The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1892-03-11
OVER CRUSOE'B, BLAND.
SIGHTS AND SCENES IN JUAN,
FERNANDEZ.
Tho People Lonely and Hungry for News
"A Beautiful and Wond erfully
Productive Island Pic.
turesque Homes.


on going ashore at Juan Fernandez. is
to start for the famous Lookout from
the top of which-so says the histo-
rian-poor Crusoe used to watch for a
sail. land yet no sail from day to-
day." says a writer in the Boston
Transcript But he is likely to be
long on the way, though it is less than
mile from the landing-place. because
there are several points of interest to
be viewed en- route. First there are
the people-a hundred hands to be
shaken and thousand eager ques tions
to be answered, for the arrival of a
ship is by no means a matter of every
day, and when one does appear in the
harbor, the lonesome islanders old and
young, troop down to meet her.
Though voluntary exiles in this
beautiful place, where nature has been
lavish in supplying everything neces-
sary to sustain life without labor, the
colonists pine for news from the dis
tant world. whose echoes come to them
like angels visits. few and far be-
tween" Though no longer convict
colony, as in days long past the island
is virtually a prison, whose bolts and
bars are ocean pillows, and many a.
modern Crusoe voices his predecessor
sentiments:
0 Solitude! Where are the charms
That sages have seen in thy face!
Better dwell in the midst of alarms
Than reign in this horrible place.
There are about one hundred resi-
dents on Juan Fernandez mostly Ger
man and Gillian ranchmen and their
families; for some years ago the island
was leased to a rich cattle company,
who have as many as 80. 900 head Of
horned cattle and twice as many sheep.
grazing in the narrow valleys and on
the green foothills. The cottages of
the colonists are mostly within sight
of the landing. set in the midst of or
chards on the side of hill sloping
down to the sea. and the oppressive
silence of Selkirk's time has given
place to the bleating and lowing of
tlocks and herds. the merry shouts Of
children and sounds of human activity.
The houses are extremely pictur-
esque. and made of the bright yellow
through bamboo wattles and matched
with the same. Their high. peaked
roofs project all around far beyond the
walls and the doorways are shaded by
straw -thatched porches. reminding
one of French Canadian cottages Or
chalets in the valley of the Seine.
Each little home is inclosed within a
wall of stones and brushwood, its rus
tic gateway overrun with luxuriant
vines; and within the Enclosure are
granaries. storehouses and other out
buildings, all set up on poles to keep,
them out of the water during the heavy
rains of June, July and August There
is no winter in this latitude. but the
wet season, though short is more try
ing than northern snow and Ice
Whoever goes to Juan Fernandez
finds himself enthusiastically well
coined by every soul on the island,
and receives just as many pressing in
vitations to lunch, to dine and to stop
over until some other boat comes
along as there are homes on the
island, and if he has been so thought
full as to bring along few old books
or newspapers he has earned the last
ing gratitude of the people Besides
caring for their flocks the settlers
raise fruits and vegetables to sell TO
pa sing vessels. The soil is wonder
fully productive. especially in the
northern valleys, where decayed veg
etable matter and rich deposits of
earth have washed down from the
mountains.
Grass and oats spring up spontane-
ously in the open space, ana vege-
tables of all kinds grow abundantly
wherever the seeds are scattered.
Wild grapevines and fig trees bearing
excellent fruit flourish on the slopes,
and there are many natural orchards
grown from seeds planted century
ago by Selkirk and other mariners.
Besides peaches, apricots. pears and
other fruits common to temperate
climates, the chuta is everywhere-a
species of palm which produces a de-
licious berry, and among a number of
indigenous trees are pimento (pep.
peri, sandal, corkwood and myrtle.