Alexander Selkirk was a Scottish sailor whose extraordinary experience of isolation became closely connected with Daniel Defoe’s famous novel The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe. Born in Largo, Scotland, in 1676, Selkirk went to sea and became sailing master on the Cinque Ports. After a dispute with his captain, he was left on a remote island in the Juan Fernandez archipelago in October 1704. He survived alone for more than four years before being rescued by the Duke in February 1709.