The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-01-24
ROBINSON CRUNOE'O HOME.
How The Isle Juan Fernandez Appears to The
Tourist Of the Present.

The frat thing a tourist does, on going
ashore on Juan Fernandez is to start for
the famous Lookout, from the top of which,
so says the historian, poor CrusOe used to
watch for a sail, ''and yet no sail from day
to day." 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 10 be viewed en- route.
First, there are the people-a hundred
hands to be shaken and a thousand eager
questions to De answered; for the arrival of
ship is by no means matter OF every
day, and when one does appear in the har-
Dor, the lonesome islanders, old and young,
troop down 10 meet her.
Through voluntary eXleS in the beautiful
place, where nature has been lavish in sup
plying everything necessary to sustain life
without labor, the coIOnsts pine for news
from the distant world, whose echoes come
to them Ike angels visit, few ana far be-
tween" Though no longer a convict colony
as IN the days long past, the island is virtu-
ally a prison, whose bolts and bars are
ocean pillows, and many a modern CTusOe
voices his predecessors sentiments
solitudel Where are the charms
That sages have seen in thy facJ?
Better owen in the midst Of alarms
Than reign in this horrible place!
There are about 100 residents on Juan
Fernandez, mostly German and Chilean
ago the island was leased to a rich cattle
company, who have now as many as 10000
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 land
ing. set in the midst of orchards on the side
of hill slOping down to the sea, and the Op-
pTessiye silence Of Selkirks time has given
place to the 6leating and lowing OF tlOcks
and herds, the merry shouts of children and
sounds OF human activity.
The houses are extremely picturesque
and made of the bright yellow straw of
wild oats, woven in and out through bam-
boo wattleS and tatched with the same.
Their high, peaked roofs project all around
lar beyond the walls and the dOOTWayS are
shaded by straw-thatched pOrches, remind
ing one OF FrenCh-Cana0lan cottages or
chaletS in the valley of the Seine. Each
little home is inclosed within a wall of
stones and bruShwoOd, It's rustic gateway
Oyerrun with luXuriant vines and with in the
Enclosure are granarieS, st rc-houses and
other OutDuldlngs, 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 trying
than northern ice and snow.
Whoever gees To Juan Fernandez finds
himself enthusiastically welcomed by every
soul on the island, and receives just as
many pressing invitations 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 thoughtful as
to bring along a few old books or news
papers he has earned the lasting gratitude
of the people. Besides caring for their
f1ocks, the settlers raise fruits aud vege-
tables to sell to passing vessels. The soil is
wonderfully productive, especially in the
northern valleys. where decayed vegetable
matter and rich deposits of burned earth
have washed down from the mountains.
Grass and oats spring up spontaneously
in the open space, and vegetables of all
kinds grow abunGantly wherever the seeds
are scattered. Wild grape vines and fg
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, apric0ts, pears. ounces and other
fruits common to temperate climates, the
chuta is everywhere-a species of palm
which produces a delicious berry, and
among an endless variety Of indigenous
trees are plmento (pepperl. sandal, cork
wood and myrtle