JUAN FERNANDEZ 
181 
The scene represented in the sketch below is not without historic interest. Here 
Lord George Anson, having doubled Cape Horn with the loss of two ships in 1741, landed 
his men, suffering from the seaman’s scourge, scurvy. Many of the poor fellows died 
while being conveyed on shore, where Lord Anson had established a sanitary camp. Of 
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the fleet—comprising five men-of-war, a sloop, and two victualling vessels—with which he had 
SAN JUAN BAUTISTA, IN CUMBERLAND BAY. 
left Portsmouth, only two ships and two tenders remained when he arrived off Juan 
Fernandez. He was successful, however, in taking several rich prizes from the Spaniards, 
and in causing much damage to the enemy, and, on his return to England in 1744, was 
made Rear-Admiral of the Blue, and one of the Lords of the Admiralty. 
Cumberland Bay abounds with food, including a large cray-fish, which is very good 
eating. Our sportsmen captured a few descendants of the dark-brown long-haired goats which 
supplied Selkirk with that characteristic dress and head-gear familiar to the readers of Defoe’s 
romance. One of these animals, a fine young creature, was brought alive on board. By 
universal consent it was at once named “ Robinson Crusoe,” and remained to the end of the 
cruise a great favourite. His neck adorned with a shining brass collar, he often wandered 
about the ship, giving rise to many a laughable scene. Robinson Ciusoe had appaiently 
never seen a cat, for with an air of curiosity he followed one which we carried with us up 
and down the ladders, until puss, who was rather frightened by his attentions, succeeded in 
reaching a coign of vantage beyond his reach. When the watch was called on deck to 
make sail, Robinson Crusoe also made his appearance, placing himself at the head of 
the men. As soon as the operation was completed, he, with a hop and skip across the 
deck, disappeared below. 
Were it not for want of space, and the strict regulations necessary in a man-of-war, 
the “Challenger” would by this time have been converted into a floating menagerie. Even 
as it was, on” sunny days tame pigeons fluttered about the yards of the ship, and the forepart 
was alive’ with Jack's pets, in the shape of parrots and other birds. Perhaps the greatest 
favourite on board was “ Sam,” a Newfoundland dog which one of the officers had purchased 
from the captain of the “Emma Jane” at Kerguelen. His black shining coat caused him 
to suffer much from the heat of the tropics; but his sufferings are now doubtless quite 
forgotten in the cool atmosphere of his Highland home. The dog's intense excitement at 
the approach of land was truly a sight to witness; and I therefore occasionally took him ashore 
