affliction, in which nothing but the Divine Providence could have supported any man. By this one may see, that solitude, and retirement from the world, is not such an unsufferable state of life, as most men imagine, especially when people are fairly thrown into it unavoidably, as this man was; who, in all probability, must otherwise have perished in the seas, the ship, which left him, being cast away not long after, and few of the company escaped.

We may perceive, by this story, the truth of the maxim, That' necessity is the mother of invention; since he found means to supply his wants in a very natural manner, so as to maintain his life; though not so conveniently, yet as effectually, as we are able to do with the help of all our arts and society. It may likewise instruct us, how much a plain and temperate way of living conduces to the health of the body, and the vigour of the mind; both which we are apt to destroy by excess and plenty, especially of strong liquor, and the variety, as well as the nature, of our meat and drink; for this man, when he came to our ordinary method of diet and life, though he was sober enough, lost innch of his strength and agility.

An account of the Island of Juan Fernandez.

THE Island of Juan Fernandez is nearest of a triangular form, about twelve leagues round, and has a small island, near a mile long, lying near it, with several rocks close under it; near which there are very good fish of several sorts. It abounds with cabbage-trees, which grow for three miles together, and are extraordinary good; also turneps, which grow wild here. The soil is a loose black earth, and there are often great drifts of snow and ice in July; but, in the spring, which is in September, October, and November, it is very pleasant.

Mr. Selkirk says, That, in November, the seals come a-shore to whelp and ingender, when the shore is so full of them, that it is impossible to pass through them; and they are so surly, that they will not move out of the way, but, like an angry dog, run at a man, though he have a good stick to beat them; so that at this, and their whelpingseasons, it is dangerous to come near them, but, at other times, they will make way for a man; and, if they did not, it would be impossible to get from the water-side; they lined the shore very thick, for above half a mile of ground, all round the bay. When we came in, they kept a continual noise day and night, some bleating like lambs, some howling like dogs or wolves, others making hideous noises of various sorts; so that we heard them a-board, though a mile from the shore: Their fur is the finest that ever I saw of the kind, and exceeds that of our

otters.

Another strange creature here is the sea-lion; the governor tells me, he has seen of them above twenty feet long, and more in compass, which could not weigh less than two tons weight. I saw several of these vast creatures, but none of the abovementioned size; several of them were

upwards of sixteen feet long, and more in bulk, so that they could not weigh less than a ton weight. The shape of their body differs little from the sea-dogs, or seals, but they have another sort of skin, a head much bigger in proportion, and very large mouths, monstrous big eyes, and a face like that of a lion, with very large whiskers, the hair of which is stiff enough to make tooth-pickers. These creatures come a-shore to ingender, the latter end of June, and stay till the end of September; during which time they lie on the land, and are never observed to go to the water, but lie in the same place above a musquet-shot from the waterside, and have no manner of sustenance all that time, that he could ob

serve.

I took notice of some, that lay a week without once offering to move out of the place, whilst I was there, till they were disturbed by us; but we saw few, in comparison of what, he informed us, he did, and that the shore was all crouded full of them, a musquet-shot into the land. I admire how these monsters come to yield such a quantity of oil; their hair is short and coarse, and their skin thicker, than the thickest ox-hide I ever saw. We found no land-bird on the island, but a sort of black-bird with a red breast, not unlike our English blackbird, and the humming-bird of various colours, and no bigger than a large humble-bee. Here is a small tide, which flows uncertain, and the spring-tide Aows about seven feet.

This is the account given by himself to the captain of the ship, as will be attested by several merchants and captains upon the Exchange, who have conversed with him: In which relation, the Divine Providence of God may be visibly seen, first, in throwing him upon the desolate island, and, next, in supporting him under such an affliction, whilst the ship, which he left, soon after perished in the sea, and few of the company escaped: All which singular acts of providence, that conspired in his preservation, he wholly and piously ascribes to the infinite goodness and mercy of God; to whom all honour and glory be given, now and evermore.

THE ROYAL GAMESTERS;

OR,

THE OLD CARDS NEW SHUFFLED,

FOR A

CONQUERING GAME.

The following piece needs ro comment, much less any apology for its republication; seeing that the old times, in which it was first penned, are become new, and the same game is begun again among the powers and states of Europe, by the ambitious and treacherous views and attempts of France and Spain.

Germany. FRE we to play this match prepare,

Let's know first, who together are.
Holland. Let England deal the cards about,

The four knaves play, the rest stand out.
Prussia. France is a gamester, and must fall,
Else odds will beat the devil and all.
What I have won, I'll venture still,,
I'll give you nothing but the deal.
England. Play fair then, and it is agreed,

France.

The two black knaves, against the red.
The kings shall hold another set,
And the four queens shall sit and bet.
The knaves of France and Spain are black,
'Tis Germany must hold the pack.

Germany. Give me the cards, the deal is mine;

Diamonds are trumps, who bets this time?

Holland. I'll hold ten thousand livres by,

Savoy.

'Gainst France and Spain, the reason why;
Because the odds is ten to one,

They'll certainly be both undone.

I'll take you up, with you

I'll lay,

That France and Spain will hold you play.

Denmark. I'll nothing bet on either side;

Portugal. Nor I, until I see them try❜d.

Bavaria. I know on which side I would bet,
But will not tell my mind as yet;

Sweden. Nor I, but still will neuter stand,

And do them service under-hand.

Poland. One single game with Swedes I'll try,
I'll make the smooth-fac'd youth comply.
Go on and prosper all, say I.

Venice.

The First Game, 1702.

Germany held good cards, and play'd 'em well,
Got some by tricks, and honours, the first deal.
The second deal, France held the cards, and then,
The game seem'd two to one, for France and Spain,
But, in a little time, they turn'd again:
For fortune now old Lewis' side forsakes,
England won all, and Holland drew the stakes.

The Second Game, 1703.

The second game, Bavaria took their parts,
And the first deal turn'd up the king of hearts;
Got the court cards and trumps into his power,
And put the slip upon the emperor.

And well it was for France he serv'd him so,
For Lewis else had quickly been brought low;
Germany fretted thus to see it go.

England still play'd its part, and won some tricks,
And fairly brought the game up eight to six.
But Germany had no good cards to play,
And by ill fortune gave the game away.
Savoy did now from France and Spain divide,
And ventur'd all on the contrary side.

Loses some stakes, but England lends him more,
And Portugal docs for that same side declare.

The Third Game, 1704.

But vex'd to see the business done by halves,
Holland and England took the cards themselves.
Germany laid his last stake down at play,
While all the stress upon the dealers lay,
France cut the cards, and Holland led the way.
The first deal from the cards Bavaria lost,
And fear'd that now his great designs were cross'd.
Holland dealt next; France the first trick did get,
But England by the honours won the set.
Bavaria, ruin'd, threw the cards away,
And had not left another cross to play.

The Fourth Game, 1705.

France to the last stake brought, and Spain the same,
But Germany revok'd and spoil'd the game:
Which made the other gamesters swear,

He did not play upon the square.

England chang'd sides, and took the Dutch again,
While Portugal play'd single hand with Spain.
But after many deals, and mighty cost,
Between them both, there was but little lost.
Now England deals about, for the last stake,
And had a hand that made Monsieur quake:
But, when the set to a conclusion came,
Holland lost dealing, and quite baulk'd the game.

The Conquering Game, 1706.

England deals next, and France is fain,
To lend a losing stake to Spain.
Savoy bets all; France threatens hard,
To take from him his leading card;
But England all the rest restore,
And tell him, they will lend him more.
Now on all sides the stakes are down,
And Spain plays briskly for the crown:
And Portugal some bets doth lay,
Which England does, and Holland pay.
The first deal, Spain three tricks doth lose,
Which doth old Lewis much confuse.
France shuffles next, more stakes does bet,
And threatens hard to win the set,
E're Germany his cards can sort,
While Venice laughs, and likes the sport.
England says nothing all the while,
But plays such cards makes Holland smile.
France wins a stake or two at first,
And Swedes wou'd back him, if they durst:
But Poland holds him to't as yet,

And hopes to gain his late lost bet.
France with his best court-cards begins,
While Spain lose faster than he wins.
The set grows warm; brisk play is shewn,
And Savoy lays his last stake down.
But Germany, with trumps supply'd,
Soon turns the game o'th't'other side.
France with his ace of hearts doth join,
But England plays the King and Queen.
Old Lewis vex'd, yet looking grave,
With speed throws down another knave,
And questions not the game to save.

}