The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-09-11
ROBINSON CRUsOE'S ANCIENT LOCK
Discovery of Alexander Selkirk's
Gun, an Interesting Find.

The discovery by Mr.. Randolph Ber-
ems of Robinson Crusoe's u is one of
the most interesting historical finds OF
recent years, and Will shortly ind a
resting place in tie British museum,
says The London Illustrated Mail.
The gun which it is supposed Alexan-
der Selkirk-better known as Robinson
~Crusoe-used on the Island of Juan Fer
nandez is fitted with an ordinary fin
lock. and upon the lock is engraved the
figure of an elephant. This would seem
10 imply that at some time or other the
lock-not necessarily the gun-was the
property of the old East India Compa-
ny. Also engraved upon the stock are
the words: a Selkirk, Lago, y. B."
This inscription IS roughly and labo-
rOusly graved, as with a penknife, in
letters about an inch high.
The following friendly doggerel is cut
upon the barrel:
With three drains powder.
And two ounces hail Cor "shot'),
Hammer we'll and prime me,
To kill l will not fail.
The story of the finding of this gun is
a little TRANCE. Mr.. Berens, prowling
for antiquities in the Ashmolean mu-
scum at Oxford some twenty years ago,
saw it and bought it there for he sum
Of ten %shillings.
AN IMPORTANT FIND.
Mr.. Beren has been able 20 trace the
gun back to 1875, Only when it was sold
by somebody at Chaplain for ten shil-
Iings to a man who, failing to see any
thing OF interest in it, offered it after
two years to the custodian of the Ash
| mclean museum at Oxford for twenty
shillings. They also saw little of inter-
est in the un. But two days later Mr..
Berens. being near Oxford on a visit,
strOlled by chance into the museum, and
Immediately recognized an important
find.
Every one who has read the famous
book-and who has not?-will be inter-
ested in this curious relic of the days
when Robinson Crusoe with his man
Friday dwelt on the desert island.
He was left upon the Island of Juan
Fernandez by the order of the captain
of the ship upon which he served as
! boatswain's mate for melting the crew
to mutiny, and was taken off four years
later by Captain Woodes Rodgers, who
when u at sea, had observed the sig
! nal from Lookout" Point.
Juan Fernandez is u part of the archi-
pelago discovered in 1863 by the navi-
gator of that name. The group consists
of two islands and an islet, which pO-
litically form part of the province OF
Valparaiso. They are situated between
So degrees and "a degrees latitude south,
and at 81 degrees longitude west Of
Paris. They are Mas a terra, Mas a
fuera, and Santa Clara. The first is
the only one that has ever been known
by the name of Juan Fernandez. This
is Robinson Crusoe's Isle. 1t IS about
thirty six square miles in extent, and is
heavily wooded with splendid tree
ferns. small orange trees, myrtles, and
sandal wood. The isle, which is moun-
tainOHs and has peaks of great height
is full of ravines and torrents. Crowds
of wild goats run through underwood,
and myriads of cummings birds chat
among the ferns. Everything thriveS
there: wheat, potatoes and many vege-
tables; cattle also do very we'll.
On Lookout hill Crusoe erected a
mast on which every day he hoistd q
strip of cloth to serve as a flag, and al
night he lit a fire there. Nearly sever
years ago the remains of the flagstaff
were found by the commission sent by
the Chilean government to the island &c
explore it, and to decide whether a pen
al settlement should be established
there. 1t had already been previously
used as a place of exile for politica.
~corvicts, and vestiges of their cells and
dungeons are still TO be seen. This use
Of it was eventually abandoned, and
in 1877 the island was let 10 an eccentric
Swiss.