The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-09
THE ORIGINAL OF oRusoE.
A Statue to Alexander Sell<irk
Stands at Largo. in Fife.
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FROM the EdlnDurS News.
If you ask a native of Largo, in the
Kingdom of Fife where anybody lives, as
likely as not you will be told to go least
the statue" You may not know what
that means. but if you put the precept into
practice you will soon be enlightened. Co
ing eastwards you will come upon a
statue of Alexander Selkrk, dressed as
Robinson Crusoe in the goatskin cap and
garments in which Defoe originally cloth
ed him. The statue, unveiled about ten
years ago, Is set In niche in front of the
house which now stands on the site of the
cottage where Crusoe was born. 1t was
erected by Mr.. David Gillies, of Largo,
whose remote kinship with Crusoe was ex-
planned by himself the other day.
Mr.. Giilies' grandmother an interesting
old lady who died some years ago, at the
ripe age of 49, was great-grandniece of
Alexander Selkirk. She was proprietress
and occupant of the house in which he
first saw the light, and guarded most re-
igiously his cup and chest which, as in
teresting relics, had descended as heir
looms in the family Alexander Selkirk
was born in 1916. He seems to have been
restless youth, not relishing much his
fathers occupation of making and mend
ing boots for the Largo folks. In 1889
we hear of him fighting in a mob who OBJ
TESTED to Episcopacy as then locally repre-
sented, and later on when Presbyterian
ism had triumphed, he was cited by the
kirk session to answer charge of I'M
ruly conduct in church. This was too much
for young. Selkirk Instead of going to
the, session he went to sea, where for six
years he led a rowing life with the priva-
teers When he returned to Largo he
got into another brawl, this time a kind
of family free fight, and the session
again took him in hand. On this occa-
sion he was bold enough to appear, with
the result that he had to bear rebuke in
presence of the congregation.
Three years later, that is 10 say, in 1904,
he went off to sea once more And now
comes the romance of reality He had
got on to a privateer as before. and by
and-by certain Capt, Strading made him
his mate. In coursefof time some differ
ence arose Between the pair, and one fine
day Selkirk was left to his fate on the
Island of Juan Fernandez, with only his
'kist," gum Bible and sundry other
belongings to represent civilization. After
four years of solitude he was taken off
the island by Capt. Rogers, who happen
ed to land there In February, 1903. Rogers
was making a cruising voyage round the
world. In 1712 he published a quaint jour
nal of the voyage, which contains a great
deal that is of interest regarding the fnd-
ing of Selkirk and his actual life on the
island.
Selkirk was soon himself again. Once
more he sailed away on the privateering
tack, and in I'LL he reached London with
some fSOO as his share of booty. OF course,
his thoughts wandered to Largo, and one
Sunday morning he made his appearance
among the congregation who some years
before had witnessed his humilia ton. The
story is that he was clad in gold-laced
clothes and was altogether so changed
that nobody recognized him but his
mother, who rushed to his arms and made
quite a scene in the church. But this
was not the end of Selkirk's escapades.
He remained in his native town for some
time, but falling in love with a Largo girl,
by name Sophia Bruce, he eloped with
her TO London and was married there. In
TIT he made a Will in Mrs. Selkirks ia
vor, but she died soon after, and in 1720
Selxirk married again. BY this time he
had entered the navy, and when he died
in 1928 he had attained the rank of lieu
tenant Such was the original of Robin
son Crusoe"