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JUAN FERNANDEZ
Born
in 1536, this Spanish explorer and navigator was the one
that discovered the Jan Fernandez Islands, along with the
San Felix and San Ambrosio Islands among the Pacific
islands. As you
approach the San Fernandez Islands, you cannot help but feel
a little overwhelmed by their beauty.
You can only imagine what Fernandez must have felt on
his unbelievable journey. Juan Fernandez was also the explorer who first discovered
Robinson Crusoe Island in 1574.
This particular discovery was dedicated to his land
of Spain, thus naming the three primary islands Mas Afuera,
known today as Alejandro Selkirk, Santa Clara, with the same
name, and Mas a Tierra, today being the Robinson Crusoe
Island.
As
Fernandez followed the wishes of the Crown, he soon settled
the islands, bringing with him some 60 Indians, chickens,
and goats. Soon,
the fur seals that lived on the island were killed and their
natural oils extracted and sold in Peru for a lot of money.
The ship that Fernandez used for shipping products
eventually sank, causing him to lose all his capital.
With this, the Crown denied him petition of supremacy
when he arrived in Chile.
By this time, Fernandez was old and tired, choosing
to move to Quillota in Central Chile.
The
islands Fernandez had discovered were terribly neglected by
the Crown and they soon became a place for pirates and
buccaneers to live and position themselves for attack on
Peru and Chile. During
this time, just a few visitors from ships would come so the
goats that Fernandez had originally brought to the island
multiplied. Almost
100 years later, a Jesuit by the name of Diego de Rosales
arrived on the islands, stopping at Robinson Crusoe Island. Rosales stayed just a few days, long enough to plant
vegetables and trees so crews of future ships could be
fed.
As
we look at the history of the Fernandez Islands, we see that
a large number of explorers, sailors, and pirates stopped at
Mas a Tierra during the 17th century.
Of these, the most famous was the ship Cinque Ports
when in 1704, Alexander Selkirk, just 24 years old,
abandoned his ship after having a quarrel with the captain.
Staying at Mas a Tierra Island, Selkirk lived there
for four years and four months alone when finally, the
British ship, Duke being commanded by Captain Woodes Rogers
rescued him.
Then
just a few years later, an author named Daniel Defoe heard
about the woes of Selkirk, choosing to write about his great
adventure. The
outcome of his writings was the character of Robinson Crusoe
that we have all come to know and love.
Today, the only living mammal on the islands is the
fur seal, which had earlier been exploited.
With great efforts, we now see the seal thriving.
Finally, during some seasons, you will be fortunate
enough to see various species of the dolphin, particularly
the Bottle Nose.
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