Morris tribune., 1883-10-31
THE ENCHANTED ISLE.
An Excursion to the Lonely Home
of Robinson Crusoa

Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.
TALCAHUANO, Chilli had been in Chill
over Il month when, one day, strolling down
among the shipping, 1 gained the informa-
ton that a steamer of the South American
company was going to make an excursion to
Juan Fernandez better known as the island
of Robinson Crusoa. The island is distant
from the harbor of Valparaiso less than BOZ
miles, where condor might easily fly be-
tween breakfast and dinner The time given
for the excursion was to be ten days, allow
ing forty eight hours for going and coming
thus giving abundance Of time for visiting
the lone island
When after >;t,..a-; over the calm waters OF
the Pacific the remote island arose from the
sea, the sight was glad one.
The sun bathing the beautiful island
with flood of golden light as we neared its
picturesque harbor In little boats went
ashore and landed in the primitive manner
of running the boat aground and pulling the
boat up on the shore. The books tell you it
was on this lovely island that in l704 the cele-
brated English navigator Dampier landed
his coxswain, Alexander Selkirk, with whom
he had quarreled, and left him alone on this
uninhabited spot with a small quantity of
provisions and tools. Here he lived four
years, till he was picked -, by passing ship
and brought back to L .re ut was from
the notes he made during his solitary resi-
dence that Daniel Defoe composed his incom-
parable work of Robinson Crusoe. That
which always seemed buta dreamy romance
was now before you. The scenes where all
the wild and wondrous experiences were de-
scribed are just at hand, and you wander on.
Us it were, but just aroused from fanciful
dream Perchance it was on this sandy
beach along which you wander that Crusoe
first discovered the footprints of his good
man Friday.
The island is about seven Spanish leagues
in circumference, or trifle over twenty Eng
lish miles. 1t belongs to Chill, and for
number Of years the government used it as
place for transporting convicts, till one night
all the prisoners arose in their power, killed
their keepers, and, taking the only boats 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 some
thing like s., 900 year for its use. This man
has a small colony of workmen whom he en-
ploys in cutting timber, drying fish and goat
skins, and sending them every few months
in large quantities to the markets of
Valparaiso. There are to be found in
the waters about the island Holsters Of
a peculiar kind and enormous in size
Some of these measure from two to four
feet in length. Every variety of fish in
the greatest abundance seem to swarm
about this lone island. 1t is great resort
for whalers, who put in here for a few days
to supply themselves with fresh water, and
with fish, poultry and game, which they OBJ
tain at marvellously low prices from the
sovereign ruler of the island Many years
ago two lone, lorn goats were
brought to the island, and their fam
lilies of children have increased SO rapidly
that to-day thousand and tens of thousands
of these are to be found in every part of the
island. Large numbers of them are shot
each year, and their dried skins, sold in Val
paraiso, 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 dis
tant parts, where new beauties, new sur
prises, and new wonders revealed them
selves. The whole island is FERTILE with
wooded hills and valleys, wherein are
streams of pure and living water. One day,
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 SCralgnG as an I1uldn Huaiueus
tawny locks, we came within a wooded glen
where suddenly spring of living water
burst from out the messy rock. 1t was pure,
clear as crystal, and of icy GOODNESS
think never knew water of SO fine a brand.
tt was more refreshing than the choicest
wine There are no roads, no paths, but you
pick your way along by natures courses.
Now you turn sharply and find yourself
again within deep glen where it would be
no surprise to see nymph or giant issue forth.
Here stately tree filled with ripening fruit
spreads its broad branches over the smaller
trees and, close beneath it, ferns of wonder
full beauty spring up, for where the land is
musical with running streams and great trees
fling their shadows and hang darkly over
brooks whose sparkling waters give birth to
soft vapors, these ferns love to spring forth,
perchance to donbly reflect their beauty in
some mirroring pool 1t was pretty spot
which ssts you thinking Of Childe Harold's
Temple on the bank of Clitinnus "a mirror
and bath for beautys youngest daughter"