Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-24
ROBINSON CRUSOES ISLAND
Tale of Boston Sailor Who Recently Visited
the Place
The Famous Cave rs IL Exists Today
The Island is a Strange Lit
tie Principality.
From the st. Louis Giobe-Democrat.

Three years ago report said that Robin
son Crusoe's Island-that bit of land so
mysterious and yet so well drawn in the
Imagination Of every youth had been de-
stroyed by a volcano and 1t was months
before the story was disproved. In truth,
1t lies as peaceful and as healthful today
In its location 400 miles off the Chilean
coast as it appeared to the shipwrecked
Robinson Crusoe in the romance which
Daniel Defoe made immortal.
1t will be remembered that the adven-
lures OF Robinson Crusoe in fiction were
roughly the adventures of Alexander Sell
kirk in real life. and the strange things
which happened to one were nearly dupli-
Gated IN the actual experience of the
other. So the cave in which Alexander
Seiklrk lived will be more readily recog-
nlzed and better remembered as that Of
ftooinson Crusoe. John Burns. a Boston
sailor, was one Of crew who recently
visited the place. He says:
we VISITED all of the haunts of Alexan-
der Seikirk.-the real adventurer whom the
novelist took for his hero. We skirted the
sandy shore when the man Friday was
found. We entered Crusoe's cave. where
oates and memoranda were carved on the
walls by the hermit.
The cave runs back in the mountain for
at least forty feet. 1t does not start from
the water, but has its mouth somewhat
inland 1t Is largely grown over with a
vine bearing bright green leaves, and is
very attractive. Other smaller caves are
near at hand. one of which is now occu-
pea by an old lady and two young chill
oren. few hens and ducks and a wild
goat heip to make up the happy family.
1t certainly looks very picturesaue to SOC n
modern white enameled bed with hrass
trimmings standing in a cave with nothing
on the noor except what nature provided
ana TO see the children, chickens. ducks
wild goats and old lady on the bed an one
time. 49, ' iiS
We climbed to the heights above the
cave and saw the tablet erected by an Eng
lish man-of-war's man in memory of the
adVenturer Selkrk, who made the island
famous. 1
our ship We hove to in the little cove
harbor where Crusoe padded about in the
t tiaI,d-nade canoe. This is now called Cum
neriand bay, and on its shores is a quiet
lille settlement of Chileans, Germans.
Scotchmen ard few Italians numbering
IN ail about eighty-five. Here on this gem
OF the South Pacific, almost exactly the
size OF Staten Island, three miles wide nv
Ilfteen long, they lead a happy existence
ihey make an easy living from the fisher
ies, LOT the Day is full of HOLSTERS and vel
IoW-tail. A small cannery is on the island
where the fish is put I'D for shipment
schooner from Chile touhces there every
twenty days to load with fish and game
ana TO deliver the mail. A few men are en-
gagged IN the seal fisheries, and are doing
Wen. The seals are numerous around the
lsiano, out they are not so valuable as the
northern seal, on account of their light fur
villa ne e ISLAND Is covered with wild goats,
WHO donkeys and wild pigs. The natives.
strange to relate, catch the goats in tho
same way that 1t is reported Selkirk did.
q me only fruit that L there was the
ilS ana the ounce. Altogether the island
Is strange little principality Its rroun
talns reach to height of 5000 feet. and il
Is pretty well watered -
II was IN lIO4 that Alexander Selk.rk
lie Scotch seaman, was cast away here
and remained four years before he uas
PICKED up by British ship and taken hack
to his own country.
Many are the experiences which the is
iand mas undergone since then In tho
carry part of this century il was used for
time as convict settlement and in tba
walls OF the cliff are to be found hundreds
VI uuneeolS heWn by the prisoners them
selves IN the heart of the rock Bur the
distance from the mainland, as well as tho
oifflculty of keeping the garrison PROVISION
&c and recruited. led to several outbreaks
OF the prisoners, in which they massacred
the warden and troops The Chilean 80
eminent then decided to abandon .iIIau
FERNANDEZ as a convict settlement
1t was not until 1873 that the island was
again inhabited, when 1t was leased for A
term of years by Swiss patrician named
Baron Won Rodt. He had served in the
austrian cavalry and received wounds that
disabled him for army life. Converting his
fortune into money. he left Europe and
went to Valparaiso. Chile. Having a her
NIT disposition, he established himself on
Iie isoldteu iSland OF Juan Fernandez.
FINDING the lobster and other kind of fish
cries could be made profitable he leased
the island from the Chilean government and
conducted this industry, as well as fruit
raising on large and profitable scale
The war with Peru at length occurred
and his business was broken up. He re-
turned to Europe. but found himself so lit
tie adapted for civilized life after his island
experience and so homesick for his ocean
hcme that he again set sail for Juan Fer
nandez, this time taking with him a charm
ing bride to share his lot. There on the
green tropical shore, the most imposing of
the dozen villas. is his home today. He Is
now governor of the island, as well as the
best educated and wealthiest of its inhah-
itants, and is known as Don Alfredo"