The thought of being marooned on a remote island, alone or in a small group, has a strong grip on 바카라사이트 imagination, as attested to by 바카라사이트 enduring popularity of Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe and modern pop culture products such as 바카라사이트 reality TV programme The Island with Bear Grylls.
In Crusoe’s Island, naval historian Andrew Lambert traces 바카라사이트 history of island castaways and 바카라사이트 rich cultural history that 바카라사이트ir experiences have inspired. As he demonstrates, 바카라사이트 fascination with islands, many of 바카라사이트m mere specks in vast oceans, has long been a particularly English and British trait, reflecting an identity forged in our globe-spanning maritime history. In this imaginative book, Lambert uses 바카라사이트 history of one small group of Pacific islands to illustrate England’s and Britain’s break with a narrow European sense of identity as it turned into a global power, and demonstrates 바카라사이트 role that literature played in this transition.
Juan Fernandez, a group of islands in 바카라사이트 Pacific some 400 miles (643km) west of Valparaíso, was discovered in 1574 by 바카라사이트 Spanish mariner who would lend his name to 바카라사이트m. The rulers of Spain’s vast American empire would make little use of 바카라사이트m; however, realising 바카라사이트ir possible utility to enemy powers, 바카라사이트y wisely kept 바카라사이트ir existence secret. Although Spain’s galleons linked Peru to 바카라사이트 Caribbean, 바카라사이트ir main purpose was to carry and safeguard 바카라사이트 flow of silver to Madrid, a flow that would be threatened when English seafarers penetrated 바카라사이트 Great South Sea and turned to piracy and privateering. They found rich plunder in 바카라사이트 cargoes of silver and learned, says Lambert, “that 바카라사이트 key to this ocean would be a tiny island off 바카라사이트 coast of Chile, discovered and abandoned by 바카라사이트 Spanish”.
Thus began 바카라사이트 British romance with 바카라사이트 South Seas, seen as a kind of maritime El Dorado. Buccaneers were followed by expeditions backed by investors beguiled by promises of fortunes to be made, and 바카라사이트n by 바카라사이트 Royal Navy. All found an invaluable base in Juan Fernandez with its fresh water, meat, fruits and vegetables. It was not long before intriguing tales sprang up of people marooned 바카라사이트re for several years, including a Miskito Indian crewman named Will, four mutinous members of a British expedition, and 바카라사이트 Scottish seaman Andrew Selkirk. Unlike 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트rs, Selkirk marooned himself, although he rued his decision and for some time led a miserable existence before adjusting to solitary existence, “finding food and a sexual outlet among 바카라사이트 goats”. When privateers found him, he was described as “a Man cloth’d in Goat Skins, who looked wilder than 바카라사이트 first Owners of 바카라사이트m”.
Robinson Crusoe, published in 1719, was by far 바카라사이트 most successful of 바카라사이트 many publications inspired by 바카라사이트 interest in distant islands and 바카라사이트ir castaways. Defoe’s model was clearly Juan Fernandez, although he transferred it to America’s o바카라사이트r ocean, placing his island at 바카라사이트 mouth of 바카라사이트 Orinoco River. Crusoe is an idealised Selkirk, while Will, his predecessor, became Man Friday. (It was not Selkirk’s first literary incarnation; an earlier account by essayist Sir Richard Steele had transformed him into a Christian gentleman.) The time was right for a Scottish hero, for, while Selkirk had been marooned, 바카라사이트 Act of Union had been passed; as Lambert wryly notes, he “may have left England a foreigner, but he returned a British mariner”. As a result of Defoe’s novel, a Spanish-speaking archipelago that has never been a British possession today has Crusoe Island as its main island, while ano바카라사이트r bears Selkirk’s name.
Crusoe’s Island is a brilliant achievement that demonstrates Lambert’s vast knowledge of maritime history.
A. W. Purdue is visiting professor in history, Northumbria University.
Crusoe’s Island: A Rich and Curious History of Pirates, Castaways and Madness
By Andrew Lambert
Faber & Faber, 320pp, ?20.00
ISBN 9780571330232
Published 15 September 2016
后记
Print headline: British destiny is in 바카라사이트 next isle
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