an almost
any man who has ever lived, impelled undoubtedly by a roving
disposition, but still more so by his ardent thirst to obtain a
knowledge of natural history.

What became of his poor wife during this time, or how he supported
himself on his return home, we are not told, except that he published
the following year his "New Voyage Round the World," to which he
afterwards added a supplement, entitled "Voyages and Discoveries."
Possibly he obtained a good sum for these works, as from their
excellence they soon brought the author into notice. Weary of
wandering, he probably remained for some time on shore.

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE.

DAMPIER'S VOYAGES, CONTINUED--A.D. 1699.

Dampier in command of the _Roebuck_--Voyage to New Holland--Visits the
shore--The first kangaroo seen--Failure of attempt to catch a native--
The ship, refitted at Timor, sails for New Guinea--Coasts along the
shore--Beautiful birds seen--Intercourse with the natives-Provisions
obtained--A volcano seen--A waterspout nears the ship--Meets a Chinese
vessel, and hears of the Dutch settlements--Goes to Batavia--Rotten
state of the _Roebuck_--Sails for England--Founders off Ascension--The
crew landed--Residence on the island--Taken off by the _Anglesey_--Sails
for Barbadoes--Dampier returns to England--His services overlooked--
Sails in command of a squadron for the South Seas--Rounds Cape Horn--
Fight with a French ship--Clipperton runs off with the tender and his
commander's commission--Attempts to take the galleon--Defeated--Headed
by Funnell, the crew mutiny, and part go off in a prize--Puna
plundered--The _Saint George_ destroyed--Her guns and stores put on
board a prize--Sails for the East Indian Archipelago--Taken by the
Dutch, and imprisoned--Escapes--Reaches England--Loss of credit--Joins
Captain Woodes Rogers as pilot on board the _Duke_--She, with the
_Duchess_, Captain Courtney, sails for the South Seas--Come off Juan
Fernandez--Discover Alexander Selkirk, the original of "Robinson
Crusoe"--His residence on the island--The sick landed--The ships sail--
Prizes captured--Guayaquil attacked and plundered--The Manilla galleon
captured--Rich booty--Prisoners well treated--Another galleon attacked--
Privateers beaten off--Sail by way of Guam for Java--Sickness of crew--
The _Marquis_ sold--The ships return home--Dampier falls into poverty--
Time and place of his death unknown.

The desire to discover new countries having revived among the