The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-01-30
A Visit to Crusoe's Island.

company, and to put in at the Island of
Juan FERNANDEZ, to supply our larder
with good stock of fish, for which its
shores are celebrated. We steared east
ward, the weather was fine, and after a
voyage of several days, we heard one
night the wishedfor cry, Gland ahead"
Before us on the horizon hung a dark
mass, looking like cloud bank in the
uncertain night, but every hour stand
ing out higher and clearer. There the
Scotchman, Alexander Selkirk, had
lived, the hero of the popular story. He
was a sailor on board the ship, Cinque
Ports and in consequence of a quarrel
was landed by his captain, Stardling, on
this Island in September, 17G4, where he
lived in solitude till February, 1909, in
which year Captain Wood Rogers dis
covered him and brought him back to
England. The recital of Alexander Sell
kinks adventures formed the ground
work of Defoe's celebrated romance of
Robinson Crusoe.
Juan Fernandez, also called by the
Chilians Masatierra, lies in the Pacific
Ocean, some three hundred and fifty
miles from the main land. 1t is about
four miles broad and twelve long. The
island is named after its discover, a
Spaniard, who first landed here in 1868.
He found it uninha bited, but, attracted
by its beauty, he settle on it. He it
was that introduced the goats which are
now so numerous on the island.
William Dampier, an Englishman,
and the boldest navigator of the seven
teenth century, who himself lived long
time among the buccaneers, relates that
man of his ship, Mosquito Indian,
was left in 1868 on Juan Fernandez, and
remained there till 1854, in which year
Dampler. himself fetched him away.
This Indian was the first Robinson Cru
soc who lived on the island, and who,
like Selkirk, sustained his life by the
wild goats. As these had increased very
much, and furnished meat to the bucca-
neers every time they landed, the Span
iards thought that they whold best injure
their bold and formidable enemies by
destroying all these goats. For this pur-
pose they sent over some immense blood
hounds, which they let loose upon the
island. But the plan failed, for when
another navigator, Lord George Anson,
the British admiral, landed in the year
1741, he found several dogs, but also a
great many goats. During his voyage
round Cape Horn his feet had been
scattered by a violent storm, and Anson
found himself afterward with only three
ships in very bad condition. The crew
was suffering with scurvy and other dis
eases, and the admiral was compelled to
remain with them some time on the
beautiful island, where they quickly re-
covered. Naturally, in their letters to
England, the sailors described the island
in glowing colors. The Spaniards, who
heard of this, and fearing the English
would take possession of Juan Fernandez
hastened to form a settlement there in
1751. But it was soon after visited by
an earthquake, which led them to aban-
don it. The island remained uninhab-
tied till 1919, when Chill establised a
penal colony there, which existed till
1885, when the island was again desert
ed.
Two years after Chilian from Val
paraiso settled there; several men and
woman soon followed him, and these and
their prosterity were living on the island
at the time of our visit in 1866. The
little colony numbered about fifteen per.
sons, several of the younger men being
absent on the whale fishery.
Juan Fernandez consists of single
mountain ridge, which in the centre
rises to lofty peak three thousand feet
high; to the west other mountains sur
round it, all of which from the base tc
the summit are covered with vegetation
between them are dark ravines, which
form little shady valleys which oper
out to the sea.
To the east of the central peak-"the
anvil" as it is called from its peculiar
shape-extends a wide plain, which
slopes down against the cliffs agains
which the sea beats. 1t is covered with
grass and shrubs. On it, with the helE
ofour telescope, we discovered the wild
goats, which moved upon it as thick a:
ants. This plain is their favorite resort
They climbed up and down the greer
hills or darted across the slopes il
herds, while some solitary ones stood a
the extreme edge of the precipice and
looked over We now sailed past the
huge cliffs, and gazed up to them will
astonishm ent Below them the wave
of the ocean foamed and roared, ther
broke with a sound like thunder.
Sailing round the northern point o
the rocky coast, we came in sight o
Cumberland Bay. The change from tn
grand and solemn to the pleasing ant
cheerful was surprising. Before us la,
little rounded cove with fiat shore
while lovely valley, branching ou
into several smaller side valleys, openet
up in land. This is the largest in tn
island, and here, not far from the sea,
the little settlement.
While our ship cruised about near tn
shore, and several of our boats were sen
out fishing, we sailed into the bay
The fiat shore allowed our light boat t
be drawn up on the dry land, at whicl
work we were assisted by some Of tn
islanders who had hastened up. Thei
appearance showed that they seldor
came in contact with the blessings Q
civilization. Women and children ha
a very unwashed appearance. Gres
was their admiration of the beautifu
lady, our captains wife, who had accom-
, panied us, and who, with her rosy fac
and white dress, must have appeared t
the younger generation like some goo
:. fairy-at all events, the children closel
, followed her footsteps.
The buildings of settlers looked yer
- III ocJ J;Io,sJo4oJ TLo,o ,ro.o lor