Alexander Selkirk, Woodes Rodgers, Dampier

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

I've gotten real curious about Alex. This story is worth living i think. Found a couple of interesting summary articles and one about archeological digs and findings. Enjoy.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/...81029105803.htm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/scottishhisto...es_europe.shtml

Anyhow, I'm fascinated with this so I'll post what I find from this sudden madness.

Bo

[oderlesseye]

I was fascinated by the fact that Woodes Rodgers was the one who saved Selkirk with William Dampier as the navigator of his ship... Small world eagh?

Selkirk fell out with the commander over the boat’s seaworthiness and he decided to remain behind on Robinson Crusoe Island where they had landed to overhaul the worm-infested vessel.

He was Wise to be marooned willingly.. What I found funny is the number of Survivors from the Cinque Ports

The article link says seven and the captain whereas " the Complete Idiots Guide to Pirates Says 70 survivors...both agree on the account of the Peruvian prison as their demise..

I think 7 survivors is the correct account...

Edited December 29, 2008 by oderlesseye

[Captain Jim]

I was fascinated by the fact that Woodes Rodgers was the one who saved Selkirk with William Dampier as the navigator of his ship... Small world eagh?

Actually it was a small world back then, as the whole population of English on the planet was about 6.5 to 7 million. Compare that to the 8.27 million people living in New York City alone today. The population of seagoing men was quite small as going to sea was still seen as a last resort for most landsmen. Selkirk himself went to sea to avoid a magistrate's hearing. As for circumnavigators, a very small population indeed. Extrapolate that out to the population of pyrates and should be of little surprise that a number of them knew each other.

Edited December 29, 2008 by Captain Jim

[Mission]

It's kind of interesting that they have any doubt that Selkirk was on the island. The story is supported by historical accounts at both ends - when he was stranded and when he was picked up.

I notice the Science Daily article said, "[he] seems to have enjoyed a more peaceful and devout existence than at any other time in his life." While this is true, he was also constantly searching for sails and ships passing. He wanted off the island very badly according to what little documentation we have.

As for the survivors of the Cinque Ports, you can read about them in William Funnell's book A voyage round the world.

I posted this in your topic in the PiP forum, but since this is the actual reference forum, I'm going to repost it here:

If you want to read about Selkirk's life on Más a Tierra/Juan Fernandez Island, I recommend two books:

Selkirk's Island: The True and Strange Adventures of the Real Robinson Crusoe by Diana Souhami. Souhami has a tendency to interpolate from the material she has read to create a POV narrative for Selkirk, which is either annoying -if you want the actual facts- or interesting -if you're one of those romantic folks who don't necessarily want to be weighed down exclusively with facts. She also found some additional period references that I haven't seen elsewhere, so her book is worth the read if you want to understand Selkirk.

And, of course, Woodes Rogers' A Cruising Voyage Round the World, pages 72-74.

Edward Cooke also has some material on Selkirk in his book A Voyage to the South Sea and Round the World in the Years 1708 to 1711, but it's very slight compared with Rogers account and most of what will interest you there can be found in Souhami's book.

[Capt. Sterling]

I was fascinated by the fact that Woodes Rodgers was the one who saved Selkirk with William Dampier as the navigator of his ship... Small world eagh?

Actually it was a small world back then, as the whole population of English on the planet was about 6.5 to 7 million. Compare that to the 8.27 million people living in New York City alone today. The population of seagoing men was quite small as going to sea was still seen as a last resort for most landsmen. Selkirk himself went to sea to avoid a magistrate's hearing. As for circumnavigators, a very small population indeed. Extrapolate that out to the population of pyrates and should be of little surprise that a number of them knew each other.

Hmmm wasn't Dampier involved or at least present,in both the marooning and the rescue some how?

[Mission]

Dampier was in charge of the "fleet" of ships that stranded Selkirk, but if I recall Funnell's account correctly, Dampier's ship wasn't even at Juan Fernandez when Selkirk demanded to be left ashore. (Something Selkirk immediately regretted when he discovered that no one else was willing to stay with him on Juan Fernandez. He pleaded with Captain Stradling to let him back on board which Stradling refused to do.) I believe Dampier had gotten in a fight with Stradling, the captain of the Cinque Ports, and they had sailed their separate ways at that point. However, (if I recall Rogers account correctly) Dampier knew that Selkirk might still be on the island on the Rogers' Expedition and I believe this was one reason he wanted to stop there.

[Fox]

Selkirk's watching for ships was also a matter of daily self preservation - not only did he have to keep an eye open for English (or friendly) ships which might get him home (but would be rare in those waters), but he also needed to have warning of Spanish (or other enemy) ships, which would have been more common. Selkirk's camp was once destroyed by visiting Spaniards who, IIRC, spent some time hunting for him.

It is no surprise that Dampier was involved with both ends of Selkirk's ordeal, there weren't all that many voyages into the South Seas, and Dampier was taken on by Rogers precisely because he was one of the few available men with the experience. Dampier was not actually present when Selkirk marooned himself, but as noted was in command of the expedition. Selkirk refused to leave the island when he heard that Dampier was among the officers of Rogers' expedition until he was assured that Dampier was not in command.

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

Thanx for that Foxe. In your travels and reading have you run across anything regarding Selkirks weapon? know where it might be located? Shipping records for the Cinque Portes? Capt. Jim was asking on another thread and I am curious to find out too.

Bo

[oderlesseye]

I was Curious as to what the name of the ship William Dampier was aboard when Selkirk was Marooned.

I had a book about William Dampier and his travel but can't locate it right now..

Edited December 29, 2008 by oderlesseye

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

I think I may have located selkirk's gunne...

http://www.scran.ac.uk/database/record.php...0-000-120-729-C

Is this museum still open and is there any way to get a better photo of that gunne in the picture?

Bo

[Mission]

I was Curious as to what the name of the ship William Dampier was aboard when Selkirk was Marooned.

I had a book about William Dampier and his travel but can't locate it right now..

The St. George.

[oderlesseye]

Thanx Mission..

[Fox]

I'm afraid I have no idea about selkirk's gun.

Without knowing more about the gun in question it's difficult to say - but note that it 'may have been owned by Robinson Crusoe', which suggests it's of doubtful provenance. Quite possibly someone found a gun of approximately the right age in a house in Largo, and the rest is... well, not quite history. Or something like that.

[Mission]

I was just entering the bit about Selkirk in Cooke's book into my notes (I'm doing a section on him under health concerns of marooned sailors) and I thought I'd just insert all my notes from Cooke and Rogers on him for those interested. (I doubt this is everything that was in Rogers' book about Selkirk who Rogers seemed to be fascinated with - he nicknamed him "the Governour" and referred to him throughout the rest of his narrative. So you should really read the Rogers' account for yourself. This does contain everything that Cooke has to say, so I wouldn't bother with that one. Cooke didn't seem to find him very interesting.)

“[Alexander Selkirk] had with him his Clothes and Bedding; with a Firelock, some Powder, bullets, and Tobacco, a Hatchet, a Knife a Kettle, a Bible, some 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 left alone in such a desolate place. He built two Hulls with Piemento Trees, cover’d them with long Grass, and lin’d them with the Skins of Goats, which he kill’d with his Gun as he wanted, so long as his Powder lasted, which was but a pound and that being near spent, he got fire by rubbing two sticks of Piemento Wood together upon his knee.” (Rogers, p. 72)

“[selkirk] might have had Fish enough, but could not eat ‘em for want of Salt, because occasion’d a Looseness, except Crawfish, which are there as large as our Lobsters, and very good.” (Rogers, p. 72)

“He told us that his Agility in pursuing a Goat had once like to have cost him his Life; he pursu’d it with so much Eagerness that he catch’d hold of it on the brink of a Precipice, of which he was not aware, the Bushes having hid it from him; so that he fell with, the Goat down the said Precipice a great height, and was so stun’d and Bruis’d with the Fall, that he narrowly escap’d with his Life, and when he came to his Senses, found the Goat dead under him. He lay there about 24 hours, and was scarce able to crawl to his Hutt, which was about a mile distant, or to stir abroad again for ten days.” (Rogers, p. 72)

“He [selkirk] found there also a black Pepper called Melangita, which was very good to expel Wind, and against Griping of the Guts.” (Rogers, p. 72)

“He soon wore out all his Shoes and Clothes by running thro the Woods; and at last being forc’d to shift without them, his Feet became so hard, that he run every where without Annoyance; and it was some time before he could wear Shoes after we found him; for not being us'd to any so long, his Feet swell’d when he came first to wear ‘em again.” (Rogers, p. 72-3)

“The Rats gnaw’d on his Feet and Clothes while asleep, which oblig’d him to cherish the [wild] Cats with his Goats-flesh; by which many of them became so tame, that they would lie about him in hundreds, and soon deliver’d him from the Rats. He likewise tam’d some Kids, and to divert himself would now and then sing and dance with them and his Cats; so that by the Care of Providence and Vigour of his Youth, being now but about 30 years old, he came at last to conquer all the In conveniences of his Solitude, and to be very easy. When his Clothes wore out, he made himself a Coat and Cap of Goat-Skins, which he stich’d together with little Thongs of the same, that he cut with his Knife. He had no other needle but a Nail; and when his Knife was wore 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 sow’d himself Shirts with a Nail, and stich’d ‘em with the Worsted of his old Stockings, which he pull’d out on purpose. He had his last Shirt on when we found him in the island.” (Rogers, p. 73)

“The Climate is so good, that the Trees and Grass are verdant all the Year. The Winter lasts no longer than June and July, and is not then severe, there being on a small Frost and a little Hail, but sometimes great Rains. The Heat of the Summer is equally moderate, and there’s not much Thunder or tempestuous Weather of any sort.” (Rogers, p. 73)

“By this one may see that Solitude and Retirement from the World is not such an insufferable State of Life as most men imagine, especially when People are fairly call’d or thrown into it unavoidably, as this Man [selkirk] was, who in all probability must otherwise have perish’d in the Seas, the Ship which left him being cast away not long after, and few of the Company escap’d.” (Rogers, p. 74)

“It may likewise instruct us, how much a plain and temperate way of living conduces to the Health of the Body and the Vigour of the Mind, both which we are apt to destroy by Excess and Plenty, especially of strong Liquour, and the Variety as well as the Nature of our Meat and Drink: for this Man [selkirk], when he came to our ordinary Method of Diet and Life, tho he was sober enough, lost much of his Strength and Agility.” (Rogers, p. 74)

“[February 1, 1709] The Duke Boat went ashore [at Juan Fernandez Island], and found one Alexander Selkirk, who had been formerly Master of the Cinque Ports Galley, an English Privateer in those Parts; and having some Difference with the Captain of said Ship, and she being leaky, he left the said Capt. Stradling, going ashore on this Island, where he continu’d four Years and four Months, living on Goats, and Cabbages that grow on Trees, Turnips, Parsnips, &c. He told us a Spanish Ship or two which touch’d there, had like to have taken him, and fir’d some Shot at him. He was cloath’d in a Goat’s-Skin Jacket, Breeches and Cap, sew’d together with Thongs of the same. He tam’d some wild Goats and Cats, whereof there are great Numbers.” (Cooke, p. 34)

[Mission]

This is an equally fascinating story of Juan Fernandez. It is actually from Dampier's book, but I don't have the complete quote or the book, so I'm citing Cooke's rewriting of Dampier's book. In several ways, the Indian is more clever than Selkirk.

“…and [Dampier] being come to the Island of Juan Fernandes, speaks of it thus: March the 22d, 1684, we came in Sight of the Island, and the next Day got in and anchor’d in a Bay at the South End of it, in 25 Fathom Water, not two Cables Length from the Shore, sending immediately ashore to see for a Mosquito Indian, whom we left here when we were chas’d by three Spanish Ships, in the Year 1681, Capt. Watlin being

__

then our Commander, after Capt. Sharp was turn’d out. This Indian liv’d here above three Years, and was several times sought after by the Spaniards, who could never find him. When left ashore by Capt. Watlin, he was hunting of Goats in the Woods, and had with him his Gun, a Knife, a small Powder-horn, and a few Shot; which being spent, he contriv’d, by notching his Knife, to saw the Barrel of his Gun into small Pieces, of which he made Harping-Irons, Spears, Hooks, and a long Knife, heating the Pieces first, and then striking with his Gun-Flint, and a Piece of the Barrel he had hardn’d having learn’d to do that among the English. The hot Pieces of Iron, he hammer’d out, and bent as he pleas’d, with Stones saw’d them with his jagg’d Kinfe, ground them to an Edge with long Labour, and harden’d them to a Temper. With these Instruments he got such Provision as the Island afforded, either Goats or Fish, and told us, that at first he was forc’d to eat Seal, a coarse Sort of Food, which he afterwards never kill’d, but to make Thongs of their Skins. He had a little House, or Hut, half a Mile from the Shore, all lin’d with Goats Skins; his Couch of Sticks, rais’d about two Foot from the Ground, cover’d with the same was his Bed. Having worn out all his Cloaths, he had only a Skin wrapp’d about his Waste. Believing our Ships to be English, when at a Distance, he kill’d three Goats, and dress’d them with Cabbage, to treat us when we came ashore, coming down to the Sea-side, to congratulate our safe Arrival.” (Cooke, p. 104-5)

[Mary Diamond]

Interesting! Nice to note the warm welcome offered, in way of a meal.