Daily National Intelligencer (Washington City [D.C.]), August 26th 1817
Miss Caraboo.
A woman of singularly graceful manners, supposed to be the descendant of a Chinese, is described by a Dr. Wilkinson, of Bath, in England, to have taken refuge with a Mrs. Worrall, near Bristol. None can understand her language or de-cypher her writing, not even of the India House, or of Oxford University. She lives chiefly on vegetables, like a Hindoo – goes to the top of the house once a week to worship the sun – swims, dives and fences with gracefulness and expertness. Some think, she has escaped from some vessel on the coast, and swam ashore. One thinks her a Circassian, another a Chinese, a third a Gipsey, another a Javanese – but Caraboo, as she calls herself, was playing off some grand imposture on English credulity.
A late Bristol paper states the mystery had exploded: –
“The bubble which, during the last 5 or 6 weeks, has formed a rich theme for the ridicule of every person who deserved credit for an ordinary share of common sense, has at length burst. Miss Caraboo, who talked Heathen Greek, swam like a fish, flourished a dagger and eat curry, proves to be neither more nor less than plain Mary Baker, the erratic child of honest parents in the humble village of Witheridge, in the county of Devon.
“The Bath Herald of Friday, after noticing the arrival of the imposter in that city, on Saturday se’eennight, says: – “It was now thought advisable to adopt some effective measure for the relief of this most interesting creature; an appeal to the East India Directors was determined on – Dr. Wilkinson proceeded to London on the charitable mission on Tuesday – and was to be followed the next day by Caraboo herself. But affairs were becoming too formidable – the idea of appearing before the metropolitan scrutinizers was too terrible for the tender nerves of the Princess of Javasu!” She therefore thought it prudent to throw off the mask; and after inviting her humane patroness to a private audience, surprised her by speaking in her native tongue – plain downright English! declaring herself an imposter!”
Disclaimer: This 1817 newspaper article was published prior to 1931. Under United States copyright law (specifically the 95-year rule), this work has entered the public domain and is thus free to use or republish. It is presented here as an interesting and folkloric newspaper oddity.
Source(s): https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83026172/1817-08-26/ed-1/?sp=2
Categories: Newspapers, Mysterious Strangers, Princess Caraboo, Hoaxes