A LIVING HISTORY BLOG.

18TH CENTURY LIVING HISTORY IN AUSTRALIA.

Sunday 29 April 2012

Robinson Crusoe's Sea Chest.

This wooden sea-chest (pictured here closed) was used by Alexander Selkirk during his solitary stay on the island of Juan Fernandez in the Pacific Ocean from 1704-9. Born in Largo in Fife, Selkirk was the inspiration for Daniel Defoe's 'Robinson Crusoe'.
Sea-chest of Alexander Selkirk of Lower Largo, Fife, used by him during his solitary stay on the island of Juan Fernandez in the Pacific Ocean, 1704 - 1709
In 1704, after a quarrel with his captain, Selkirk asked to be put ashore on the uninhabited island of Juan Fernandez, 800 miles off the coast of Chile. In 1713, four years after his rescue, his experiences were published, giving Defoe his inspiration.

http://nms.scran.ac.uk/database/record.php?usi=000-100-001-706-C&scache=69ic83r8d3&searchdb=scran&PHPSESSID=t9ahgtgmps3643vradjlgm7h75

Author's edited images below.



My sincere thanks to Jenny Baker for bringing this to my attention.