In the wake of Robinson Crusoe (Part 1)

During the reading of the novel by the English writer Daniel Defoe’s “Robinson Crusoe” or watching the same movie, many are likely to seriously thought about Robinson could there be in real life, and if he could, then where exactly it was located island. In fact, Robinson – not fiction. At the heart of Daniel Defoe’s novel is a historical fact. The book changed only the name of the hero, and the island where he was “imprisoned” Defoe moved to the mouth of a tributary of the Caribbean Sea, the river Orinoco in the Atlantic Ocean. Describing the conditions in which it was necessary to live Robinson, Defoe based his natural conditions of the islands of Trinidad and Tobago.

But where is the real island, where he stayed Robinson Crusoe? Take a look at the map. Right next to 80 grams. west longitude and 33 gr.40` south latitude, you can see a group of small islands of Juan Fernandez, which are named after the Spanish explorer who discovered them in 1563 in a group of San Fernandez Islands are such volcanic islands as Mas-a-Tierra , the name of which translates from Spanish as “closer to the shore,” the island of Mas-a-Fuera -. Spanish “farther from the shore,” and the island of Santa Clara All these islands belong to Chile first, Mas a Tierra. It is -. The same island of Robinson Crusoe Testifies about appropriate inscription placed on many maps – in ’70 of the twentieth century the island was renamed Robinson Crusoe Island.

Robinson Crusoe Island is the largest of all the islands that make up the archipelago of Juan Fernandez, its dimensions are 23 km in length and as much as 8 km wide, with a total area of 144 square meters. km. Like all other islands of the archipelago, it is quite hilly. Its highest point is Mount Yunque, the height of which is 1000 m above sea level. The climatic conditions of the area soft ocean. In the coldest month of the year, August, (as the island is in the southern hemisphere, so the seasons are opposite to where the seasons of our hemisphere) the average temperature reaches 12C, and in the warmest month, February – 19C.

Lowland areas of the island are a savanna, interspersed with thickets of tree ferns and palm groves. The mountainous part of the island is covered with forests, significantly depleted due to human activities. To stop deforestation, Robinson Crusoe Island declared a national park. Particularly strong damage inflicted nature-stubbing land for the construction of military installations, which was conducted under a contract concluded between Chile and the United States.

Many species of plants growing on the island (more than 100) are unique. For example, a palm tree and Chauntea Nalco, and a variety of ferns and flowers that do not grow anywhere else on the planet. Once the island was covered with thick forests of sandalwood, but now sandalwood trees can only be found on hardtops of some mountains. The land is incredibly fertile island, and all over the island, flowing streams squeaky clean.

In the coastal waters of the island in full swing stormy life – here you can find turtles, sea lion, lobster, seals and a wide variety of fish. Once the seals on the island was so much that, in order to stop at the bank had to repel their oars. Alive and well on the island, and goats, whose ancestors were brought more of Juan Fernandez in 1563.

It is the island of Mas a Tierra 2 February 1709 landed two British warships – “Duke” and “Duchess”. After a long swim, team needed a rest. Seven sailors and officers on the boat went to the shore, and soon returned to the ship, accompanied by dressed in clothes from goatskins man, overgrown with long hair and a thick beard. Alien unsuccessfully tried to say something to the captain, but uttered only inarticulate sounds, something resembling English.