The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-02
FORGOT HER OWN LANGUAGE.
romance of an Indian Woman Who Lived
Reclnse Twenty Years.
From the SCIENTIFIC American.

| FROM the Scientific American,
About 10 miles off the coast of South
ern California lies the island OF San
Nicolas-a veritable desert. wind
| + swept to such a degree that one might
well imagine that the furies are guard
ING the island San Nicolas. which is
| II miles long and or wide, has no
harbors, the anchorage being merely a
lee under the low hills, the fact that
wind blows directly off shore making
1t possible for vessels to anchor here
at certain seasons.
On this island which has been the
central point of romance and tragedy
OF much interest deserted and alone
Maria Better-Than-No Nothing, the wild
woman of San Nicholas, lived 20 years
long enough to forget her people and
even her language. The story told by
Professor c. F. Holder is as follows:
For centuries the island was inhab-
tied by race of hardy mariners, who
have left their monuments in large
shell heaps and mounds that cover
many acres Less than 100 years ago
the franciscan fathers determined to
take the natives away from the inhos-
pitable island and provide them with
homes around the various missions
where they could also be comfortab bly,
converted.
with this object in view vessel
was sent to the island, and after much
difficulty the Indians, now reduced to
about 100, We're collected and taken
aboard, deserving thousands of imple-
ments which their ancestors had used
for centuries. When the vessel was
about to sail one of the women discov-
cred that her child had been left be-
hind. But it was blowing a gale and
the vessel could not hold, so the cap
tain sailed away, whereupon the fran
It's mother dashed into the sea and
swan back to shore, making her way
successfully through the surf The
captain of the vessel promised to return
for the woman but soon after his YES
sci was wrecked and no attempt was
made to rescue the poor Indian woman
until 20 years after. when a priest de-
termined to make an effort to learn
whether she was alive. He enlisted the
services of an otter hunter and several
Indians. who, in a small schooner,
known as the Better Than Nothing, set
sail for San Nicolas.
The landed on the island very soon
found evidence that some one was lv-
ing there. but avoiding them. To make
the search perfect the men formed a
line across the island at certain dis
tances apart, which resulted in the dis
covery Of the wild woman. She was sit
ting by brush hut in a canyon about
which was a windbreak of whalebones
and various material.
She smiled and spoke to the Indians
in language they did not understand,
but they fell on their faces before her
as though to worship her. She offered
them food, and readily consented to go
with them, and was taken aboard the
schooner with tame otter. She was
dressed in the skins of birds. over
which was a garment of sealSkin She
was named Better-Than- Nothing, after
the vessel. and by signs succeeded in
telling some Indians on the mainland
something of her history At first she
had mourned the loss of her friends
then the dogs killed her baby, and she
wished to die and was sick for long
time.
She was taken to Santa Barbara,
where Indians from all about were
brought to her to see if they could I'M
derstand her language, but without
avail"