Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-08-13

quainted with the HABITS of bears, yet
there was Fever bears in either island; he
dresses the sweltering Robinson in gar
ments OF goatshn. in a tropical climate,
where no clothes at all were preferable,
he makes him carry a handsaw, a broad
sword, two big guns, a hatchet, brace CT
pistols, etc, whenever he went out of his
cave, even to feed the goats; he has him
but thorny,' where he sits all night trem-
bling for fear of wild beasts, when there
was not harmful creature on the island.
But he is true to nature in at least one
that he is. finding jug of rum in the
cabin. takes a 'fbigge, bigge Dram with a
capital D to be sure.
Hailed With Delight.
Still at the time Defoe wrote his story
there was a dearth of adventure for the
ycUng, Buryan's Pilgrims Progress and
Foxes Book of Martyrs" being about
the giddest tales set before Them so when
Robinson Crusoe" appeared he was hailed
with delight. Ro5insons dismal sermoniz-
ii-gs and morakzing7s, which were spun out
for pages and chapters Of the book, would
hardly prove acceptable now, but at the
time perhaps were necessary to make the
book acceptable to the parents-a sort Of
moral rlake-weigh to serve as ballast.
1t was read with such avidity that Defoe
soon became rich and naughty, and ac-
CURED such a prestige that the demand
still continues for new editions of the
book, which promises to live over into an
other century, at the least. But, be this
as it may; or rather. since 1t be So 1t
may not be a violent assumption that the
island of Crusoe's adventures still possesses
an interest for the young; and not only
for than, but for those who once were
young, and have q dim recollection of the
Crusonaan transactions.
History of Tobago.
Imprirlis, then, that island Is Tobago, and
lies off the mouth of the Orinoco, within
sight of Trinidad, as It lay when it got in
the way Of Crusoe's ship and brought him
temporarily to grief. 1t was discovered by
Columbus, in the year 1893. but was not in
habitsd then, and the first attempt at set
tIernent by white people from Barbados,
was repulsed by Indians who had come
over from Trinidad. For nearly two hun
dred years thereafter 1t was the sport Of
whatever nation chose to take hand in
its affairs. First the Dutch, then the
French, then the English made settlements
there. only to be driven out with slaughter.
In the year 1852, the date of Crusoe's birth,
200 people from Holland came here, but
were driven away by the savages. In 1877
the Dutch again attempted to live there,
but were set upon by the English under Sir
Tobias Bridges, who took 400 prisoners. So
1t will be seen that the history Of Tobago
and probably its resources were well enough
just prior to the year 1719. So late as 1854
1t was Uniuhabited, and by treaty between
France and England made neutral ISL
and for Indian settlement, and to be Wis
tied bg white men only for wood and wa
ter. In fact, an ideal residence for hero
a desolate but fertile island teemtng with
all the bountiss of nature, and upon which
the foot of civilized man had left no I'M
press.
There is q strange story of events that
transpired thirty-eight years after Cru
soc" was written. IN this very island. One
day in 1907 boat from a British ship land
and the midshiDrnan in charge, having wan
dered into the woods for wild oranges, was
surprised to find a rude hut, occupied by a
man OF venerable appearance, who address,
ed him in French He said he had lived
twenty-one, years in that solitary situation,
having had no communication with any hui
man beings except the Indians, who some
times gave him part of their game when
they came hunting here, end shaved of his
beard with their knives. He refused trans
portation back to his native isle OF Martin
ique, declaring that he was perfectly con-
tented and happy whers he was, and in
that condition.
To conclude tiiese historical references to
Iebego, the island in 1902 had voice in
the election Of Bonaoarte.- and the same
year was ths residence OF John Paul Jones'
the gallant prlyateer. There 10 q dispute
between philologists and botaEIsts as to
whether Tobdgo gave Its name to tobacco
or whether II was derived from the waed
ttse,f. il has been said that Sir Waiter Ra-
leigh got his frgt seductive whin Of uicotl-
ana Il 1885 out Of dried leaves scnt. FROM
Trinidad and ostsipea IN Tobego, Aopg9