ROBINSON CRUSOE’S GUN.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6433, 3 February 1908, Page 9

ROBINSON CRUSOE’S GUN.

Robinson. Crusoe's gun, the identical weapon that was tho mainstay of that loavly sr ior during bib castaway 1 1 Vo on Criiboo Island, io (says the “-Philadelphia North American’ ) in Philadelphia, mo jcalouhly-g-iuircled property of iLiss Huldu B. While. .Miss While has had the gun for more than thirty years. Tho story of her ownership is uuiq-ue, and gives the relic, in Lor eyow at least, nn added value. Forty years ngo a distant cousin loft Philadelphia, for A tour of Knglaml and Scotland. Knowing Miss White’s penchant for collecting old things ho kept his eyos open for odd bits, and many a piece in Mjhs ‘White's largo collection cam© from him. Whiln in Largo,’ tho old-fashioned Fifeshim town in which Alexander Selkirk wn a born, ho noticed in passing by n colt* ago that a public sale was in. progress—* bomcono wna being dispossessed for nons payment of rent. Ho went in, and when tho old gun was offered, together wit to tho papers proving its identity, became na excited bidder, finally carrying it away with .him after having paid XGOdol. to tho auctioneer. Several hoars later n messenger enmo to ill© hotel where h« was staying with a letter. Tho communication. was from tho uuetjoueef, who wrote that, a wealthy relative oS tho Selkirk family had authorised him. to offer the purchaser of the gun i}2odol., double tli© price paid. Loath to tak© tho heirloom from the family that watf evidently eo highly prized* h© paid that if the would-ho purchaser would mooli him tho next day ho would give up tbn gun. Tho Selkirk representative did not turn up. and the gun sailed for America, to be given to its present owner. In the Inst few years Miss White has had letter after letter from England* some of them offering-her goodly feums for her prize. Intrinmcally the gun is not worth 50 cents. It is of/a pattern invented in tho year 1670,. a firelock. In tho days when such weapons wen* used the gun wa« loaded almost to tht* muzzle with powder, with a little placed in a t!ash-pan near the hammer. When the Tiammor descended it struck a pieem of flint, ignited th© powder in tho pan* and the weapon, woo discharged.