to be a woman, clad in singu-
lar dress of feathers. When she saw him
she jumped up, and, with excessive joy, ran
toward him, and seemed almost beside her
self 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 obtained
from the fragments of a wreck, and which
she evidently valued beyond anything else
in her possession. She was unable to make
herself understood, except by signs in max
ing which she showed a great amount of
intelligence, and signifed her willingness
to accompany him to Santa Barbara. Here
Father Gonzales, of the Mission took the