Yes, it is very sad, but it appears you are correct.

There is another island event that could potentially help me. One of my other villages had a canoe arrive from the other side of the island, piloted by someone from that side... Sos it is possible to have something other than the barrel of babies to help me out, but so far no help for my village that is in trouble.

That event, I believe, only brings male villagers; I may be mistaken here, though.

Maybe some luck...
I just got a barrel of babies. Unfortunately, it was two males and one female, so when the female comes of age she is going to be one very busy woman. I'll have to make sure she stays healthy.

Woo hooo!

My female baby grew up, had a baby girl, and is pregnant again. That barrel with just one girl baby in it saved my village. It will be a while before I will be able to allow her to make any career plans that don't involve parenthood.

Congrats for your tribe! Hope it all turns out, and I think it has!

Well I have had only one disaster, my little people tribe. Everyone died except Nishi a little girl who was on the verge of death. It took me about 6 years to get her completely healthy again by picking mushrooms and the corpses decomposed for 5. Luckily The villagers had already planted so when she grew up she had plenty of food, although she had to harvest it straight away as a typhoon took away all her mushrooms! When she was in her 30's she had a barrel event of one girl, Chepi! Together they managed to get enough research points to get fishing and Nishi died at 64. Chepi is now 65, sick and does not do any work unless I drop her there every time. The only way to stop her dying is to stuff her with food and turn the sound off so I don't hear the horrible noises she makes. It will do no good at all to get a man in a canoe, all this village needs is another barrel of babies, but where do I get that? in VV2! Pooooor Chepi, she is just doomed!

Thanks

Getting the barrel of babies is a matter of luck. There is nothing you can do about it. I think there is a potion that will cure whatever sickness she has, so you might try some potion experiments for the illness.

Only another villager can cure her sickness. A potion can restore her strength, but not the underlying sickness.