The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-09-25
EIGHTEEN YEARS ALONE.
A Tale of the Pacific.

A Tale of the Pacific.
OF the group commonly called the Santa
Barbara Islands, so near the mainland that
on the map they seem mere crumbs of the
Pacific coast, little is known even by Cali
fornians. Scarcely an American but has read
of the tropical islands where the mythical
Robinson Crusoe was wrecked, yet few per-
sons know that over the desolate sleeps of a
nearer island of the same vast sea hang the
mystery, the horror and the pathos of story
OF captive woman; story, il it could be
fully told, more thrilling than that of Cru
soc, inasmuch as one is fiction, the other
fact; one, the supposed exploits of a hardy
man, the other, the real desolation of suf-
ferlng woman; one, the tale of a mariner
whom the waters flung against his will into
summer-land, the other, of one who voun-
tarily breasted the waves, and fought death,
in response to the highest love of which the
human heart is capable.
In the year 1885, Isaac Sparks and Lewis
L. Burton, Americans, chartered a schooner
of twenty tons burthen, for otter hunting on
the lower California coast. The vessel was
owned by rich Spaniard Of Monterey,
and was commanded by Captain Charley
Hubbard. The schooner bore the name
PeOr eS NADIA, and she started out of Santa
Barbara harbor on fine April morning,
followed by the eyes of the entire popu-
lation. In those times the sight of a sail
ing vessel was not an everyday occurrence
1t drew the men to the beach, the women
to the easements, and attracted the friars
from their usual meditative gaze on ground
or book. For hours previous to the de-
parture OF the schooner, the curving stretch
of sand had been alive with racing horse
men and lazy pedestrians, exchanging, in
Spanish, words OF praise concerning their
visitor.
After a successful cruise, the Poor es NADIA
came, three months later, into the more
southerly harbor of San Pedro, unloaded
her pelts, and Immediately, under direction
of Capt. Williams, Collector of the PORT set
sail for San Nicolas to bring the islanders
to the mainland, in accordance with the
will of the church fathers. Before they
reached their destination sudden gale came
up, rising almost to the severity Of a tenn
pest. The winds-which by the Santa Yuez
Mountains are detected from the valleys of
the southern coast-struck with full force
upon the upper end OF San Nicolas, lash
ing the shoal waters into fury, and shooting
the spray in volleys through the picturesque
carvings of the low cliffs. The landing was
effected with difficulty. The wind increased
in violence. The weather became so bois-
ferrous as to endanger the safety Of the YES
sci. No time was wasted. The islanders,
some twenty in number, were hurried into
the boats and all speed was made to reach
the schooner.
In the excitement and confusion of the
final abandonment of their home, it was not
had been left behind. The mother supposed
it to have been carried aboard in the arms of
an old sailor She frantically impored the
men to return. The Captain replied that
they must get to place of safety; after the
storm-to- morrow, .perhaps-they would
were going out to sea, the young mother be-
came desperate, and, despite all efforts to
detain her, jumped overheard and struck out
through the kelpy waters for the shore. She
was q widow, between twenty and thirty
years of age, of medium height and fine
form; her complexion was light, and her
hair of dark rich brown. No attempt was
made to rescue her, and in moment she was
lost in the seething waves. the ship, already
under Roadway, staggered through the
storm; the affrighted islanders huddled to-
gether on deck, and fear shut every other
emotion for the time from their hearts.
After an adventurous voyage, the Peor es
NADIA eventually reached San Pedro, where
the eXiles were landed. Some of them were
sent to Los Angeles, fifteen miles back from
the coast; some were put to work in the
neighboring mission of San Gabriel; two of
the women were soon married to wealthy
men of Los Angeles.
1t was the intention of Captain Hubbard
to return to San Nicolas Immediately, to see
If the woman or child were living. But the
schooner had orders to come direct to Santa
Barbara, to take George Nidiver and party
of otter-hunters to Santa Rosa Island; after
ward, carry from Monterey cargo of tim
Der to San Francisco. The boat was in
urgent demand along the coast, and these
two trips were imperative before second
visit could be made to San Nicolas. Delay
ing their errand Of humanity and justice a
few weeks, they lost it forever; for on that
very trip the Peor es NADIA capsized at the
entrance to the Golden Gate. The men
were washed ashore in an almost exhausted
condition, and the schooner drifted out to
sea. 1t was reported long after, though
without confirmation, to have been picked
up by Russian ship.
After the loss of the Monterey schooner,
there was no craft Of any kind larger than
the canoes and fishing boats on the lower
coast. No one cared to attempt passage Of
seventy miles to San Nicolas in an open boat,
and after time the excitement and interest
faded out. Those who at first had been most
solicitous that assistance should be sent, set
tied into the belief that the couple had
persisted during the days of waiting; the re-
mainder of the community, never having
believed that the woman had reached shore
through the storm, were Indifferent, suppos-
that the child had died soon after the tragic
death of the mother.
Their uncertain fate lay heavy on the more
tender-h hearted Of the Mission fathers; but
1t was not until 1850 that Father Gonzales
found an emissary to search Tor the lost:
Thomas Jeffries had come into possession OF
q small schooner, and was offered $500 should
he find and bring the woman or child to San
ia Barbara alive. Fifteen years having pass
ed since the abandonment of the island and
no one having visited the spot during that
time, the probability Of the death OF the par
tics was universally accepted, although NO
actual proof of death had been sought OF
found.
But when Thomas Jeffries's boat was seen,
at the close Of balmy day OF
midwinter, coming up the bay without