New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-19
CRUSOE'S ISLAND.
A BLEAK AND WINDY PLACE.

tho night black eud stormy tnat "o co"iu hot
make out tho land. SO we hove to- TIL daylight.
and all night schooner and fell on tho heavy
seas AZ quietly as an abatross sleeping with IT'S head
under its wing With the staysal sheet hauled to
wndward and tho helm hard down, there was nothing
TO do and the look Of rest the vessel was proionhd
tail the captain deck shortly before daylight
lie gazed through tho glass at the misty horizon pace
tho deok and pulled vigorously at his cigarette, ui
he made cut an ndlstinct the starboard quar-
ter. Let draw the forestaysaIl' was tho summons
that walked the vessel lfe and Let draw the stay
sail, SIR rang the quarterback, then on the
forccastlc and bawled down tho forccase hatch, sent
tumbng up tho ladder the rest Of tho watch, turned
in all standing The staysa goes over to leeWard, Is
trimmed fiat, and tho vessel gathers way slowly as
though not yet wide awake. Ready abOutp Tho
watch stand by the lib sheets, the wheel goes down.
and the vessels head into the wind TIL the
sails shake. "H,r-rd-d alee-er Tho wheel goes
hard down, tho sails thunder and bang, the down
hauls snap. tho reef points rattle like hail. tho sheets
slap viclously about, and the booms Jerk back ana
forth tho vessel plungcs and jumps In tho sea-
The heavy main and fore sheet bOcks thump the decks
and back and forth the travellers till lands
would think everything alof was coming about
his ears and the skurrylng sailors were trying to
stand from under7 they about, letting go leo
sheets and lifts, and 70 holng~ weather running
gear. few seconds, and sho has filed on tho other
tack everything Is taut and quiet, the log goes over
under her and swirl past her counter; she plunges
into tho head and rushcs on with her bowsprit
pointed for Jnan Fernandez.
Daylight and few hours beating show the high
foresclad mountain Of Mas aticrra (Nearerthe !and)
tho Chlians call It, in distinction from Mas afucra
Further away, tho whole cluster of islands being
called Juan Fernandez But Juan Fernandez and not
Mas-aerra II will always DO to English and Ameri-
cans, the homo Of Alexander Selkrk tho real Rob
nson Crusoe. As a child had imagined low sunny
island rising like beautiful vision out OF a smiling
sea, with shining beach running back to green
through which pleasant streams mcandered;
with cocoanut trees laden with fruit, parrots and
monkeys smiling welcome; with gentle billygoats
with little wagons By and harness hanging on
peg; with groves and mountains full of delightful at
fractions and warm june breezes laden with intox
icaing perfume. and with Robinson CrnsOo-a man Of
noble mcn, moving about In fashionaby cut garments
of goat skin, and carrying his skin umbrella as does
well-fed old gentleman his green-lned sunshade,
he strolls down tho bank some hot July morning But
what establishment Wo beat up Cumberland Bay
against fierce pufs that descended the mountain
sides, striking tho sails first side and then on
the other without any warning, this being all that Is
left of the strong south wind blowing high overhead
We In the half of bowl, the part from northeast
to northwest broken of and lost In the the other
sides rising In prec ptous cliffs to the east and in steep
broken rocks and boulders, and be reached in
safety only at the head Of tho bay, where are two
or three white houses, fort flying the CHILEAN flag,
and some black spots on brown hillside Heavy
clouds drove overhead, shutting out the sunlight and
darkenng the air. and rain and mlsts came down tho
mountain. No palm trees, grassy meadows,
gently rising slopes, sun kissed vistas,
cultivated field met tho eye here only cheer
less cluster If mountains, besicged by the strong
south wind with storm and clouds in summer, and in
winter exposed the full force of the dreaded north
ers.
Here Alexander Selkirk, gentleman I'm the lifting
business" and master of the good ship Cinquc Ports
Captain Stradlng, discharged and presented with
the Freedom nay the sovereignty of the island, his
presence not being wanted the Cirque Ports by
Captain stradlng. also his life by tho mild
hammered buccaneer. SO he put ashore this
breezy island to live die with tho Wild goats and
fowl or, by chance, II he lucky. to be taken
off BY other bucanecr who might wish to lie here
till the time camo when the Spanish treasure ships
shnnld sail for Panama And herc, aftor oighteon
months Of drcary, almost hopeless, waiting, Captain
Wood Rogers turned up in 1909 and saved him to tell
his story to Defoe But the latter got than
a suggestion for Robinson Crusoe" whose scene IS
laid on the Island Of TobagO about twenty five miles
from Trinidad In hot tropical climate where there
would indeed be need Of umbrella. and where
Friday could be brought In a from the mainland
easily liquor and tobacco to-day struggled
between the West India Islands.