Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1898-02-16
ROMANCE OF THE ISLAND,

ROMANCE OF THE ISLAND.
i spoke briefly OF the mystery OF the
island. All we have learned OF it ha.
come to us by tradition and what we have
gathered by visiting the island and
studying the footprints of an unwar-
like tribe of Indians that once inha bited
1t. l say unwarlike, for what we find
goes to show that they were a peace
full and industrious tribe; and that they
always stood on the defensive against
warlike tribes that came to their shore
from the north.
That this island was once densely pop
ulated there can be no doubt. 1t has
been only few years since the last rem
nant Of the tribe, one lone woman, was
taken from the island by the captain OF a
fishing schooner.
This woman was the only human in
habitant OF the island for eighteen long
years, occupying her little stone lodge
at the west end. Doubtless she spent
much OF her time wandering among the
mounds Of the homes OF her tribe, with
sweet memories Of the past, and at the
same time having a mother heart filled
with sadness, as you will understand
presently. She no doubt daily visited
the graves OF her dear dead, but there
WAS one grave she could not find, that
OF her lost child.
Perhaps wild flowers bloomed upon
these graves in winter, soon after the
rains had begun, and perhaps, with
their simple language, they consoed her
somew hat; but in long summer there
was nothing but thirsty desert of sand
il we could but read the thoughts that
spun from her brain during those years
of her queenship over that island-that
noisy and weird kingdom OF sea-llon and
pelican-all tumult upon the shore be-
cause of an imal life and the seas constant
roar, but profoundly quiet IN the in
terror because of the entire absence OF
life.
What thoughts occupied her mind, and
what de sires filled her heart, we dare not
conjecture, for we we'll know that our
guesses would fall far wide OF the truth.
She was there, solitary and alone. She
subsisted on roots and fish which she
caught with hook made out Of the shell
of the abalone. She was discovered after
she had remained ON the island about
sixteen years after the departure OF her
tribe, and every effort was made to cap
ture her, but without success, because OF
the numerous canyons and gulches there.
But she was captured finally by the
aforementioned captain OF fishing
schooner, by strategy. The captain took
her to his home in Santa Barbara, where
she lived until she died, which was not
long ago.
am sure that by this time your readers
are anxious to know how 1t happened that
this woman was the sole lnhabltant o.
that island for so long a time.
Some writer, speaking of the Indians Oh
our continent, has said "tney are fading
away. As we know their history, W.
know it to be of their decline. They have
fallen before intelligence, ana, am sorr!
to say, before the greed OF the white maj
like grasshoppers before prairie fire.
For some cause the tribe on this isan'
was not exempted. Tradition says the.
were nearly eXterminated by hostiI
tribes that at times ralded and pundere'
their island, and it has been reporte'
that acres of skeletons lie bleaching OF
the northwestern portion OF the Island
but am sure this is not true else shoul
have found them on my visit there
never found more than six in any on
place. Little groups of skeletons OF In
dams are found along the shores, an
they lay as though they had been strlcke
down in battle, but we are compelled
omit the word ''acres' IN speaking c
! them.
| cannot tell you how it happened, bu
we are quite sure their nun bers grew les
year by year, until the few who RENAME
were taken from the island, probably
order of the Jesuit priests on the mai
land who either wished to convert then
/ or use them as laborers in building the
missions.
Eighteen wears before the lone woma
i was captured and taken off, vess'
g visited the island to take off the trlo
This woman, too, was on that vessel VINE
a it was ready to sail, and she would hay
q come away. too, if she had not missed h'
papoose which had been left behind
e their hurry to get on board, ior storl
had come on Wnlcn tnaue idhulhS g
tremeiy hazardous.
p The Door woman begged the captain {
. the vessel to return for her child, but h
: vessel was III great danger OF stranolI