The suburban citizen., 1901-11-02
left alone on the island of
San Nicolas for nearly twen-

LETT alone on the lslanu OIL
San Nicolas for nearly twen-
ty years has been written by
a number of romancers who gave but
little heed to fact and free rein to i'm
agination. From occurrences that
have passed into history and are
known to be authentic, this tale is
drawn.
The aborigines Of San Nicolas Island
were supposed to be Of Aztec or Toll
tee origin, a peaceable people like all
tribes indigenous to the tropics.
War with the savage Alaskan In
dians had nearly exterminated the In
dians Of San Nicolas when the Cath
Ollie fathers who founded the missions
on the mainland desired to bring the
few remaining natives across the
channel that they might teach them
the Christian religion. Accordingly,
after repeated efforts to accomplish
this, a schooner was sent to the island
In 1896 for this purpose. Some time
was consumed in gathering together
these people and their effects.
AS the last boat was leaving the
strand, a woman with a young babe
in her arms sprang on shore. Her lit
tie girl, a child Of eight years, had
slipped from her side in the confusion
gone probably in search Of some re-
membered trinlSet dear to her childish
heart-or, perhaps, run away, over
| come with terror at the unusual migra-
tion of her people.
The woman besought them to await
/ her return, and hastened over the hill,
! calling as she went The moments
/ passed-the white man is ever impa-
tient, and he grumbled at the delay
An hour went by, but the woman had
not returned. The wind was rising
rapidly, and a storm was imminent
! The schooner had signalled them twice
in the last half hour. The waters
about the island were shOal, and there
was no safe anchorage along its
shores. The waves We're running high
upon the ledges surrounding the little
bay, and their crests were white with
the foam of action. The ship signalled
again, and with a muttered impreca-
tion and a gruff command, the boat
pushed off to join the tossing vessel
AS soon as all were on board, Cap
tain Hubbard weighed anchor and
stood away for deep water. When the
relatives and friends learned that the
woman had been left behind they be-
sought the captain with many tears,
and with pleadings In their own
tongue, to return and bring her away.
The gale increased In fury and con-
tinued undated for the space of q
week. The heavy-laden schooner la.
bored hard and disaster threatened.
When San Pedro Harbor was finally
reached, the San Nicolas Indians were
distributed between Los Angeles and
San Gabriel Missions and Captain
Hubbard departed for Monterey,
where he had orders to take on a car
go Of lumber for San Francisco.
On reaching the Golden Gate, In
rough weather, the improperly laden
craft capsized and was eventually
blown out to sea, and is supposed to
have been taken by a Russian vessel.
The crew reached shore in safety, and
It was always Captain Hubbard's in.
tention to return to San Nicolas for
the lost woman. There was now no
craft of any description except open
boats and Indian canoes from San
Francisco to San Diego, and no one
could be found willing to risk a voy-
age TO San Nicolas in one Of these.
1t was generally known along the
coast Of California that an Indian
woman and her children had been left
upon the Island Of San Nicolas, but as
time passed and they were not res
cued, 1t came to be generally believed
that all had perished. Fifteen years
slipped by, and in the spring Of 1851
Captain Nidever, of Santa Barbara,
with one other white man and small
crew of Mission Indians, visited San
Nicolas in a schooner in search OF
otter. They made a landing at the
eastern end of the island, and walked
along the southern shore q distance OF
five miles or more. Captain Nidever
NleNONtItu AOOApAlAiAD VI a hNhnh bSAh6 3
soon after landing. These were no
doubt made when the ground had been
soaked by the previous winter rains.
for the impressions were deep and
quite dry and hard. The footprints
were small, and the captain felt con-
vinced that they were made by a
woman. A short distance from the
shore were found several circular,
rOOhess huts made Of brush, about
six feet in height and the same in di-
ameter. These enclosures were ful.
ly a mile apart, and near them were
stakes of driftwood driven in the
ground, from which were suspended
pieces OF SEALS blubber out OF the
reach Of wild animals. The blubber
was comparatively fresh, and had no
doubt been placed there but a few
weeks previous. .- --.------ -----.