St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-01-23
IN JUAN FERNANDEZ.
The Island Where Robinson
Crusoe Dwelt Many
Years Ago.
Graphic Description Of This
Famous Dot in the
Ocean. -.
Many Changes Have Taken
Place Since Selkirk Lived
There.
Vegetables He Planted Now
Grow Wild in the Fertile
Valleys.
John NJ. Ellicott in Youths Companion.

o1IOJ Ss
John NJ. Ellcott in Youths Companion.
If you leave the beautiful city Of Val
paraiSo, on the coast of Chill, and sail
almost due west into the broad Pacific
ocean, you will see. looming up on the
horizon. on the second day out, the
jagged outline of a large, mountainous
island. AS on approach 1t the mount
aims seem to rise so abruptly from the
sea that landing is impossible, while
the rugged peaks and ridges appear
utterly barren and destitute.
But at last when you draw close
under the great, dark cliffs, and coast
along to fad an anchorage, beautiful
little valleys are passed, full of green
trees and shrubs, while pretty, trick
ling streams and waterfalls flow be
tween banks of moss and ferns and
glitter in the mellow sunshine.
Presently a promontory is rounded
and you enter large semi-circuIar bay,
around which the mountains tower up
so straight and rough and ragged that
you feel almost as if you had tloated
into the crater of an extinct volcano.
The protection is so complete that
scarcely breath of wind is felt. The
low, smooth sWellS over which you
gently ride splash upon the rocks with
a light musical roar, which, mingllng
with the barking of seals, is echoed and
re-echopd upward and upward till lost
in the mountain tops.
There is a good single beach, upon
which it is easy and safe TO land from a
small boat, and as the ships anchorage
Is but 800 yards from the shore, it takes
but few moments to set foot upon the
Island Of Juan Fernandez, where Rob
inson Grouse lived 1856 years ago.
Two valleys, winding down from diff
ferent directions, join Il short distance
back from the shore, and here now
stands little village OF small huts scat
tered around long, low, one-stOrled
building, with piazza running its whole
length.
In This house lives the man who rents
the island from the CHILEAN government
and the village is made up of few Ger
man and CHILEAN families.
Tie tiny town is called San Juan
Bautista, and the crateT-like arm OF the
sea on Which it is situated, and where
Alexander Selkirk, the supposed proto-
type of Robinson Crusoe, first landed, is
now called OuHnOeIlduu DAY.
The island is now rented for about
$1,000 year. The rent is paid partly i'll
dried fish. Catching and drying the
many varieties of fish, and raising cat
tie and vegetables wholly occupy the
contented settlers, and much of their
little income is obtained from the cattle
and vegetables sold to passing vessels.
The cattle need no care, and the veg
etabes almost grow wild. TurnipS and
Tadishes, first sOWn by Selkirk himself,
now grow rank and wild in the valleys
like weeds.
Back of the little town, in the first
high cliff, is a row of caves of remarka-
BILE appearance hewn i'll the sandstone.
An unused path leads to them, and
short climb leads one to their dark
mouths.
About forty years ago the Gillian
government thought that good way to
be rid of its worst criminals would be
to transport them to the island of Juan
Fernandez. Here, under the direction
OF Chilian soldiers, these poor Wretches
We're made to dig caves to live in. In
1854 they were taken back again, how
ever, and the caves have since been
Slowly crumDing away.
Around their dark mouths now grow
beautiful flowers and creeping vines,
VIII lie their damp floors are covered
with bright green carpets Of moss and
graceful ferns. Most of these caves are
deep, and some of them are connected
by galleries. One large one looks as if
it had once been used as church.
Near by is another cave, large and
roomy, with shelves inside cut in the
sandstone walls. In this cave Selkirk
is supposed to have lived. Its front is
wit
tiers carved by travellers.
A mountain path, cut with great labor
by the poor conVicts, leads up one OF
the valleys and over the steep ridges to
the crest of the mountain range be-
tween two high peaks.
The climb on a sunny day is most
romantic ramble. Tall ferns, large-leaved
begOuiaS, pretty blooming flowers and
bushes with large foliage spread over
the mountain sides, while through the
rocky cTevlces little crystal streams run
Dubbllng down toward the sea.
High up on the lofty mountain slopes,
and 0verhanging the froWning preci-
pieces, grow graceful myrtle trees, with
here and there stately palm. Among
the scented flowers there is a continual
murmur Of humming birds, their glossy
colors glinting in the sunlight as they
poise over the fragrant flower cups.
Many varieties of these little beauties
are found nowhere else than on this
island.
AT last the narrow ridge is reached;
and here, in the cool south breeze which
sweeps across, one can rest and and
gaze about him.
What dizzy hei ght it IS! The mar
row ridge is scarcely two yards wide.
and from its steep sides the rocky
slopes sweep down, down. to north and
south crumpled and jagged and broken,
till boundedby dimly curving stretch
Of golden sand and white fringe Of
gliStening surf. Then away in all di-
rections, as far as the eye can reach,
stretches the dark blue endless ocean.
Here poor "Crusoe' used to watch day
after day throughout those weary years
Of waiting. Sometimes his heart would
bound as his straining eyes would catch
the CLINT of snowy sail upon the
horizon, but it would sink again into
dull, hopeless aching as the little speck
would slowly disappear, TOO eagerly
speeding before the favorable breeze to
cast a thought on Juan Fernandez.
At other times the gladdening sail
would grow larger and larger till big
ship would sweep gracefully toward the
harbor, and the waiting man would