A VISIT TO THE

Otago Witness, Issue 2130, 20 December 1894, Page 7

A VISIT TO THE

BIRTHPLACE OF ROBINSON CRUSOE.

(Specially Written for the Witness Christmas

Number of 1894-)

By HARDING STIiACJSY.

Last autumn, when in doubt where I should spend a few weeks' rest from work and worry, some good angel directed my steps to the beautiful village of Largo, in Fifeshire. I bad not been there many hours before I felt less like the limp atom of humanity that bad left London only two days before.

The very appearance of the houses acted a3 a moral tonic— no herding in " terraces," no hanging together in villas here. Every bouse stood on ita own flower-strewn ground with a stand-up-am-not-I-alflo-a-house kind of an air about it that was very refreshing after the piles of stone and mortar— oub size, one form, one colour — that I had left behind. But as it is not of my feelings, but of TUB HOME AND BOYHOOD OF BOBINBON

cau&Oß, I propose to write, we must desoend a mile or two towards the sea from Upper to Lower Largo, a village, if less picturesque, decidedly more fifchy, as anyone endowed with but one sense would not be locg in discovering. Here it was in Lower Largo, onß of the fishiest of all fißhing villages, that Robineon Crusoe, alias Alexander Selkirk, alias Sandy Selcraig, was born more than 200 years ago, and not in York, as Defoe asserrsin his wonderful romance. I do not thiok, however, tbat

THE LIFE OF ALEXANDER SELKIRK differs from that of Robinson Crusoe more than the real must ever ditfer from the ideal. And I hope any boy who takea the troublo to read this paper will not feel that it in any way detracts from his old friend and hero. If I thought it would I could not find it in my heart to write it, for I have no sympathy with those ruthless searchers after truth who rob us of the most cherished idols of our childhood, from King Arthur to Dick WLittington's cat I For myself I do not feel one bit less interest in Robineon Crusoe in that he was born in breezy Largo, with its beautiful bay, its " Lair," and its submerged forests, and notin York, with its ancient walla and minster ; nor in that his father was a bootmaker and earned his bread by making boots— to the glory of God, let us hope, for he was an elder of the kirk I— instead of a wealthy merchant in Yorkshire.

It may be a little disappointing to any boy who learns, for the first time, that Koblnson Crusoe, icstead of being " oast " on a desert island and remaining there for more than 20 years, spending a great part of his life in " (scanning the horizon in hopes of discerning a sail to the rescue," was comfortably rowed on shore by his shipmates, with whom he was a great favourito, and that his term of nelfimposed exile lasted little more than six years, during which time he had several oppori unities of leaving the island, but refused to do so !

Be that as it may, it is of facts, not fiction, I am now going to write — facts thai have become bo much more real to me since my visit to Lnrgo, -where I saw not only the borne of Selkirk's boyhood, but one of the descendants of his brother John, to whose courte»y I am much indebted. Alexander, seventh and youngest son of John Selkirk, bootmaker, was born at Largo, in Fifeehire, in 1676. He is described as havirjg had a warm, impulsive nature, with a "twist" in his temper, which twist led him into many troubles throughout his life. During Alexander's boyhood

THE PERSECUTION OB 1 THE COVENANTERS was at. its height, and much bitter feeling prevailed among different religious r eots. On one occasion Alexander joined a number of men and teoys, headed by his brother John, in attacking and stoulng the Episcopalian clergyman who was maintained in Largo at that time in opposition to the wishes of the people. Not long after this Alexander behaved so disgracefully in his own church that he was summoned to appear before " Kirk Session," but escaped his punishment by going to sea, where he remained for more than six years amorjg pirates in tha south seas. In 1701 Selkirk returned to his native village, little improved in either temper or fortune. H« had not boon long home before his temper Bgain brought him into trouble. One of his brothers having played some practical joke upon him, to the great amusement of tho others, Alexander became so enraged that there seemed danger of his committing murder, when the rest of the family interfered, and a general disturbance ensued. Again Selkirk was summoned to appear before the " Kirk Session," and this time he "tholed" bin punishment, which was to stand up in church and, in the presence of the congregation, receive a solemn lecture and rebuke from the minister. Not long after this public humiliation, which must have been very grievous for the son of an elder of the kirk, Alexander again went to sea. On this occasion he joined

A PRIVATEERING EXPEDITION

under Captain Straddling, who commanded one of tbe ships named the Cinque Ports, and who appointed Sslklrk sailing master on account of bis good seamanship. Before this expedition had been long out Selkirk's temper again proved a stumbling block to his success ; for, although he seems to have "kept in," and to have been a favourite with his shipmates, he was constantly at variance with his captaiD, between whom and himself there existed an ill-feeling that strengthened as time wore on. At last Selkirk determined to leave the ship on the first opportunity. This occurred off the west coast of South America. Be collected his possessions — chest (or kist), gun, books, knives, tobacco, and many other conveniences — and his shipmates rowed him to

THE ISLAND OP JUAN PKBNANDEZ,

where they left him with great sorrow arid regret on both sides. Selkirk, however, was not the man to sit down and. waste bi3 time

and energies in vain regrets. After the first feeling of desolation bad worn off, be set to work and built himself a small house. After that, as the limited supply of provisions he had brought from the ship were becoming exhausted, he explored the island to see what prospect it afforded of food and firing. He discovered there were numerous goats on the island, many kinds of BhellGUh, and several fruit-beariog trees. By constant practice he became very fleet of foot, so that he found little difficulty in running down the goats and kids ; the former h« used as food, the latter he kept as pets. These pets were a source of great amusement to Selkirk in bis colitude. He taught them many curious tricks — such as danoing together, walking on their bind legs, shaking hands or hoofs, and many other ungoatlike accomplishments. Af fear Selkirk had been on the island more than six years, he received a visit from Captain Wood«s-Rogers, who commanded another privateering expedition. Selkirk entertained his visitors most hospitably on goats' flesh and vegetables of bis own grow- j ing, but he showed no desire to leave his island home.

Ode Dampier, however, who had commanded one of the ships in the expedition that Selkirk had set out in, and who was now acting as pilot to Woodes-Rogere, represented Selkirk as euch a good seaman— the best in the Oir.que PorU— that Captain Rogers offered him the appointment of sailing master, which Selkirk was at last prevailed upon to accept.

After cruising about for a little more than a year, the expedition, whioh proved a very euccessFul one, returned to Eagland. The share of spoil that fell to Selkirk amounted to over £800. With this large fortune— for such it appeared to the bootmaker's son — ALEXANDER BKTUHNED TO HIS NATITfI

VILLAGE.

It was Sunday when he arrived at his father's house, and, finding no one at home, he went to the kirk, where he felt sure ho 6hould fiud his family.

He was not disappointed. There in the old family pew sat his father, his brothers, and the aged mother whom he had bo often vexed and tormented with hia ungovernable temper, and whom he had left, to mourn him as dead, for so many years, yet whom he loved with all the strength of his passionate nature.

The entrance of a stranger into the churoh when the service was so far advanced— a stranger, moreover, in smart clothes and gold lace, the fashion of the day— o»used a great pensation among the simple villagers, especially among the Selkirk family, towards whose pew the paze of the stranger was observed continually to return. At length the mother's eyes, though dimmed with age and weeping, penetrated her son's disguise, and Mrs Selkirk rose up and exclaimed aloud, regardless of minister, congregation, chnrch discipline, or aught beside, "Sandy! Sandy! Its oor Sandy!" and tottered to meet and embrace him. The family then gathered round to welcome and rejoice over their long lost son and brother and left the church in a body.

Surely here was compensation I Here in the same church, in the presence of the same cor.gregn.tion, where only a few years before Alexander had received his punishment, he was welcomed with a warm loving welcome into the heart of his family.

" Sandy " remained at home for some little time. He booght the house in which he was born and settled it on his father, and tried to find amusement and occupation for h!s restless spirit in wandering about the romantio woods of " Kiel's Den." He built a cave at the top of his father's garden which commanded a fine view of the bay, asd through which a. railway now passes. He spr:nt hours in this cave teaching kittens and birds to dance together, and to perform other feats after the manner of his island pets, bub he soon began to weary of a quiet life.

One day while wandering in Keil'B Den ho met one Sophia Brae?, with whom he fell in love. But as he was very shy, as well as psflsionate, to avoid remark and publicity, as be thought, he eloped with Saphia to London, where they were married. Not long after their marriage his wife died, and again he went to nea.

After some time, when he was lieutenant on board H.H S. Weymouth, he married ngain— a widow this time, who survived him, and who bec»me possessed of all bis property except his chest, his gun, and his drinking cup, which remained for many years in the family of his brother's descendants at Largo, who still retain his gun and kindly exhibit it to visitors. His chest and drinking cup are in the Antiquarian Museum at Edinburgh. The former was purchased for the museum ; the latter was presented by his grand nephew. The old hnuge has been pulled down and another built on the site, which still belongs to the Selkirk family.

A bronze statue 6ft in height, the work of Mr T. S. Burnett, A.RS.A , has been obtained by Mr Gilles, a net manufacturer in Largo, and placed in a niche over the door of Selkirk's house.

It is curious to see the " monarch of all he sarveyed " for bo many year 3 clad in shaggy goatskin?, leaning on bis gun, shading hlfl eyes and looking towards the 3ea, over the heads of the fishermen's boys, who " shout with theirs sister at play,"— nver the heads of the village gossips and the village politicians. For under this fine statue so cnriously placed — so incousfruously surrounded — may be seen fisher folk of all ages, carrying on their various occupations of baiting and mending their lines and nets, regarrilew of the idle tourists and visitors like rayaelf, anxious to see this latest tribute to the memory of one whose history bas charmed and delighted many past generations, and will continue to delight many generations to come.

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