This book is loved by children and adults.
The publication of the novel of Daniel Defoe about the adventures of Robinson Crusoe became a sensation: readers enthusiastically acquainted with the story of a brave sailor, who was forced to fight for his life on a desert island. According to one version, the source of inspiration for a writer was the story about the fate of the Scottish sailor Alexander Selkirk. Four years boatswain had been on the all-forsaken island, and, returning home, told of how he managed to survive in extreme conditions.
Model of the ship, where Alexander Selkirk went on fateful journey
“The fate of this incredible man is a finished script for the book,” – perhaps about as thought Defoe after he had a chance to talk with Alexander. The sailor told him of the trials which he had experienced after one day, after a quarrel with the captain of the ship on which he served, he was left alone with the wilderness. However, everything in order.
The archipelago of Juan Fernandez, where Alexander Selkirk lived for almost 4.5 years
Alexander Selkirk has always been an adventurer by nature. He did not relish the prospect of continuing the work of his father, who was engaged in leather craft, so he, while still a teenager, sailed, determined to spend the greater part of his life, roaming the oceans of the world. The first expedition was a success: Alexander mastered the simple duties of an ordinary seaman and settled on a pirate ship. Easy money, danger and adventure – that’s all, like a magnet, attracted the guy.
Alexander Selkirk on a desert island. Engravings from the collection of Mary Evans Picture Library
For the second time in the sea, he has gone in the status of a boatswain’s mate on the ship of the fleet of the pirate William Dampier. The course was held in the West Indies, to the places of gold mining. Everything was going great until the ship has not changed the captain, and then Alexander was seriously worried by the future crew: it seemed to him that the new helmsman absolutely nothing about shipping and dooming them all to certain death. Conflicts cocky boatswain, captain, occurred regularly until the latter threatened to plant a slave on a nearby island. At this point, Alexander would cost to reduce the temperature, but he smugly replied that it never scares. The challenge was accepted, and the next morning the boatswain, standing on the island, watched as his ship goes to the horizon.
Alexander Selkirk on the island. Engravings from the collection of Mary Evans Picture Library
Alexander left one of the Islands of the archipelago Juan Fernandez. At first, the guy is absolutely not afraid of this situation: he was sure that soon will meet with a new ship, will go to the team and all the troubles are behind us. In fact, he soon realized that the Bay is almost nobody goes. With the Spanish ships it was better not to meet (too English pirates managed to annoy them), but the British ship came near the island only after 4 years and 4 months.
Alexander Selkirk tells Defoe Daniel his story
Life on the island was a grave challenge for Alexander. He immediately realized that to live alone have for a long time, so first famously spent matches and gunpowder, which took from the ship. When it became clear that the stock is coming to an end, Alexander began to think, how to win in this unequal battle with the circumstances. He was able to build two huts (one of them was used for cooking, a fire like primitive man, produced by friction), learned to make clothes from goat skins. Finding food was easy: Alexander hunted goats, birds, turtles… When gunpowder ran out, he began to set snares, to simplify your task, the kids were caught, injured their tendons, and then they will never be able to run fast. To cope with the attacks of rats, native domesticated cats that were brought to the island by sailors.
British ship takes Selkirk from the island
From his island of captivity he was rescued by the British. Ironically, the expedition to the forgotten archipelago, sent the pirate William Dampier! The first time he couldn’t even really explain who he is and how he got to the island, years of silence made itself felt. However, later the sailor, the Islander partially returned to normal life. Interesting is the fact that the ship from which he descended, indeed crashed. True, and Alexander himself, after a few years died in another naval campaign, having caught malaria. In memory of his life remains a beautiful story, reinterpreted by Daniel Defoe.
