erience has taught 'em since,
that this is the best Passage to go round the Horn, where they have Sea
Room enow, without being crushed and crowded as at a Ranelagh
Masquerade; and the Straits are in many places very narrow, with strong
Tides and no Anchor Ground.

On the 31st of January, at seven in the Morning, we made the Island of
Juan Fernandez, bearing W.S.W., and about two in the Afternoon we
hoisted our Pinnace out, and essayed to send one of our Lieutenants
ashore, though we could not be less than four leagues off. As soon as it
was Dark our men cried out that they saw a Light ashore; our Boat was
then about a mile from the Shore, and bore away for the Ship on our
firing a Quarter-deck Gun, and several Muskets, showing Lanterns in our
Mizen and Foreshrouds, that the Pinnace might find us again, whilst we
plied to the lee of the Island. About two in the Morning she came
aboard, all safe. Next day we sent our Yall ashore about noon with the
Master and Six Men, all well Armed; meanwhile we cleared all ready for
Action on board the _Marquis_. Our Boat did not return, so we sent our
Pinnace with the Crew, likewise Armed: for we were afraid that the
Spaniards might have had a Garrison there, and so seized 'em. However,
the Pinnace returned, and brought abundance of Crawfish, but found
nothing human; so that the alarm about the Light must have been a mere
superstition of the Ship's Company.

_It was at this same Island of Juan Fernandez, in the year of our Lord
1708-9, that Captain Woodes Rogers, commanding the "Duke" Frigate, and
with whom also Captain Dampier, that famous Circumnavigator, sailed,
found a Man clothed in Goatskins, who looked wilder than they who had
been the first owners of 'em. He had been on the Island four years and
four months, being left there by Captain Stradling in the "Cinque
Ports;" his name was_ ALEXANDER SELKIRK, _a Scottish man, who had been
Sailing Master to the "Cinque Ports;" but quarrelling with the
Commander, was by him accused of Mutiny, and so Abandoned on this
Uninhabited Island. During his stay he saw several Ships pass by, but
only two came to an Anchor. As he went to view 'em he found they were
Spaniards, and so retired, upon which they Shot at him. Had they been
French, he would have submitted; but chose to risk his dying alone on
the Island rather than fall into the hands of the Spaniards, because he
apprehended they would Murder him, or make a Slave of him in the Mines;
for