The New York herald., 1879-02-14
A FEMALE CRUSOE.


CUED AND DIED.
The San Francisco Call of tho 7th inst. contains .
very interesting account OF Indian woman who
was abandoned San Nicolas Island. the coast Of
Southern California and spent eighteen years alone
there before she was rescued The main facts as
follows:-
According to the information have obtained from
the three persons consulted through the interpreter
the history of the Indian woman. the feminine
.Crusoe" is as follows She was absent. gathering
wood. when the others we're taken away, but
turned to the camp or quarters and nnding them dc
serted she followed in time to be taken aboard the
schooner. but not finding her children there one \
babe at the breast and the other about three
search of them. Unable to hnd her chill
dren. she returned to the beach just in
called to those on board but the only reply she
got. and which she remembered to the day OF her
the spanish word for ''to-morrow" evidently mean.
ing that the schooner would return for her to-
morrow or the following day. She threw herself
down the beach and cried long and bitterly. She
did not find her children. and supposed they were
either taken OF by the schooner or carried away and
devoured by the wild dogs the Island She became
very sick and lay long time without either water
food but finally recovered and forgot her grief in
wandering about the island She lived plant
"palosanto." and root known by the name OF
"coreomite;" alsoa yellow root. the name OF which
not given, and seal or sea-lion blubber. AS she
had abalone shellfsh hooks, and lines made OF the
sinews the SEAL it is probable she supplied herself
with fish from the ocean.
An approaching storm and night coming on, the
water being quite shoal about the island and unsafe
for vessel during high wind. they were compelled
return at future time for the deserted woman The
vessel ran before the gale, and reached San Pedro
Harbor in safety but circumstances did not permit
return prior to the loss of the schooner in storm
few weeks later and the distance to the island was
too great to be safely made in small shore boats.
In 1851 Mr.. Nidever visited the island otter hunt
ing, and saw signs Of a human inhabitant. He saw
footprint made during the previous rainy season,
nkAn loan
from the size judged it to be that OF woman; also
three small circular enclosures about two hundred
yards from the beach and about mile apart. They
were about six in diameter made OF brush; the
walls five feet high, with o small opening on ono
stuck in the ground the form Of tripod support
ing dried seal blubber. These Enclosures appeared
from the rain. The investigation Was pursued no
further. as an approaching storm compelled him to
leave the Island.
Mr.. Nidever having seen many otter on his first
trip the island made second during the winter of
1852, and being requested by the Mission Fathers of
Santa Barbara had determined to mako q careful
hunt for the supposed lone inhabitant of the
island. The head of the island being better
supplied with fresh water i closer TO the beach
tude such as to command o view OF the greater
portion of the island and coast, he supposed If
alive she would be found there, and made his ar
rangements accordingly. He and his party found
the similar enclosures. above mentioned. and
the tripod sticks supporting renewed pieces of blub-
ber In the neghborhood of the huts or wind
breaks seven or eight wild dogs about the size
of coyote Ia small wolf on the cOaSt) ana color
black and white. Mr.. Nidever said he had seen
the same kind OF dogs among the Northwestern In
dams. They appeared to be very wild Within half
a mile. of the head of the island they discovered
basket in the crotch Of bush small tree. covered
with seal skin. and containing dress made OF
shags skins (the shag is q species of duck on this
coast that can neither walk Ay). carefully folded
up, and several square pieces OF skins similar to
those of which the dress was made also rope made
of seal sinews abalone shell fsh hooks, bone
needles. &C. As it was late and time for them to re-
turn to their boat for the night. Mr.. Nidever
1,ook ,,1
that upon his return he could judge of the pres
ence absence Of the owner, by finding them gath
cred up remaining as he left them. The following
four or more days busly spent in otter hunting.
and before the search for the Indian woman was
newed southeast gale compelled them to seek
hospitable harbor at the island of San Miguel.
third voyage by Mr.. Ndever and six Others, tour
of whom were Indians from Santa Barbara Mission.
was made to the island in July, 1853, and although
otter hunting was the main object of the visit the
Indian woman was not forgotten. They landed on
the northeast of the island early in the day, and
having selected their camping site all but one the
cook started for the head OF the island Near there
were observed fresh footprints leading from the
beach to the ridge or higher elevation, but were
lost in the covered ground, which ended their
search for that day. The following day they were
covered the object of their search at distance and
cautiously approaching in opposite direction from
out being observed She was in one Of her pens. or
wind breaks clothed in garment made of the skins
of the shag without sleeves. low necked and, as OBJ
served when standing up, extending almost to the
ankles. She was sitting cross legged sknnng seal
| blubber with rude knife, made OF piece Of hoop
| iron driven into piece of wood.
| There was no covering on her head excepting
| thick mass of matted hair Of yelowish brown
color due TO the exposure to the sun and air. The
hair was short. looking though the free ends had
rotted off. She would occasionally raise her hand
and shade her eyes and look toward the other men
sandy plain near the beach, whom she evidently
There were two or three OF the wild dogs
around the enclosure. who began to growl MIR.
| Brown approached. but ran OF at the bidding Of
| their mistress. The balance of the party
sgnaled in order that she might be captured If sho
made no attempt to get away. but greeted each one
| they approached with bow and smile, and
chattcd all the time in dialect that none of them
understood although the Indians accompanying Mr.
Ndever were acquainted with several Indian dialects.
She talking apparently to herself from the time
Mr.. Brown approached within hearing distance until
| she made aware of his presence.
With the enclosure was q hre smoulderng, and .
large ash pile outside showed that to have been her
abiding place for some time. She very hospita-
BILE. preparing meal from her limited store of roots
before named. and serving the party with grace
| and bearing that surprised them all The ex-
preston OF her face was pleasing, her features
| regular and her complexion much farer and her
| form symmetrical than that of the Indian
women the main land, and she is believed TO have
| belonged to different and superior race which
opinion is strengthened by the TACT or Mons Leon do
| Cessac, n Frenchman, now engaged in collecting
archaeological and other specimens of bygone years
the Pacific coast of North and South America for
q Paris museum, finding many things on the island
| (San Nicoas similar to those previously collected
in Oregon, Washington Territory and further north,
| and unlike anything found on either the main land
or the other islands. Also the skulls and other bones
of the human skeleton found there unlike those
| found in other sections OF Southern California. A
notable observation is the absence of evidence OF
syphilis. striking contrast with other human bones
found in this latitude. l have had the privilege Of
| examining several skulls exhumed from other
islands, showing very plainly the ravages of this
disease in those who have passed away probably CEN
i turies ago.
| Near her enclosure were several stakes between
which stretched rope made OF seal snews.
| supporting seal and elephant blubbcr. And fur
| ther on three huts made of whales ribs. cov-
cred with brush, but giving no evidence of having
been lately occupied. BY signs and other means OF
| communication she made aware that they wanted
her to accompany them, and, without any apparent
| hesitation. she mado ready to follow. She filed q
baskct-such were common among the Indians OF
this coast for packing on their backs-with provi-
sons fishing tackle aud other articles and taking IL
on one arm and a frcbrand in the other hand. she
| followed the company.
In their course where tho schooner lay at anchor
they found beautiful spring of water issuing from
the bank above the beach. under a shelving rock.