Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-05-10
A FEMALE CRUSOE.
the Last Native Tenant of the
 Island of San Clemente.
A Nearly White Race of Indians Exter- minated by Marauders from Alaska The Providential Rescue of the Only
 Survivor of Wealthy Tribe.

minated by Mnrauders from Alaska
 The Proyidential Rescue of the Only
 Survivor of a Wealthy Tribe.
 The recent explorations on the island of San Clemente, which is due west from Del Mar, this county, but sixty miles, has aroused interest in the history of the other islands of the coast, says the San Francisco Chronicle. A few months ago an aged h. dian from San Diego County, who had moved to the rancheria in the San Gabriel valley, stated that he recollected the tribe that lived on San Clemente. They were fair-skinned, and had light hair, and spoke strange language. After the mission fathers brought them to the mainland they plned and died, and none of their descend ants have survived. Their hurried and forced departure, he thinks, accounts for the evidences of nasty flight, where house. hold utensils and belongings were found scattered about in the valley as recently de- scribed.
 An exchange has been looking up the records relating to the Santa Barbara Isl ands. It appears that in the early part of the present century they were also nhabit- ed by Indians of comparatively white con- plexlons who spoke peculiar language. They were supposed to be descendants of the Aztec race of historic fame. There is no record of how these people came to be upon the Islands or when they first settled there, but it is probable that the islands were inhabited by them before the found ing of the Californian missions by the Fran ciscan friars.
 Otter, seal, foxes and fishes were to be found in abundance on the islands and in the adjacent waters, and upon these the natives subsisted, using the flesh for food, the skins for clothing and tents, and the bones for making hunting implements. Ac- cording 10 tradition, Indians from the Alaskan Islands frequently made trips to the Santa Barbara Islands for the purpose of hunting. During one of these visits the Alaskans fell upon the natives, killing all the males, and, after hunting for some time, they left for the North, abandoning the women to their fate. The Mission fathers, learning of the fate of the women, determined to have them removed to the mainland, and for this purpose engaged a schooner. Upon arriving at the Island of San Nicholas the men proceeded to remove the women and such few personal effects as they had to the boat. When this had been accomplished and all were ready for em- barking, one of the women made sign that she had forgotten her child, and started back after it.
 While she was gone severe wind sprang up, which soon increased to gale, and compelled the little schooner to put to sea for safety As the wind kept up for several days the captain ran into San Pedro, intending to return for the woman who had been left. At San Pedro the Indians were diSembarled and taken to the missions at Los Angeles and San Gabriel, where they were cared for. From San Pedro the schooner sailed to Santa Bar bara, and from there to Monterey, where she had been ordered. Thus was the poor woman left upon bleak island, out in the broad expanse of the great Pacific, with no companions save the wild wolf and the h. dian dog, with which the island was in fested. The news of the woman having been left behind spread rapidly, but no fur ther effort was made to rescue her. The natural supposition was that she had per ished, and i'll the course of a few years the subject had passed from the minds of the people
 In 1851, just fifteen years later, a hunter named Nidever and a couple of compan- ions visited the island of San Nicholas, and were astonshed to find indications which led them to believe the woman was still alive. Footprints which had been made in the previous rainy season were to be seen i'll the now dry and hard soil, and from the size and general appearance the hunters concluded they had been made by q woman. Some small, circular inclosureS made of brush were also discovered, aud in them some drled seals blubber. Further than this the huts gave no indication of having been in habited for some time. A strong wind arising, the party put to sea without mak ing any further discoveries. The next winter, 1852, Nidever again visited the island, and upon arriving immediately landed and searched for fresh signs of the woman. The huts discovered on the first trip were unchanged, but the seal blubber seemed to have been replenished by fresh lot. Some wild dogs were found in the vicinity, and the hunters thought it likely the woman had fallen prey to these beasts, as they were quite ferocious.
 In 1858 the same party planned another exhibition for the purpose of hunting and making ono more attempt to settle the ques- tion as to whether the woman was still alive They searched about the island for some time, and were about des pairing of success when one who had become separated from the rest discovered an object some distance away, and upon approaching it he found it to be the long g-looked-for woman. He at once signaled the others and directed them to approach her from different directions in order to prevent her escape should she be so disposed. The men succeeded in getting quite close to her before they were discov. cred. Instead of showing signs of alarm as they had expected, the woman appeared quite pleased to see them, and received them with smile which indicated that she was not in the least afraid The hunters as sisted her to remove such articles of cloth ing and food to the boat as she was not dis posed to leave behind. In the course of few days she had become at home on the boat and helped in whatever way she could in the work aboard. After q months hunt ing the party sailed for Santa Barbara, where the woman was regarded with wonder and curiosity. The people treated her with the greatest kindness and consideration. She was taken to the families of her rescuers, where shc remained until her death, which occurred in few years from overeating fruit, of which she was very fond.
 Hetty Greens Millions.
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