Robinson Crusoe's Island

New Zealand Tablet, 6 September 1906, Page 11

Robinson Crusoe's Island

A cable message received last week stated that - the earthquake in South. America destroyed the island of Juan Fernandez, which was immortalised by Defoe as ' the residence of Alexander - Selkirk " from 1704 to 1709. The news of the. destruction e-f the island re-~ minds us that only a few 'months ago- the trusty " gun, which was used by Selkirk during his time in Juan Fernandez, was purchased by an American "relic hunter, Miss White. ■ .... The interesting relic was brought by Selkirk, after his rescue from, his island home,- to Largo, - Scotland andi until „ten years .ago was possessed by one "of "bis* descendants. Then it was' sold at auction,, and after ' passing through various hands was' again soldy~this time to Miss White for thirty guineas. The gun v is*a remarkable looking weapon.' It stands - almost i^six—. feet high, and in spite of its size, is not niuoh " heavier than the present-day shotgun. The .'stock is made of some hard wood^possibly oak, and extends under the barrel to within- three inches of the end. The ' ramrod has been broken and half of it remains in its place. fully 200 years old, it is. in-a-,remarkable state ,of preservation. The. flintlock' still works on. its hinges^ and answers to the touch of the "The wood ; has worn away from the barrel and is kept in place by pieces- of tape, wrapped around the barrel "at the end and around 4he i stock near the trigger. - " " *■ ' ~ Few persons know anything about the Scotchman whom Defoe . made famous as Robinson Crusoe. ' Selkirk's people were "poor villagers at Largo, one"-'" of the seaboard towns of Fife. «,. Alexander was Vtbe seventh son and . born in 167.6. -He became a ' shoemaker, like his father, and the knowledge came in very handy later when he had to make his own clothes • from goat^ skins. ' - .- ' ' He Ran Away to Sea when a boy and never again settled down* on land until his Robinson Crusoe days arrived. Selkirk' was not cast on the island by shipwreck 'as was Defoe's hero. The- real Robinson Crusoe reached- his exile by a, much less sensational route. He had a quarrel with the captain of the ship and Was put ashore" on the island with all his personal effects— mar<y>ned;-in" Eact, by the irate skipper. What Selkirk did with himself during the four years and four months of his exile on the island~of " Juan Fernandez formed the basis of Defoe's book 1 Robinson Crusoe.' When he went over the side' of the ship be had some clothes and beddfng, the old firelock which Miss White now owns, some powder ' bullets, tobacco, a hatchet, knife, a kettle r a"nd aj BiMe, some mathematical instruments arid. : books:" He,' b-uilt two . houses with tree trunks, ooveringT. ,-;. them' ' with grass and lining them on the inside with goat" skins. . The smaller hut was his . kitohen" and the larger his bedroom. He ' caught the wild goats of the island for food, and after hts powder was exhausted, depended on his s flcetness . of loot to replenish the larder. . His feet became so hard N from racing ...through the' woods that for a long time after bis ' rescue he could not wear boots. . ,- It Was in 1709 ' - ' . Wrat.. passing manners '.saw Selkirk's beacon" light' and ' rescued the strange figure in goat skins/ According' bo the;' diary of Captain Woodes - Rogers, who rescued:' Selkirk, the exile had forgotten his ■ own language md could scarcely make himself understood when, he • tried to tell his! story. It was. some' time before he' learned to relish civilised^ food. ' "- - - " ~ .• When Selkirk reached London his story caused in-, tense excitement. Sir Robert Sieele published' an account of Selkirk's v adventures in ' The .Englishman,' and the story- became common property and every-, body, • talked about it. After his \ return to Largo, Selkirk found the habits of .years -so strong, that he was compelled to build a cave, in 1 the- back yard, where he retired to spend- hours in solitude when the companionship of- his .family became irksome to "him. - He died .at sea, leaving no .family, although he married after his return from exile. ■