On Christmas Day 1812 perhaps the last or only survivor from a ship named Maria Louisa was found clinging
to some wreckage off Gardiners Island, New York. The survivor was cared for by a salvage worker and lived
for many years, having many descendants who populated the island. The island had been inhabited since 1639
by Europeans and before that by indians. In 1699 Captain William Kidd landed on the island and buried a
treasure with the knowledge and permission of the owner. He felt it was safe there as he had informed the
owners he would kill them all if it were not when he returned.

The island was used as an anchorage by the British during both the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812.
It has been in private ownership by the Gardiner family ever since 1639 and today remains so. It appears
however that no descendants of the survivor of the Maria Louisa still inhabit the island, the survivor was a
Maltese cat, and in a book published in 2006 it was reported that no cats currently live on the island.