Castaway
In October 1704, after the Cinque Ports and St. George had parted ways, Stradling brought the Cinque Ports to an island known to the Spanish as Más a Tierra in the uninhabited archipelago of Juan Fernández off the coast of Chile for a mid-expedition restocking of fresh water and supplies.
Selkirk had grave concerns about the seaworthiness of their vessel. He tried to persuade some of his crew mates to desert with him, and remain on the island, as he was counting on an impending visit by another ship. However, no one else agreed to come along with him. Stradling declared that he would grant him his wish and leave him alone on Juan Fernández. Selkirk promptly regretted his decision. He chased and called after the boat, but to no avail. Selkirk lived the next four years and four months without any human company.
The Cinque Ports did indeed later founder off the coast of what is present-day Colombia. Stradling and half a dozen of the crew survived the loss of their ship, but were made prisoners by the Spanish, as the War of the Spanish Succession was then going on (England and the Netherlands were in conflict with France and Spain over who was to be King of Spain). The survivors were taken to Lima in Peru where they endured a harsh imprisonment.
Read more about this topic: Alexander Selkirk