ALEXANDER SELKIRK. 
375 
had been left, so much had his thoughts been engaged in his calcu- 
lations. — Cavities, it is said, might easily be perceived in an old 
English oak table, at which he was accustomed to write, occasioned by 
the continual rubbing and wearing of his elbows. By his epitaph, it 
appears that he was related to archbishop Sharp. Mr. Sharp the 
eminent surgeon was his nephew ; and another nephew was the father 
of Mr. Ramsden, the celebrated instrument-maker, who used to say, 
that his grand-uncle, the subject of this article, had been, some time 
in his younger days, an excise-man, but quitted that occupation on 
coming to a patrimonial estate of about 200 per annum. 
Alexander Selkirk. 
This person, whose adventures gave rise to a well-known historical 
romance, Robinson Crusoe, was born at Largo, in Fife, in 1676, and was 
bred a seaman. He went from England in 1703, in the capacity of a 
sailing master of a small vessel, called the Cinque-Ports, Charles Pick- 
ering, captain, burden ninety tons, with twenty-six guns and sixty-eight 
men ; and in September, the same year, sailed from Cork, in company 
with another ship of twenty-six guns and one hundred and twent3^ 
men, called the St. George, commanded by that famous navigator 
William Dampier, intending to cruise against the Spaniards in the 
South Sea, on the coast of Brazil. Pickering died, and was succeeded 
in his command by his lieutenant, Thomas Stradling. They pro- 
ceeded on their voyage round Cape Horn to the island of Juan 
Fernandez, whence they were driven by the appearance of two French 
ships, of thirty-six guns each, and left five of Stradling’s men there 
on shore, who were taken off by the French. Hence they sailed 
to the coast of America, where Dampier and Stradling quarrelled, 
and separated by agreement, on the nineteenth of May, 1704. In 
September following, Stradling came again to the island of Juan 
Fernandez, where Selkirk and his captain had a difference, which 
with the circumstance of the ship’s being leaky and in very bad 
condition, induced him to determine on staying there alone ; but 
when his companions were about to depart, his resolution was shaken, 
and he desired to be taken on board again. The captain, however, 
refused to admit him, and he was obliged to remain, having nothing 
but his clothes, bedding, a gun, and a small quantity of powder and 
ball ; a hatchet, knife, and kettle ; his books, and mathematical and 
nautical instruments. He kept up his spirits tolerably till he saw 
the vessel put off, when, as he afterwards related, his heart yearned 
within him, and melted at parting with his comrades and all human 
society at once. Such is the rooted love we bear mankind, ruffians 
as too many of them are. 
Thus left sole monarch of the island, with plenty of the necessaries 
of life, he found himself in a situation hardly supportable. He had fish, 
goats, flesh, with turnips and other vegetables ; yet he grew dejected, 
languid, and melancholy, to such a degree as to be scarcely able to 
refrain from doing violence to himself. Eighteen months passed be- 
fore he could, by reasoning, reading his bible, and study, be tho- 
roughly reconciled to his condition. At length he grew happy, em- 
