The herald., 1897-02-21

ifornia, converting and then utilizing the
native Indians. Some time after, in or
der to have them completely in their
power, they brought the inhabitants of
all the nearer islands in a body to the
mainland, and in 1888 the entire popula-
ton of San Nicolas hitherto left in
peace because of its distance, was also
transported. 1t was at this time that
the event occurred which. conforming to
an old English report, will here be re-
told
one sunny morning in April, of the
year 1885, all Santa Barbara crowded to
the bay People of all ages and both
sexes walked or rode to the beach that
they might enjoy the as yet very rare
spectacle Of a ship sailing out of the
harbor Even the pious monks left
their customary employment at the al
tar or in the garden and mingled with
the curious throng a the shore. The
center of observation was the ship
Peor es NADIA, a trim schooner Of TWEEN
ty-five tons, that had been chartered by
two Americans for the purpose of hunt
ing sea otter on the coast of Lower CAL
ifOrnia. After a successful cruise,
three months later it entered the south
erly harbOr of San Pedro, disposed of
its skins and at once set sail for San
Nicolas. in obedience to the commission
of the missionaries to convey it's inhabi-
tarts to their domain. Before the
schooner reached the island. the wealth
er. so far favorable. changed and a
fierce storm was threatening After
some difficulty a landing was effected,
but as the wind rapidly increased. ard
it was feared the ship might wreck on
the Jagged cliffs, the embarking of the
islanders was hurriedly accomplished,
and Immediately the vessel prepared to
leave the dangerous neighborhood Of
~ l.. E.
tering harbOr. At the very moment Of
departure one of the women missed her
baby whom she thought had been car
ried on board by one of the sailors.
Weeping. and with heartbreakng la
mentations she begged to be allowed to
go on shore again.
But, as the wind was now blowing a
gale the captain, not daring to lose a
moment. as the least delay might bring
the destruction of all, gave the COM
mand to put off. assuring the broken
hearted mother that Immediately after
the storm, probably the next morning.
he would return. When the poor moth
er realized that her pleading was in
vain and the vessel was leaving the
island, with a despairing shrek, she
jumped into the boiling sea She was
seen to battle with the fatal breakers,
and then was soon lost to sight Nothing
could possibly be done toward her res
cue,
After q tempestuous voyage, the
schooner reached San Pedro. There the
san Nicolas islanders never to re-
turn to their home. We're landed AMI
were distributed among the missions Of
Les Angeles and San Gabriel
The captain was sincere in his inten-
t!cn to return to the island and learn
the fate Of the woman and her child. but
the schooner was needed so urgently for
other purposes that humanity was
forced to withdraw before business. and
as the Inflated vessel had the nisfor-
tune to wreck on the next trip. no pos
sible means Of reaching the island pre-
sented since at that time the coast Gf
southern California could boast of moth
ing larger than the hshermans yawl.
and no one was found TO venture the
trip in an open boat
indeed there was very little hope that
the woman had reached land, the in5Ii-
cations being strongly that she was
drowned in the breakers, while the in