2. The Lone Woman of San Nicholas Island was left on the island for 18 years. It is true that Russian hunters went to the island of Ghalas-at (as the native people called it) to hunt for furs, and killed most of the Indian inhabitants in the 1830s. It is also true that the Santa Barbara Mission sponsored a rescue operation and sent a ship to rescue the seven people left on the island. The sea was rough and the ship pulled away leaving one woman by mistake. Some records reported she was still on the island, while a more exciting explanation was that she jumped from the ship because her child was still on the island. The reason she was left behind is unknown, but it really did happen. No one is sure why she wasn’t rescued earlier, but Santa Barbara missionaries pressed a local hunter to go back and find her after he reported he saw evidence she was still alive on the island. In 1852 he was hunting on the island and found human footprints, a basket and seal blubber hanging from poles to dry. She was discovered in 1853 when the hunter returned, eighteen years after the initial rescue of her people. Records stated that when the crew approached her, she was dressed in cormorant feathers, and was skinning a seal. Two dogs accompanied her and they growled at the men, and she silenced them with a command. She gestured for the men to sit by her fire and offered them some roots to eat. The crew included Native Americans who did not recognize her language. They communicated with hand gestures and she “chatted” to herself. Records reported she was about 50 years old, active and strong. She smiled continually and her teeth were worn to the gums.
3. When it was time to depart, she took all of her possessions (a necklace, fish hooks, tools, utensils, food, even a decaying seal’s head with the brains exposed!) When the ship left the island she danced and clapped. Once in Santa Barbara, her story was popular and local people flocked to visit her. None of the local Indians understood her language. Despite not being able to talk with people at the mission, she was very friendly and enjoyed the company and attention of people. She was amazed with the things she saw there; the clothes, horses and the food. She ate and enjoyed the new food and gorged on fresh fruit. Unfortunately, she was not immune to the diseases on the “new land” and her body was not accustomed to the food, and she died two weeks after her rescue. She was buried in an unmarked grave at the Santa Barbara mission and given the name Juana Maria. A plaque was erected in her honor and can be viewed in Santa Barbara, CA.
