The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-01-13
CRUSQE'S ISLAND SUNK
THE HISTORIC SPOT SWALLOWED
BY THE SEA.
A Beautiful Country Made Famous by
Defoe May Have Disappeared-The
Original Robinson Crusoe.

If the reports of various sailors and
sea captains may be believed the fam
GUS island of Juan Fernandez is no
more. Like thousands of dots in the
ocean it has disappeared from sight
completely as if swallowed by tellu-
rion forces. Whether true of false the
story creates widespread interest for
if the gods of the sea have arisen and
condemned Robinson Crusoe's island
as if it were wish of paper, as sea
captains say, interest in the event will
be as widespread as civilization itself.
The rumor of the complete disap-
pearance of the island was first circu
lated several weeks ago by sea cap
tain at Lisbon, but the report was at
first discredited. The queer story was
given authentic verification few days
ago, however. by Capt. Powles.
Capt. Powles does not say that the
famous island has disappeared. but he
does say that while on his way from
/ NeWcdStle, ". >. w =. LUZ al pdldiSO ~
Gently. he was within speaking dis
lance of the Lock Garry and was later
off Cumberland Bay. the place on Fer
nandez Island where Crusoe was cast
ashore.
He did not think anything about the
matter until his chance encounter with
the story at Valparaiso. There he read
paragraph in one of the local papers
to the effect that the island had dis
appeared. One of the trading steam
ers had been unable to find the island,
so ran the story, and had returned to
port with the news that Juan Fernan-
DEE had been submerged.
1t is interesting in connection with
the many humors of the disappearance
of this famous spot of earth to recall
the fact that the island of Juan Fer
nandez was well known ages before
the home of his wonderful hero Rob
inson Crusoe. The island lies, or did
lie, about 400 miles southwest of Val
paraiso, Chile, and the story of it's com
plete disappearance is not by any
means improbable from the fact that
the island has in recent years beer
violently shaken by earthquakes,
Fernandez has always been de-
scribed as a picturesque spot four
miles wide by thirteen in length, but
it contains all that is necessary to sus
tain life. The climate has always beer
described as pleasant and healthful
the principal productions being oats
turnips, apples, Strawberries, melons
peaches and figs. Wild goats have al
ways been described as abundant
while large quantities of excellent fish
are taken from the coast each year. II
fact, the island has for years beer
leased to prominent fish company by
the Chilean Government.
Careful students in history and lit
erature believe that the prototype O.
Serrano, Spaniard, who was wrecked
on an island in the Caribbean Sea, no
! far from the mouth of the Orinoco, il
the sixteenth century. Tradition say!
he lived there in solitude for many
years and was finally carried away OF
a trading vessel.
In the year 1904 the Cirque Port Wis
tied Juan Fernandez to recover fiv,
; men whom the master, Capt Straddl
ing, had marooned there four years be
fore. Alexander Selllirk was has mate
. and mate and master had falling out
: Sellirk insisted on being left on tn
island rather than sail the seas witt
such man as Straddling. The cap
tain accommodated him, and thu
made Alexander the hero of every DO,
that has lived since his time.
After five years of exile on tn
4 island Selkirk was rescued by Capt
: Wood Rogers and his ship Duke.
, has been doubted whether Defoe eve
possessed the marooned mans journal
. but his story was thrilling and tn
vivid Imagination of the author o
Robinson Crusoe" did the rest.
The mention of this historic bit o
land jutting up from the bed of tn
Pacific recalls the name of Daniel DE
foe, household word heard aroun
the globe.