Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-06-27

we cOulu not gov a 1a1r sight OF her under
the trees, but we made out that she had
on a sort of jacket of sailcloth and was
bareheaded and barefooted, Upon being
driven out of her cover she ran like a deer
and was soon out of sight. We had spent
about an hour in looking for her trail
when the lone man left aboard the ship
fired muskets and rang the bell and caused
us to hasten down to the beach. once
clear of the trees we easily discovered
what had happened. The wild woman had
flanked us and reached the beach and put
off In one of our whaleboats. She was al
ready half a mile away, using, an oar for a
paddle, and as soon as she saw us in pur-
suit she redoubled her oxertions. A boat
was manned and sent off in pursuit, and
a curious chase it was. We easily over
hauled the woman, but as we. did SO she
sprang overheard and swan away, and by
diving and lodging she evaded us for a
quarter of an hour. What may be set
down as a singular circumstance was that
the waters about the island simply swarm
ed with sharks, and at times there were q
dozen about her and yet none of the mon
sters seemed inclined to do her harm.
Nobody could make out just what sort
Of a woman it was until one of the men
finally caught her by the hair and pulled
her into the boat. She fought him with
savage ferocity, biting one OF his fingers
to the bone, and we had to tie her hand
and foot to keep her. Shit appeared to be
a oma OF about ~, n though her face
was roughened d Drowned by exposure
we telt sure that she was English or
American. She had made her a pea Jacket
from a piece OF sail cloth, using a thorn
for a needle and grass Tor thread, but had
been without shoes until her Feet were IN
bad condition. During the chase she had
not uttered a work, but when hauled into
the boat she cried out in good English, II
will tight for my llfe-l Will never go
away!' we took her aboard the snip, ana
the captain talked to her in a gentle way
and tried to satisfy her that we were
friends. When she grew quiet, he cast on
her bonds, but as soon as she was free she
attacked MN so nercely that ne mad TO call
for help. She was then locked in a state
room, her things III tho nut sent Tor, ana
we sailed away on our cruise. Ihere was
not an hour during the next Two weeks IN
which the captain dld not wish ne had left
the woman on her island. for three days
she refused 1000 ana water. when com
pelled py munger n thlrst, she partook
sparlngly ana was sulky n OBSTINATE,
NOW ana theh her MOODS were savage, and
sometimes at nlght she Woula scream OUT
K a wild beast. AS we dld not Intent
to make port 1or several months the loea
was TO transfer her to some other craft
We spoke nall a dozen III succession, bu,
not one OF them would receive her. From
one, however, where the captain had his
wife aboard, an outht was procured, and
no sooner was 1t named over TO the WON
an than a great change took place In her.
She quleted down., dressed herself from
mead 10 heel ana spent a whole DAY ID
brushing n comb1ng her hair. One
morning she eiectrl1led the steward by
saying sne would eau breakfast IN the
cabin and when she walked u NOBODY
could credit the ohanee. she was now q
talrly good looking woman, mlld eyed and
shy, her voice was low and gentle. AS
she entered the CABIN she looke about her
In a wondering way ana querled OF the
captain:
'olr, VIII you please IelA me now 1 came
aboard OF this ship n what has become
OF my own wardrooer
When IL was explained 10 ner that sne
a been taken from Lighthouse island,
where she mad oeen llvlng Tor months or
years. ner astonlshmeh1 was beyond utter
snce, she had YOKE up that morning 70
n herselr IN a strange oerth. She mac
no recoilectlon OF the island or her cap
ture. She mad u the musty garments
we brought from the nut and had an IN
olstlnc1 recoliectlon that tney nao once
oeeh worn ny her' pus tne past haa gone
from her memory as II tnere haa peeh no
past. Ihere nave peeh othef cases ike H.
and they nave peen written OF az iehgtn,
ana SO ther' Is mourning Jul IN ona1
part OF my STORY AS matter OF iacS the
woman could not tell her own name
could not teil Whether she was married Oh
single, where she halled IRON or now sne
came TO pc on the isiand. ohe oated lie
rom tne hour she WOKE up ana heara ohe
steward knocking on her ooor. Inc cap
tain hrst se1 10 WORK 10 Jooee now iohe
she had been on the Island and nnally sci
the time as a year n a half. In a scrap
BOOK ne had pasted up numerous accounts
OF wrecks and disasters, ana among tneT
was the loss OF the English Dark FORD
ham, which had been lost with all handi