Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-02-16

on the island. plenty of trees, plenty of she'll
nsh and plenty of fresh water. The climate is
SO favorable. that the trees and grass preserve a
perpetual verdure. The winter ends in June or
July. The hottest season is in January. There
Is but little frost or snow The rainy season
lasts from August to April. the heavy rains
from November to March. There is no venom
Gus or savage creature in the place-indeed no
stay upon the island he killed 500 goats for food
and skins-this was an average of about one to
every three days. He also caught 500 more for
diversion and marked them on the ear. then
set them at liberty. His method of catching
them was by his superior swittness of foot To
test this ne was matched one day against a bull
dog rom the Duke when he ,outstripped both
the dog and the wild goats they were pursuing.
This was before Capt. Rogers ship left the
island. Selkrk built two huts Of pimento
goatskins, In place Of lath and plaster These
were visited 10y most OF us, although the way
was SO rugged and intricate that we reached
them with great difficulty. So far was Selkirk
from being anxious to leave the island that he
built his residence where it could scarcely hope
to be seen and where no one could have pene-
trated without his guidance. During his soil
fude several Spanish ships put into port. but
he never went near them, for fear they might
condemn him to the slavery of the gold mines
In Chilli, which, he said. was worse than hang
ing. for it was perpetual labor with insufficient
food, and no escape but a slow and loathsome
death. One of these parties of Spaniards saw
and pursued him. but he managed to escape and
hide himself in a tree. Presently they came and
sat down at the foot of the same tree but did
not discover him and soon went away
One day in pursuing goat he overlook his
prey on the verge of precipiCe of which he was
not aware, and before he could recover him
self down he went, holding fast to the goat He
ieii prodigious depth, and then lay stunned and
bruised for "a hours. On recovering his mind
he saw the goat dead under him. which had thus
broken his fall He was much hurt that it
was with Infinite pains he regained his hut.
which was mile off, and it was ten days before
he went abroad again. He had hundreds of
cats about him. These he fed upon goats flesh
and he kept them in training to seize the rats.
OF which there were prOdigiOus numbers bred
from some that had escaped the ship when they
were beached. He had also domesticated sew
eral Kids. and used to dance and caper with
them to divert his languor He said he had
never realized how much he was indebted to So
ciety until he was quite bereft of. it, and that
this had cured him of his previous surness
Selkirk was about thirty years of age when we
took him aboard and was full of health and
vigor 1t was most surprising thing that.
although he had kept up his acquaintance with
the English language by reading over and over
the several books he had by him he could scarce
speak it when we found him. He understood
very well what he read, but gaf6krcd with diff
Guilty that when we spoke to him. better
before he returned to England. he wrote down
all his adventures in log book and had great
hopes of making fortune by them when he got
safe at home and could sell them to some book
seller On the 10th Of January we left Puerto
SECURE and sailed for the Dutch East Indies.
and 80 around the world to England, which we
only reached In October I'LL
Selklrk going up to London made the ac-
quaintance of fellow some ten years his
senior. who had once been hOsir, by the name
To- h,,t~ ,I,o,
for small newspapers, with the pompous title of
Defoe. He had formerly sold stockings in
Freeman's court. COrnhill, and becoming bank
rupt mad gone to writing squibs. This fellow
1ngratiated himself with Selkirk to such Dur
pose that they soon made a bargain to publish
tue latter's adventures in Juan Fernandez,
Seikirk to furnish the materials Foe, or Defoe
to prepare them for publication. and each to
derive an equal benefit from the publication.
But Defoe. instead OF carrying out this compact
III honest, good faith, made Selkrk repeat his
story over and over. until he got it by heart and
then publishing it refused to share in the pro-
ceeds with the defrauded Sekirk.
The Modern Prize FIGHTER a Swell.
From the Omaha Herald
Most OF the fighters Of to-day are men OF consid-
cradle intelligence. They are Of much higher
grade intellectually than those who fought in the
ring fifty years ago. and many have gained posi-
ton and influence through being successful I'm the
ring. There is great difference in prize lighters
The broken-noSed, bullet headed, bull-necked
stumpy and lOw-lived pugiltSt Of the Olden days
who associated with hostlers and stable boys, has
almost entirely disappeared. The puglist was for
mery the man who took off his hat when he came
into the presence OF a gentleman. AS a rule the
revers" OF this Is now true.
A great many famous fighters pride themselves
upon nelf MANNERS Such a one, for instance, is
Paddy Ryan NO one could Halter Ryan more sue
gentleman" Ryan always wore a beaver hat OF
the most fashionable mold and clothing that was
richly embelished with silk facing and velvet col
lars. He wore clean linen and gaudy scarfs, and
never considered himself quite right unless he held
a half-smoked cigar in his mouth. He went about
the streets accompanied by thick-set and bright
troduced as "Mr. Paddy Ryan's secretary, Mr.
Jerry O'Brten." Together these two gentle
men wandered about town, and were made
welcome at all the prominent saloons. Ryan
had a royal time of 1t for year or SO, until he
went down south and was ingiOrtousy walloped
by John L. Sullivan. just at this time SULTAN
began to make calls He went about the saloons
OF New York just as Ryan had done, but he did
not MI the place of that gentle and cultured citi
a loose and shaggy coat, heavy shoes. Derby hat,
and was often destitute OF collars and cuffs He
lacked the gentieness of Ryan He did not enjoy
the companionship OF other men as Mr. Ryan did,
and was surly and grufT. By degrees, as Sullivan
became more popular. prosperous and famous, his
manner softened a little. The beaver-hat mania
struck him, and he became more particular I'm at
tire He now dresses as fashionably as Ryan ever
did. even going to the extent Of wearing yellow
gloves on his huge and ham-like hands
Without Notes.
"DO you preach without nOteS?n casually asked a
Arkansas conference
"Preach without notes?" echoed the brother, 81
should say l did. Why, my dear brother in the
mOnths,''
The subject was dropped.
A Funny Story from the Border.
From the Ell Paso Herald