An Account of the Indians of the S.-mta Barbara Islands in California. 15 



which the pebbles were thrown out. During a storin that threatened to 

 upset the small boat she made signs that she could stop the gale. 

 Kneeling down on deck and facing the wind she began incantations 

 and prayers. When the sky suddenly showed sign of clearing she 

 pointed to it with pride as if to say „see I did it". 



She had never been on the mainland before, and she showo.d 

 gveat astonishment at every thing she saw. She showed a childish 

 delight when she saw an ox-cart, and quickly immitated the revolving 

 motion of the wheels with her hand and arms. And when a gentleman 

 rode down to the beach she was evidently dumbfounded by seeing 

 him on the horse. She quickly immitated the motion of the horse by 

 placing her first two fingers of her right hand over the thumb of her 

 left hand, and mimicking the galloping of the horse she gave a shout 

 of delight. 



She was taken care of by the family of Mr. Nidever and had 

 every thing she wauted. She could however only communicate by signs 

 as there was no one to understand lier language. An other old indián 

 woman was said to understand a few words (according to Hittell's 

 History, but I do not find it mentioned in Nidever's account), but 

 otherwise there was none who could understand her. She soon became 

 an expert in using signs, and after a few months made herseif well 

 understood that way. She was passionately fond of fruits and would 

 eat them constantly. This brought on a dysentery from which she did 

 not recover. She did not survive more than four months her removal 

 from the island. „She had a warm love, was grateful and affectionate 

 as a child, and was of a gentle and lovable nature". After her death 

 her belongings were gathered together and sent to Rome! except 

 a water bottle made of rushes and covered with asphaltuin, which 

 bottle is now in the posession of the California Academy of Sciences 

 San Francisco. It was not until a short time before she died that 

 she understood that they wished to know some thing of her language. 

 Only a few words of hers are now preserved : Hide — tocah ; Man 

 p nache; Sky — toygwah; Body = puoochay. 



From signs that she made they understood that the wild dogs 

 had eaten her child, and that when she found it out she lay down 

 on the ground and cried. When she at last got up and returned to 

 the schooner it had already left. She had a generous nature and wheu 

 given trinkets etc. she would soon give them away, just as did the 

 Indians met by Cabrillo and Viscaino. 



