Selkirk's Rescue

Having been stuck on Mas a Tierra for 4 years and 4 months, Alexander Selkirk had grown used to his solitary and self-sufficient lifestyle, and he often didn't care if if he was ever rescued. But in February of 1709, an English ship the Duke weighed anchor off the coast, and the call of human society became to hard for him to resist.

The captain found Selkirk on the beach, surrounded by his goat companions and appearing quite wild. The whole crew was astonished to hear of his adventures on the island, and offered him passage back to England. Once home, he settled down to a normal life, and eventually married. Still, the call of of the sea proved to be too strong, and he soon accepted a position as master's mate on a new voyage.

Meanwhile, the story of his time as a castaway spread, providing him with some measure of fame. Daniel Defoe heard of of the tale, and based his famous novel Robinson Crusoe on Selkirk's story. However, he took a lot of literary license with the episode, including changing the location to the Caribbean, complete with parrots and hostile natives. Nevertheless, Mas a Tierra was eventually renamed Robinson Crusoe Island, and a nearby island part of the same archipelago was renamed as Selkirk island.

After he left, the islands remained uninhabited for some time, only occasionally visited by passing ships. In 1818, the Juan Fernandez Islands passed from Spanish ownership to that of the newly independent country of Chile, and eventually were settled. Around 900 people live there today, where it has become the most populous of the group of islands. A fair number of tourists visit each year as well, drawn by the island's beauty and famous history. Selkirk never returned there, but is quoted as lamenting "Oh, my beloved island, I wish I had never left thee!"