The Recovery of Selkirk From Juan Fernandez.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 407, 2 October 1889, Page 4

The Recovery of Selkirk From Juan Fernandez.

It was when Dampier sailed as pilot to Wooclos Rogers that Alexander Selkirk was recovered from the island of Juan Fernandez. The account of his recovery is chiefly given from Cooke :—: — ' Aa soon as it was dark, wo caw a Light ashore. Our Boafc was then about a League from the Island, and bore away for the Ship as soon as she saw the Lights : We put our Lights aboard for the Boat, tho' some were of Opinion the Lights we saw were our Boat's Lights : Bufc as Night came on ie appeared too large for that. We fired our Quarterdeck Gun and several Musquets, showing Light in our Mizen and Fore Shrouds, that our Boat might find us whilst we were in the Lee of the Island . . . All this Stir and Apprehension arose, as we afterwards found, from one poor naked Man who passed in our Imagination, at present for a Spanish Garrison, a Body of Frenchmen or a Crew of Pirates.' Next day they sent their yawl ashore, and as this boat did not return they despatched the pinnace to seek her. Rogerß then continues :—: — • Immediately our Pinnace returned from the Shore and brought abundance of Crayfish with a Man cloathed in Goat-skins, who looked wilder than the first Owners of them. He had been on the Island Four Years and Four Months, being left there by Captain Stradling in the Cinque Ports ; his Name was Alexander Selkirk, a Scotsman who had been Master of the Cinque Ports, a Ship that came here last with Captain Dampier, who told me that this was the best man in her, and I immediately agreed with him to be a Mate on board our Ship : 'Twas he that made the Fire last Night when he saw our Ships, which he judged to be English. . . . The Reason of his being lef there was a Difference between him and his Captain ; which, together with the Ship's being leaky, made him willing rather to stay here than go along with him at first ; and when he was at last willing to go the Captain would not receive him. . . He had with him "his Cloaths and Bedding, with a Firelock, some Powder, Bullets, and Tobacco, a Hatchet, a Knite, a Kettle, a Bible, aome Practical Pieces, and his Mathematical Instruments and Books. He diverted and provided for himself as well as he could ; but for the first eight Months had much ado to bear up against Melancholy and the Terror of being loft alone in such a Place. He built two Huts with Pimento-trees, covered them wibh long Grass, and lined them with the Skins of Goats, which he killed with his Gun as he wanted, so long as his Powder lasted, which was but a Pound ; and that being, almost spent, he got Fire by rubbing two Sticks of Pimento Wood together upon his Knee. In the lesser Hut, at some Distance from the other, he dressed his Victuals ; and in the larger he slept, and enjoyed himself in Reading, singing Psalms, and Piaying, so that he said he v as a better Christian while in this Solitude, than ever he was before, or than he was afraid he should ever be again. At first he never eat anything till Hunger constrained him, partly for Grief and partly for want ot' Bread and Salt : Nor did he go to Bed till he could watch no longer ; the Pimento Wood, which burnt very clear, served him both for Fire and Candle, and refreshed him with its fragrant Smell. ... By the Favour of Providence and Vigour of his Youth, being now but thirty years old, he came at last to conquer all the Inconveniences of his Solitude and to bo very easy. When his Cloathß wore out he made himself a Coat and a Cap of Goat-skins which he stitched together with littie Thongs of the same that ho cut with Hi 9 Knife. He had no other Needle but a Nail ; and when his Knife was worn to the Back he made others as well as he could of some Iron Hoops that were left ashore, which he beat thin, and ground upon Stones. Having some Linen Cloth by him, he sewod him some shirt" with a Nail, and stitched them with the Worsted of his old stockings, which he pulled out on purpofee. He had his last shirt on when we found him in the island. At his first coming on board us he had so much forgot his Language for want of Use that we could t scarce understand him ; for he seemed to speak his words by halves. Wo otlered him a Dram ; but he would not touch it, having drunk nothing but Water since his being there ; and it was some Time before he could relish our Victuals.' — 'Clark Russell's Damper. '

Policeman (S a.m.): "Come, sir; you must move on. You've been standing here an hour." Pompano {with dignity) : "Know it — waitin' for carzh." Policeman : "No night cars on this line, sir." Pompano (with increasing dignity) : " Wattins for day carzh ; timesh nozziu' to me." When money is tight it is a aure sign there is a •' screw loose " somewhere. 41 You are from the country, are you not, sir ?" said a dandy young bookseller to a homely dressed Quaker who had given him some trouble. 4 ' Yea." " Here's an essay on the rearing of calves." "That," said Aminadab, as he turned to leave the shop " thou had better present to thy mother." 11 What coloured dishes will you have, ma'am ?" said the polite china-dealer to the boarding-house keeper. " Oh, almost any colour that won't show the dirt," was the reply. Birds are not noted for courage, but many of them die game. : Furniture on the war-path — Sofas and chairs with arms. A boy in the South has swallowed a knife. Ho is awfully cut up about it.