Which Scottish sailor was rescued four years after being put ashore by William Dampier at Juan Fernandez in 1703, for insubordination?
Woodes Rogers disease. Dampier was able to guide the ships to little-known Juan Fernandez Island to replenish supplies of fresh produce. On 1 February 1709, as they neared the island, the sailors spotted a fire ashore and feared that it might be a shore party from a Spanish vessel. The next morning Rogers sent a party ashore and discovered that the fire was from Scottish sailor Alexander Selkirk, who had been stranded there four years previously. Selkirk was to become an inspiration for the classic novel "Robinson Crusoe", written by Rogers' friend, Daniel Defoe. Rogers found Selkirk to be "wild-looking" and "wearing
William Dampier and English privateers were being readied to act against French and Spanish interests. Dampier was appointed commander of the 26-gun ship "St George", with a crew of 120 men. They were joined by the 16-gun "Cinque Ports" with 63 men, and sailed on 11 September 1703 from Kinsale, Ireland. The two ships made a storm-tossed passage round Cape Horn, arriving at the Juan Fernández Islands off the coast of Chile in February 1704. While watering and provisioning there, they sighted a heavily armed French merchantman, which they engaged in a seven-hour battle but were driven off. Dampier succeeded in capturing