Omaha daily bee., 1896-11-08
A WOMAN HERMIT.
She Lived on n Lonely Island for Sew
enIern


During the present summer the writer "a
correspondent Of the New Nvk SUM made
the attempt to land on the island OF san
Nicolas. an almost barren mass Of sand
lying sixty miles OF the coast o, Southern
California, the extreme outlying point Of
the coast. We passed the little island Of
Santa Barbara late in the Afternoon, and
at : o'clock were Eve miles from the outer
island This was about seven miles long.
and in portions 500 feet high Around the
summit OF its low hills bank OF cloud had
gathered. and piece by piece was being torn
away by a gale that had gathered so rapidly
that after lying TO for FIVE hours in an at
tempt TO weather IL out. We We're forced %
bear away and run before st under a close
rcefed toresan FOR lee sixty miles away.
This island lies In an area OF constant
gales. and Is almost unapproachable except
during the calm periods O. the winter. and
zen then. owing to the storms that sud
denly rise 1t is dangerous place for
echts. Notwiths,auding this, san Nicolas
has had within two centuries a vigorous
native population and with its barren
shores is associated a true story that bears
all the essentials Of romance OF the Cru
soc order. Within the present century the
last % the natives were taken ashore by
order OF the priests at the Santa Barbara
mission under instructions fr.m the Mex
can government. The Indians had been
sLs;inE on fish and shCllfshi with which
the waters abound. 4 vessel was sent 20
the island and all the Indians were taken
aboard with the exception OF enc woman.
whose child CT children had been forgotten.
Il Is believed that gale vas coming on.
and that the skipper found his little craft
In danger and 80 put of Others say that
the woman was purp- sely deserted. In
any event the boat sailed away leaving her
standing alone on the beach. and being
only an Indian woman" 1t probably mat
tered little TO the other hunters. who were
glad 20 get away from the rough coast.
when the Indians were landed at santa
Barbara 10 vas said 10 be the intention q
the captain to return and rescue the woman.
But not long after the ship was wrecked,
and s. the months and years slipped away.
and the story OF the lost woman became
almost a legend. her appearance often be
ing pictured by the story tellers OF the day
and her one quaint cry OF 'Maneuauua'
being repeated 10 CretulOus listeners. sew
euteen years went by. and the woman vas
almost forgotten. until finally Padre Con
zales. excited by curiosity TO learn her fate.
hired a resi1en; OF Santa Barbara 70 make
a careful search fer her and as a result
three unsuccessful trips were made TO the
island on the last Captain NiderCT took
several Indians. and after several attempts
succeeded In landing. They soon found evil
dcnce that some one lived on the island.
This they disturbed. and on visiting II the
following day found the feathers replaced.
Il was evident that the woman was avoid
ing them so they formed a line as well as
they could across the island and marched
in regular order 200 yards apart. Even then
they could not find her and Il was only
when they had nearly given up the hunt
that one Of the party finally stumbled upon
three huts and the woman who was sitting
on the ground, with q Wild dog beside her,
which growled hercely at the strangers.
The man signaled to the others, and the
entire party was soon gathered about the
woman. who had lived a life as remarkable
as that OF Crusoe. She could not under
stand a word that was said The Indians
Of the party, thinking that she was a sacred
persol fell or their knees before her she
was a comely woman. 40 or 80 years Of age.
dressed in skins OF sea birds, or shags,
which were fastened TO sealskin. About her
were baskets cleyerly made. and 10 the
windward OF her hut. which vas made OF
the ribs OF a whale she had bull; a wind
rake Of brush and grass. She had dishes OF
stone, in which she ground roots OF various
kinds and her clothes were sewed with
thread made from sealskin and with needles
from the bcLes Of birds She consented 70
20 aboard the vessel and was carried 70
Santa Barbara with all her belongings,
which we're considered great curiositits. her
dress OF skins being sent 10 Rome 10 the
pope.
At Santa Barbara she lived in the family
Of one OF her rescuers. and though Indians
from all over the state visited her no one
could be found who could understand her.
she was a perfect child playing for hours
at a time and making signs which could
not be interpreted. She was baptized and
given a Spanish name and at her death was
buried in the old mission graveyard having
survived the change from savage 10 civilized
g.