| Robinson Crusoe island is also known as Juan Fernandez island, located in the archipelago of the same name, just over 400 miles (570 km) off the coast of Chile, right in front of the port of Valparaiso. This volcanic island of ragged and mountainous topography was discovered by accident in 1575 by Portuguese sailor Juan Fernandez and remained pretty much unknown apart from becoming a favorite refuge for pirates such as Edward Davis, John Eaton and Bartholomew Sharp among others. ts everlasting fame, however, was originated over one century later, when the Scotsman sailor Alexander Selkirk was rescued in 1708, after spending four years and four month stranded in the island. His experience was the raw material that inspired Daniel Defoe (1660-1731) to write world famous Robinson Crusoe, first published in April 1719. |
