Robinson Crusoe's Island.

Waikato Times, Volume 112, Issue 18809, 3 December 1932, Page 13 (Supplement)

Robinson Crusoe's Island.

Childhood’s Illusions Shattered.

(A Correspondent to A VISIT TO JUAN FERNANDEZ or Robinson Crusoe’s Island, in one of the Pacific Steam Navigation Company’s steamers Is a pleasant experience, though rather shattering to the illusions of childhood. The island is a mass of roclc rising steeply out of the Pacific, and lies 400 miles west of Valparaiso, or about 20 hours’ steaming. The shore is entirely devoid of sand on which Man Friday’s 4 foot oo'Uld have been imprinted, and there is no evidence that any black race ever existed there. Defoe’s goats, however, still feed on the hillsides. The chief Imports are political prisoners; apparently this lias been the main use of the island since the early days of the Spanish occupation of South America, and It still serves as a , „ , Dumping Ground for Unsuooeosful Rivals of the reigning President of Chile. The chief Industry is catching langoustes, for the genuine lobster Is unknown; <xur ship bought 3000 of these Bhell-flsh. A secondary industry is the making of walkingsticks out of the Ghonta palm (Juania Australis), a variety peculiar to the Island which has a rather attractive black and white grain in Its wood. These palms are being recklessly cut down, and -there arc now only a very few left. A* is well known, Defoe’s story is based on llic sojourn of Alexander Selkirk on Iho island. Selkirk was sailing master of the Cinque Ports, hut quarrelled with ids caplain, SI rad ling by name, and insisted on being put on shore; arid though before the, ship sailed he. twice begged to lie taken on board again he was not relieved until February, I TUP. when Captain Rogers, of the Duke, saw Ids tire burning an-] sent k. boat to lake Idm off. The Duke was one of Caplain Dampier’s privateering ships, ami il was the character given Selkirk by Dainpier which obtained him ids post in the Royal Na v y. Alexander Selkirk" a look. out la a rlacrna-

the London Times.) sion in the main mountain ridge of the island, and commands a view of both shores. It entails a climb of about 18001’t. through a jungle of ferns, tree ferns, and dense scrub, in which are a few fair-sized trees. There is a pathway, it is true, but as there are several bifurcations, and no sign-posts it was not surprising that about two-thirds of the way up we became aware that we were ascending the wrong shoulder of the mountain, and that the ridge we should have been on was separated from us by a deep ravine thickly coated with jungle. When the discovery was forced up-on us the les* wise among us decided to take a short out aoross . the ravine. The -hillsides became steeper > and more and more slippery, eo that the • last part of the do6oent Developed Into a Pcoolpitoua tilde among ferns, thorny shrubs, and sharp rook. Still, we could admire the vegetation; the carpet was chiefly of ferns, of whloh there are 24 varieties, though the island Is only 12 miles -long by four wide, and at leaat half of It is bare rock. The blaak-*temmed giant Alsophylla Nigra contrasted strongly with the delicate fronds of the maidenhair ferns. Another common fern Is the leathery lea Ted Lomaria. The giant l-eaf of Gomnrra -Ghilensls looked like domestic rhubarb. There was a -large tree with blue flowers like the common -bluebell. Of the fauna we saw only goats and wild pigs, whloh are reputed to be the descendants of -those introduced by .Tuan Fernandez, who discovered the Island in 1563. The ascent of the opposite side of the ravine was equally arduous and -much more heating. At the torp ie the stone -tablet which was part up by Oommander Powell and the ofllcers of H.M.S. Topaze in lSf>c to commemorate Alexander Selkirk's stay on ihe island for four and a half years, from HO* to 1700, after which lie became an officer in the British Navy. He died in 17V . on board -the Weymouth,'where he held the rank or lieutenant.