The Solitary of Juan Fernandez, or the Real Robinson Crusoe

Fog. -The Sea every where.-Dialogue with a Toucan.-The first

oors of the college of St. Andrew thrown open for his exit; once more he was his own master. Now, however, it is at some thous

their persons, should become objects of antipathy to the misanthropic Selkirk, as it is but natural to fear? Well! after all, no eng

he interior of the continent, if an opportunity presents itself, and he wil

lowers joyfully unfolding their petals to the sun: two streams, having their source at the very ba

d tastes it, as a libation, and as a toast to the generous land which has just rec

tationed there immovable like a sentinel, and whose delicate profile is clearly defined on the azure of the sky. On the side towards the s

arming undulations; but on the mountains at his left, in the valleys at his right, am

. Notwithstanding his piratical sentiments, the captain of the Swordfish has not designed to precede exile by confiscation. Selkirk takes his gun, his gourd; but, unable to carry all his

clasped by two long hairy arms; he turns his head, it is Mar

here? Selkirk

by the moment of the boat's leaving the ship to conceal herself in it and gain the shore along with the pris

ng, by her most graceful grimaces, sought to conciliate him, marches beside him. Not caring to arrive at Coquimbo escorted by such a companion, which would giv

eyes, moves her lips, and growling confusedly her complaints and reproaches, c

e arrives at the margin of a sandy plain, and as far as the eye can reach, perceives neithe

nts a certain symmetry; fragments of branches are strewed, on the ground, which seem to have been freshly cut; he even thinks he sees vestiges of the passage of

aced roofs, others covered with thatch; through the humid veil which envelopes them, he sees the glistening of the glass in the windows; alre

and shortening his route by a path a

id, angular rocks, flattened at their summits, tessellated with fragments of silex and mica, on which the sun is just pouring his rays; a company of goats, which the mist had condemned to a momentary repose, are boundin

city, as it has more than once deluded us in the midst of plains and woods, by the appearance

rm, and from thence seeks to discover some indications of a city. Nothing! he still ascends, the circle enlarges around him, but with no better result. Summoning all his courage, through a thousand difficulties, climbing, drawing himself up by the arid an

e continent, bu

wn in a grotto at the foot of the mountain, wher

rning, is to examine his riches and his provisio

ging to him, he finds there a quantity of nails, a large fragment of a sail, several horns of powder and s

ved by a false reckoning of latitude, had landed him on an island, perhaps believing it to be a projecting shore of the continent. Now, the abundance of his supplies, this biscuit, these sa

d inhabited or deserted? If it is inhabited, as he sti

ts whole extent. At the very commencement of his journey, the immobility of a bird suffices

ear it, with his eyes fixed on the branch which serves as a perch, and the touca

mprehends the mute l

creature to whom God has given life, the enemy even of his kin

d, striking the butt of his

ting new and redoubled surprise, but without any other movement. It seemed to think that th

h, acting the great nobleman, cutting short the audience he has deigned to grant, the toucan is silent, turns its head, proudly raises on

resence than did the toucan. Crested orioles, hooded bullfinches, alight to pick up little grains or insects almost at his feet; humming-birds, variegated cotingas, red manaquins flutter before

of the size of a hare; seated on its hind paws, longer than those in front, it uses these, after the manner of squirrels, to carry to its mouth some nuts of the maripa, which cons

f hedge-hog without the quills, but covered with an armor of scales, more compact and impervious than that of th

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jaw; holds his meat in his forepaws like a squirrel, and has a very remarkable cry: when he is angry, his hair stands on end, a

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th to conquer. When it sleeps it rolls itself into a lump, and remains immovable for fifteen hours together. His eyes are small, but full of life; and when domesticated, this creature is very playful and amusing. A great peculiarity belonging to this animal is the length of his snout, which resembles in some particulars

t deepen in the heart of Selkirk

this thick wood, did I not see alleys trimmed wi

the trees; they are myrtles of various heights; but among their glossy branches, he in vain seeks traces of the pr

rwood. The only pruners have been goats, or ot

mber of men, perhaps condemned to die of misery and of hunger! more securely imprisoned, more entirely forgotten by the worl

rs a noise above his

ed with her discoveries, or whether forgiveness and forgetfulness of injuries are natural to her, on perceiving her o

r! In the disposition of mind in which Selkirk finds himself, he does not need these thought

vined his intentions; she has only time to retreat behind her tree, w

he world, as it is prolonged from echo to echo, even to the highest mountains, awakens in every part of the island as i

the uneasy and distant bleating of the goats, succeeds

da lamenting

tions, Selkirk is returning to his grotto on the shore

ek. He immediately hears as it were a joyous whistling in the foliage, which is agitated at his right, and sees Marimonda leaping from tr

is island, is it deserted? He has just traversed it in every direction

t. And yet his forehead wears rather the character of hope and forti

length; in breadth it is from one and a half to two leagues. This abode to which he is condemne

eem to be placed there only as a contrast to the fresh and green valleys which encircle them. If he has seen some dark,

usion beneath his feet; over his head, and almost within reach of his hand, palm-cabbages, and unknown fruits of succulent appearance: on the margin of the shores, muscles, periwinkles, shell-fish of every species, crabs crawling in the moist sand;

y, to depend only upon himself, will not this impart to his soul true dignity? Besides, this island cannot be so far from the coast, but, from time to time, ships, or at least boats must come in sight. This is then for him but a transient seclusion; but were he even condemned to eternal isola

of Stradling, he is the prisoner of

well! the sea surrounds him, guards him!

ddenly sinking below the horizon, permits him to read only this pass