Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-06-01

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 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 In
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
a strange language. After the mission
fathers brought them to the mainland they
pined and died, and none of their descend
ants have survived. Their hurried and
forced departure, he thinks, accounts for
the evidences of hasty 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. 1t appears that in the early part OF
the present century they were also lnhabit-
ed by Indians of comparatively white COM
plexions 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
clscan 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 to 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 10 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
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 en-
barking, one of the women made sign that
she had forgotten her child, and started
back after it.
While she was gone a 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 disembarked 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 a bleak island. out in the
broad expanse of the great Pacific, with no
companions save the wild wolf and the In
dian dog with which the island was in
tested. The news of the woman having
been left behind spread rapidly, but no fur
Their effort was made to rescue her. The
natural supposition was that she had per-
ished, and in the course of few years the
subject had passed from the minds of the
people
In 1851, just fifteen years later, hunter
named Nidever and a couple of compan-
IONS visited the island of San Nicholas, and
were astonished 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
In the now dry and hard soil, and from the
size and general appearance the hunters
concluded they had been made by woman.
Some small, circular Enclosures made of brush
were also discovered, and in them some
dried seals bubber. 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 max
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 1t likely
the woman had fallen prey to these beasts,
as they were quite feroclous
In 1853 the same party planned another
exhibition for the purpose of hunting and
making one more attempt to settle the ques
ton 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 looked-for woman. He at
once signaled the others and directed them
to approach her from different directions III
order to prevent her escape should she be
80 disposed. The men succeeded in getting
quite close to her before they were discov-
cred. Instead Of showisg 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 Good to the boat as she was not dis
posed TO leave behind. In the course of a
few DAYS she had become at home on the
boat and helped in whatever way she could
In the work aboard. After a 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 she remained until her death, which
occurred in a few years from overeating
fruit. of which she was very fond.
AMONG TIE SiAMESE.
, 4 Country Where Every Body Can Be
come Priest of Buddha.
Siam is the home of Buddhism, and