The Discovery

In July of 1853, the otter men made a third trip to San Nicholas, anchored off the north-eastside, and established a camp on shore. Captain Nidiver and a fisherman called Charlie Brown, strolled several miles down the beach on the night of their arrival. As the comrades were about to retrace their steps, Nidiver stopped, looked quickly about him, then closely examined something on the ground. In the weird moonlight, plainly outlined on the lonely shore, was the print of a slender naked foot. "

" The woman of San Nicholas ! my God, she is living ! "

" The next day, Nidiver found a basket of rushes hanging in a tree. It contained a bone needle, thread made of sinews, shell fish hooks, ornaments, and a partially completed robe of bird’s plumage, made of small squares neatly matched and sewed together. Nidiver proposed replacing the things, but Brown scattered them about, saying that, if they were picked up, it would be proof that the owner has visited the spot. Inland they discovered several circular, roofless enclosures, made of woven brush. Near these shelters were poles, with dried meat hanging from elevated crosspieces. The grass was growing in the pens, and nothing indicated their recent habitation. In the fissures of perpendicular rocks near the springs were wedged dried fish and seal’s blubber; but no sign of the near presence of the hermitess. "

After weeks of hunting, Captain Nidiver issued a demand that they would find the woman, or her remains, before leaving the island. The hunters protested, by Nidiver held firm. They scoured the island and on the far remote side, found fresh footprints. Nidiver had Brown follow them up a cliff and from the top, where he spied an object moving far off in the hills. He crept closer and watched a woman in a low woven-brush, roofless enclosure.

" Inside the enclosure was a mound of grass, woven baskets full of things, and a rude knife made of a piece of iron hoop thrust into a wooden handle. A fire smoldered near, and a pile of bones lay in the ashes. The complexion of the woman was much fairer than the ordinary Indian, her personal appearance pleasing, features regular, her hair, thick and brown falling about her shoulders in a tangled mat. Brown, after signaling the men to surround her, stepped around in sight and spoke. She gave a frightened look into his face, ran a few steps, but instantly controlling herself, stood still and addressed him in an unknown tongue. She seemed to be between forty and fifty years of age, in fine physical condition, with well shaped neck and arms and unwrinkled face. She was dressed in a tunic shaped garment made of bird’s plumage, low in the neck, sleeveless, and reaching to the ankle. The dress was similar to the one found in the trees."

"As the other men came up, she greeted them each in the way she had met Brown, and with a simple dignity, not with out its effect on both Indians and white men, made them welcome and set about preparing food for them from her scanty store. Among the Indian crew, several dialects were spoken, but none of the party were able to converse with their hostess, or understand a word she uttered. Brown went through the motion of packing her things in baskets, shouldering them, and walking toward the beach. She comprehended instantly, and made preparations to depart. Upon reaching the boat, she entered without hesitation, going forward to the bow, kneeling and holding to either side. When the schooner was reached, she went aboard without any trouble, sat down near the stove in the cabin, and quietly watched the men in their work on board."

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