William Dampier. Juan Fernandez marooned Moskito Men retrieved, 1684.
$180.00
Antique print. Affecting Interview of two Moskito Men, one of whom had been left Three Years on the Island of Juan Fernandez by Captain Dampier.
A Mosquito (or 'Miskito') Indian named William was marooned on Juan Fernandez islands off the coast of Chile. He was later rescued by a privateer crew which included Englishman, William Dampier. This occurred about 25 years before privateer Alexander Selkirk's rescue from the same island. There were many such incidents, that inspired Daniel Defoe's book "Robinson Crusoe".
The Mosquito indians were from the coast of present-day Nicaragua and Honduras, an area that was a British protectorate from 1655 to 1860. They were taken on many early British voyages where they imitated British behaviour and customs while with them. They had excellent long-distance eyesight and were very agile – both in battle and in procuring fish, turtles and manatee when provisions were required for the crew.
This is an original copperplate-engraving by Robert Pollard (1755-1838), after the drawing by French artist and engraver, Hubert-Francois Gravelot (1699-1773), for "Moore's Voyages and Travels" published in London c.1790 by Alexander Hogg.
With wide borders all around, this page is 235 x 380mm (9.25 x 15 inches) Measurement to intaglio impression is 19 x 29cm (7.5 x 11.5 inches). There are a few tiny pieces of old cellotape at edges, otherwise it is in extremely good condition considering its age.
