Omaha daily bee., 1898-08-21
CRUSOE'S DESERT ISLAND
The Famous Habitat Of Robinson Orusoe
Immortalized in Story.
chill PLANNING TO C0l0NIZE IT
Rich Seal and Cod Fisheries ana Over
run with wild GOats-Relics of
Selkirk-HOw the Island
Looks in 1S0S.
chill PLANNING TO C0l0NIZE

copyrighted, 1885, by Frank G. Carpenter)
VALPARAISO, Chilli, July 25, 1S9S.-tSpe-
cial Correspondence OF The Bee.)-Robinson
Crusoe's island Is to be colonzed. The
government of Chill has just adopted reso-
lutions to that effect and by the time this
better shall have been published an inspector
will have been appointed, and in all prob
ability number Of new Inhabitants will
have been carried to the island Of Juan
Fernandez. Within the past few weeks
the president OF Chilli has visited this island
on tour Of inspection, and both himself
and his officials report that it can be made
Of great value to the country. 1t has been
decided to give each settler q house and q
certain amount of land, and the idea Is to
make large fishing colony there. The cod
FISH which are caught of the shores of Juan
Fernandez are especially fne They swarm
about its shores. and. In connection with
Holsters and other shellfsh. might form the
basis Of great industry. There are also
many seals, walruses and other marine ami
mails In the waters near by. and the main
land has in it's woods many wild goats, wild
sheep and wild mules. There are parts Of
the island which are very fertile, and 1t
Is thought that they can really be made a
valuable property.
The island Of Juan Fernandez lies Just
about 400 miles west Of Valparaiso in the
South Pacific ocean. 1t can only be reached
by special steamers, which make excursions
there once or twice a year. and it will not
be possible for me to visit It at this time.
] have, however, met members OF the presi-
dents party. who have just returned, and
have also had the assistance Of MIR. Spencer
OF Santiago. an American photographer who
accompanied the expedition. Before
describe the island as 1t Is in this
year Of our Lord 1898 let me tell you some
thing OF Its history. and how II came to be
the inspiration for that wonderful tale of
Robinson Crusoe. The story dates back to
l704. almost 200 years. At that time an
English ship Of ninety tons, known as the
CinQus Ports, was sailing through the South
Pacific ocean. Upon 1t was the first real
Robinson Crusoe. He was Scotchman,
named Alexander Selkirk. He was the sail
ing master Of the ship. but for some reason
or other fell out with the captain. and one
story is that he headed mutiny and was
given the choice Of being hanged at the
yardarm or Of being placed on this desert
island Of Juan Fernandez. He accepted the
latter alternative, and, with a small supply
OF provisions, he was landed in what II
now called Cumberland bay. This was In
September, 1704 He lived there for -four
years and four months. when the English
privateer, Duke. was attracted by his watch
fire and came to anchor at the island ant
carried him homo to England.
During his stay Seikirk had many OF the
adventures described in De Foes book, al.
though De Foe, having a better knOwledg,
Of the islands north of Brazil, in the Carib
bean sea. has made much Of his story cor
respond to these in its descriptions o.
scenery. products and climates. The skele
ton or plan Of De Foe was undoubtedl,
suggested by Selkirk's adventures, and yo'
oAa almost trace poor Robinson Crusoe'i