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.