The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-09-01
Robinson Crusoe's Island.



In little boats we went ashore and
landed in the primitive manner OF
running the boat aground and pull
ing it up on shore. 1t is difficult to
realize that we were indeed on this
historical, mysterious island that
imagination had pictured from child
hoods early hours in so many fanci-
full forms. The books tell you that II
was on this lovely island that, in 1874,
the celebrated English navigator
Dampier, landed his coxswain, Alex
ander Selkirk, with whom he had
quarreled, and left him alone on this
uninhabited spot with small guam
tity of provisions and tools. Here
he lived four years till he was picked
up by a passing ship and brought back
to Europe. 1t was from the notes he
made during his solitary residence
that Daniel Defoe composed his in
comparable work of 'Robinson Cru
soe." Probable no book ever held
the childish interest with greater fas-
cinantion than that which describes
his wanderings on that mysterious
and enchanted island. That which
has always seemed but a dreamy ro-
nance was now before yoa. The
scenes where all the wild and wond-
rous experiences were described are
just at hand, and you wonder on, as it
were, but just aroused from a fanci-
full dream. Perhaps 1t was on this
sandy beach along which you wan
der that Crusoe first discovered the
footprints of his good man Friday.
The island is about seven Spanish
leagues in circumference, or a trifie
over twenty English miles. 1t be-
longs to Chill, and for a number of
years the Government used it as a
place for transporting convicts, till
one night all the prisoners arose in
their power, killed their keepers,
and taking the only boat on the
island sailed away and never were
heard of more. OF late years the
Government has leased the island to
one man, who pays something like
$1,000 year for its use. This man
has small colony of workmen.
whom he employs in cutting tim
Der, drying fish and goat skins and
sending them every few months IN
large quantities to the markets in
Valparaiso. They are to be found
in the waters about the island lob
sters of peculiar kind and enor-
nous in size. Some of these meas
ure from two to four feet in length.
Every variety of fish in the greatest
abundance seem to swarm about this
lone island. 1t is a great resort for
whalers, who put in here for few
days to supply themselves with fresh
water and fish, poultry and game,
which they obtain at marvelously
low prices from the sovereign ruler
of the island. Many years ago two
lone, lorn goats were brought to the
island, and their families and chill
dren have increased so rapidly that
to-day thousands and tens of thous-
ands of these are now to be found in
every part Of the island. Large num-
hers of them are shot each year, and
their dried skins sold in Valparaiso
are source of large income to the
lessee of the island.
1t was necessary to live on board
the ship, but each day there were
excursions to distant parts, where
new beauties, new surprises and new
wonders revealed themselves. The
whole island is fertile, with wooded
hills and valleys, wherein are springs
of pure and living water. One day.
l remember well. when the sun had
all its hampers open and was pouring
out furious heat, so intense that our
collars had lost all their dignity, and
the ladies' bangs looked as straight
as an Indian maiden's tawny locks,
we came within a wooded glen,
where suddenly a spring of living
water burst from out of the messy
rocks. 1t was pure, clear as crystal
and of icy GOODNESS. l think 1 never
knew water of so fine a brand. 1t
was more refreshing than the choicest
wine. There are no roads, no paths,
but you pick your way along by ma
lures courses. Now you turn sharply
and you find yourself within deep
glen, where it would be no surprise
to see nymph or giant issue forth.
Here stately tree filed with ripen-
ing fruit spreads its broad branches
over the smaller trees, and close be-
meath 1t ferns of wonderful beauty
spring up; for where the land is
musical with running streams, and
great trees fling their shadows and
hang darkly over brooks whose spark
ling waters give birth to soft vapors,
these ferns love to spring forth, per-
chance to doubly reflect their beauty
in some mirroring pool. 1t was
nrnffU GnOf Whi0h cnfa Won thin L. =, ~.