ROBINSON CRUSOE.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 January 1924, Page 4

ROBINSON CRUSOE.

I I LIS LSI,AND AS HOLIDAY KIiSOHT.

I | -.1 itp.u Foruamlc/., that tascinaiuijj i Hull.' inland off ili c coast of C File, | who-,e history is so closely bound up I wills I las story of ’Holiinson ( ntsoe, ! i:, lo be converted into a tourist rcilj de/a-ous. .\si cnlorprisino imlel propi'icloi' is about- io i-ioct a lioatol on I lie island, and a regular steamboat sendee i> to bo nuiintainod between it and Valparaiso. It is sirange that this now's should oomo just alter the bi-centenary ol the death ol Alexander Selkirk. It was the stirrim: narrative whirl) this Scottish sailor told Detoe ot his lonely life on the island that led him 1,, pen that wonderful romance of j adventure, "Itohinson Crusoe. Selkirk, however, was hy no means I the first or even the last sailor to ( “crUsoe"— -if one may lise such a terns ! as definino; solitary habitation—on the i island. The Spanish mariner J'tnn Fernando', who discovered the island in I olid, was so cliarnicd with llie spot that la- decided to end his days there. Dili he soon prow tired ol i lie lonely life, and il was not l'-np before be j abandoned his kingdom. leaving behind him, as a gift to posterity a herd of am! I’ldiii that timo miiit tin' ot .Moxamler Selkirk. .(nan Fernand was oreasionallv occupied hy lonely sailors. The majority only remained i i lew months, though ihere is one in sla-iee .0 an Indian who stayed there for thri-r* ,\ ears, lie was aecidelitallv left held,! I ir-mi one ol Dampier's

- SKl.Kink'S AHVKXTntKS. Iy.it tin' real Imru of .lu.m i’« i minde/, ..I nmr'i' i- Alexander Selkirk. v.::u u.-is jiii ashore there in I 7*• I. It was al Ins nun re(|!ie.-l that he I. ll << i(’<l. tor ! n urievniifi-- a.oiii-t hi' !ca jitit ill. mill l lie IV. n did nut yet mi s veil well tngether. lie va-. lei; lie his mipai*■ ■= - v.'itli ! a I'air 'lark 111 clot lie- ami hoots. * telerahle amount of ai.nmnnition. a niii'ket, a kettle, mine poi'Miis cl Itaeeii. a Hihlr ami otiier honks, ami a leu matin inntiriil instnttnen l -. He hail veyelahles, ion—turnips, parsnips. eaiihaef'. watercress am! par.-ley. Vet it took Selkirk eieiit nmtuhs to roeoncihe himsilr in nay decree to his kit, ami when he did finally settle down lie did not lind lit- in his island kin it limn so easy or so enjoyable as one I writers iiaie 1 er| u- i,s lielieve. | Selkirk has told n . that lm I'mtiid l i e:,l remeli diHintlt ill. lit'-l to yet '*' -leeji iiwiny to tile multitude- of rut-, that swartned over the island. I ney ate holes ill hi- riot he- ain I iiihMed hi- toe., whenever he laid down to n i. In she end hr kept the vermin i dir-!. In inernn, of a hand of tent" eat.. | lie yii'V. I.y piv.-tiee . licet of foot as j to keep hie ia>liei au]iji!i',"l wall goals' lle-.li li.ny after ins aininniiit inn lulled. The niinonto tree, which flotti'ishi's on ti"-- island, supplied him not unit witli pepper. Imt link. candle-- ami sv. i r i--nielliiej; (iiowond a - well. He reai'eii a kinm nniiiher of kids to onI sure pleiiiy Cl loud in din - ■ j imei'l'. reil with hi- liuntioy: -and. m- | del'd, lie was ituee laid up h r nhllosl 1 fort nialil. I.y lumbliiip; over a preeipie.' while pili'iimo a yea!. lie keynilrd liis idle moments hy ieaeliiny his kids alii] lal - any iimnker *-1 i riri s. Clothes tie provided out of yoatskins: lull could not mamiye to make new slim's, so lie had to rai hareli. ited nil'll liis old ones were worn out,

WII.CKI! THAN THK COATS. Durilip; his lout! :inil llli‘ island ho saw many shins pass, lull of those only two [Hit into the shore. IToin thorn siinio Spaniards landed, who, perceivin'' Selkirk, cave chase. I!v this time, however, lie had learnt to inn ilnwii a coat, and si had tin ilillii nlty in koopiiin- his visitors at a. mf“ distance. Tin’s was tin- only nera'-ioll on wldcii the outer world invaded hi--solitude until the arrival of the ship in which he hit .Ilian Fernando-.: T.r ever, alter a -lay of four year- .-nd four months. Selkirk was rc-rued from his lorn ly kingdom liy Captain Itopers, who descrihi'd liiui a.s "a man dps-ed in coats’ skins, and wilder in appeai-anr-e than tin- ;oats them:elves." With l.un tile [.dory of dtiau Fernando:' passed into lieiion, and lives for ever in Defoe’s pane-. On his return In ' upland. Selkirk met Defoe, and told him of his adventures. They are suppose I to have met at the Cook and I’olf'e Tavern in Bristol. ISLAND 1! IvSl DKNTS.

Somo 240 pel-sons dwell on the island to-day, 1-10 of whom are tindei ten years of age. They are prim-ip nlv fishermen and whalers. They reside in log bungalows around Cumberland Bay, many of which boast of beautiful gardens with cherry trees. ’lv,o schools, a small chapel, a. ceinc-tory. a post office, and the new wirc'e«« station are tiie only public buildings. The most noteworthy grates in the cemetery are those of two German sailo v s from the notorious cruiser Dresden, the wreck of which lies in Cumberland Bay, where'it was sunk in Hilo h.v the Glasgow. The island, which belongs to Gbil--. and is some 120 miles from the mainland. can he readied from Valparaiso in twenty-live hours hv I, oat. an ! i‘ : a regular service is organised. a> at present proposed, and suitable hotel accommodation provided. Bohi t,. r, Crusoe's island will in. douh; a-tri-t many visitors. Naturally what v.i'l appeal to all tourists are the p! ivs assr.eiated with Alexander t'clki-'i;

There i~ the cave, or grotto, wh •li be used as his house, around tie '.tab of which are still to be seen a number of rusty nails and rude shelves a..d cupboards. Then there is T.noit-oui Point, a lofty pinnacle, over 2,000 ft above the level of the spa. .-elstirk i~ saifl to have climbed this very peak every day during his first eignt Jinur,! s stay on the island, in 'lie hone el attracting the attention of a pas.i.'g ship. At the foot- of this hill is a lariat erected to Selkirk’s menuirv by the •officers of li.Af.S. Topas >u 1 dW. Although it- appears barr'u fi mi TV. sea, the island, which, is some twelve miles-in length and five miles across at its widest part, is well Wooded, and boasts many springs. The wild goatare still there, as Well- as a few' wild horses, and many bjnls of- beautif"... plumage are to be sefen in the _woods- - — Ffnrold .T. Shops tonin the ‘VO'-Vir. Scotsman.* .-. r- ‘ . ..