RobinsonCrusoeisoneoftheworld'smostpopularadventurenovels.DanielDefoebasedhisclassictaleofshipwreckandsurvivalonanuninhabitedisland,whichisbasedonatruestory.TherealRobinsonCrusoewasaScotsmannamedAlexanderSelkirkBornin1676,whenSelkirkwas19yearsoldhewascitedforindecentconductinchurch.Thenheranofftosea.Thatwasin1695.By1703hewasthesailingmasterofagalley.ThefollowingyearhejoinedapirateexpeditiontothePacificOceanthatwasledbyCapt.WilliamDampier.Selkirk'sshiphadThomasStraddlingasitscaptain.
AfterspendingsometimeinthePacific,theywerepreparingtoreturntoEnglandwiththeirbooty.TheirshiphadsufferedconsiderabledamageinbattleandSelkirkfelttheyneededtorepairherbeforesettingoffaroundtheHorn.Thecaptaindisagreed.Afteranargument,SelkirkrefusedtogoanyfartheranddemandedhebesetashoreontheIslandofJuanFernandez,whichwasabout400milesoffthecoastofChile.Thecaptainwasgladtodothis.
Afterabouttwoyearsontheislandhefinallysawashipandrandowntotheshoretolookit.HerealizedalmosttoolatethatitwasaSpanishshipandtheSpaniardsopenedfireonhim.Theywereunabletofindhimandeventuallyleft.Hewasmuchmorecautiousafterthat.