Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1883-07-06
sELKIRK's HOME.
The Lovely Island where Robinson
CrurOe Dwell.
Letter to Rochester Democrat.

80 A%sNNAS - h~AO AsS@AA~S@-
Cruroe Dw-It.
Letter to Rochester Democrat.
The sun was bathing the beautiful
| island with food of golden light as we
| neared its picturesque harbor. In lit
tie boats we went ashore and landed In
| the primitive manner of running the
boat aground and pulling the boat up
on the shore. Il was difficult to realize
that we were indeed on this historical
mysterious island that Imagination had
pictured from cbildhoodis early hours
In so many fanciful forms.
The books tell you it was on this
lovely i-land that, in 1704 the celebrat-
ed English navigator, Dampier, landed
his coxswain, Alexander Selkirk, with
whom he had quarreled, and left him
alone on this uninhabited spot with
small quantity of provisions and tools.
Here ne lived four years, till he was
picked up by a passing ship and
brought back to Europe. 1t was from
| the notes he m ide during his solitary
residence that Daniel Dsfoe composed
his incom parable WORK of Robinsonon
Crusoe. No book, doubtless, ever held
the childish interest with greater fas-
cination than that which describes his
wanderings on this mysterious and en-
chanted island. That which had always
seemed as dreamy romance was now
before you. The scenes where all the
wild and wonderous experiences were
described are just at hand, and you
wander on as it were, but just aroused
from a fanciful dream. Perchance 1t
was on this sandy beach along which
you wander that Crusoe first discover
ed the footprints of his good man Fri
day.
The island is about seven Spanish
leagues in circumference, or q trifle
over twenty English miles. 1t belongs
to Chill, and for a number of years the
Government used it as a place for trans.
porting 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
were never heard of again. Of late
years the Government has leased the
island to one man, who pays something
like 81 600 year for its use. This
man has q small colony of workmen
whom he employees in cuttir G timber,
drying fish and skins and sending them
every few months in large quantities
to the markets in Valparaiso. There
are to be found in the waters about the
island Holsters of peculiar kind and
enormo s 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 great resort for
whalers, who put in here for few days
to supply themselves with fresh water
and with fish, poultry and game, which
they obtain at marvelously low prices
from the sovereign ruler of the island.
Many years ago two lone, lorn goate
were brought to the island, and their
families and children have increased 80
rapidly that thousands and tens of thou
sands of these now are to be found in
every part of the island. Large num-
bers of them are shot each year, and
their dried skins sold ia Valparaiso are
source of large income to the lessee
OF the land.
1t was necessary to live on board the
ship but each day there were excur-
sions to distant parts, where new beau.
ties, new surprises and new wonders
revealed themselves. The whole island
is fertile, with wooded hills and valleys
wherein are streams of pure and living
waters One day, remember well, when
the sun had all its hampers open and
was pouring out furious heat, 80 in
tense that our collars lost all their dig
ty, and the LADIES' bangs looked as
straight as an Indian maiden's tawny
locks, we came within wooded glen
where suddenly spring of living water
burst from out the NOISY rock. 1t was
pure, clear as crystal, ana of icy cold
ness; think l never knew water of so
fine Il brand. 1t 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, aud you will find
yourself again within a deep glen,
where it would be no surprise to see a
nymph or giant issue forth. Here a
stately tree filled with ripening fruit
spreads its broad branches over the
smaller trees, and close beneath it ferns
of wonderful beauty spring w; for
where the land is musical with running
streams, and great trees fling their
shadows and hang darby over brooks
whose sparkling waters give birth to
soft vapors, these ferns love TO spring
fOrtt-perchance to doubly re Let their
beauty in some mirroring pool. 1t was
Il pretty spot, which sets you thinking
of Guide Harold's temple ON the bank
of Citinnus-"A mirror and bath for
besuty's youngest daughter"