My dear Henslow,

My last letter was dated on the sea.— I then expected to stop at the R. Negro in Patagonia; our domineering master, the wind, ordered otherwise; in consequence, the greater part of the winter has been passed in this river at Maldonado.— Amongst a heap of letters which awaited me, I was sadly disappointed not to see your hand-writing; for several months I had been looking forward with no little pleasure to hearing how you all are going on at Cambridge, & with a good deal of anxiety respecting the fate of my collections.— Our direction, for a long period hence, will be Valparaiso: I should be so much obliged if you would write to me:— You only know anything about my collections, & I feel as if all future satisfaction after this voyage will depend solely upon your approval. I am afraid you have thought them very scanty: but, as I have said before, you must recollect how much time is lost at sea, & that I make it a constant rule, to prefer the obscure & diminutive tribes of animals.— I have now got a servant of my own, whom I have taught to skin birds &c, so that for the future I trust, there will be rather a larger proportion of showy specimens.— We have got, almost every bird in this neighbourhead,² (Maldonado) about 80 in number & nearly 20 quadrupeds.— But, alas, excepting this there has not been much done.—

By the same packet, which takes this, there will come four barrells: the largest will require opening, as it contains skins, Plants &c &c, & cigar box with pill boxes: the two next in size, only Geological specimens need not be opened, without you like to see them, the smallest & flat barrell, contains fish; with a gimlet, you can easily ascertain how full it is of spirits.— Several of the pill-boxes are marked thus (X), they contain Coleoptera, & will require (as likewise the Case) airing & perhaps a little Essential oil.— This is not nearly all which I have collected this summer, but for several reasons I have deferred sending the other half.— It is useless attempting to thank you for taking charge of my collections: for as I know no other person who would; this voyage would then be useless & I would return home.—

Our future plans are, in a few days, to go to the R. Negro, to survey some banks.— I shall be put on shore: I wish we could remain there for a long time.— The geology must be very interesting— it is near the junction of the Megatherium & Patagonian cliffs.— From what I saw of the latter, in one $\frac{1}{2}$ hour in St Josephs bay, they would be well worth a long examination.— above the great oyster bed, there is one of gravel, which fills up inequalities in its inferior;³ & above this, & therefore high out of the water is one of such modern shells, that they retain their colour & emit bad smell when burnt. Patagonia must clearly have but lately risen from the water. After the Beagle returns from this short cruize, we take in 12 months provisions & in beginning of October proceed to Tierra del F.; then pass the Straits of Magellan & enter the glorious Pacific: The Beagle after proceeding to Conception or Valparaiso, will once more go Southward, (I however will not leave the warm weather) & upon her return we proceed up the coast, ultimately to cross the Pacific.— I am in great doubt whether to remain at Valparaiso or Conception: at the latter beds of Coal & shells, but at the former I could cross & recross the grand chain of the Andes.—

I am ready to bound for joy at the thoughts of leaving this stupid, unpic- turesque side of America. When Tierra del F is over, it will all be Holidays. And then the very thoughts of the fine Coralls, the warm glowing weather, the blue sky of the Tropics is enough to make one wild with delight.— I am anxious to know, what has become of a large collection (I fancy ill assorted) of Geological specimens made in former voyage from Tierra del Fuego⁴ I hope to see enough of this country to be able to make a rough sketch of it—& then of course specimens with localities marked on them, would be to me very valuable. Remember me most kindly to Prof. Sedgwick, perhaps he would enquire at Geolog: Soc: whether they are in existence.— Some body told me you had Volume of Dic Class: Explan: of Plates. My brother will in short time send me a parcel: by which it can come: his direction is Whyndham Club St. James Square. If you know of any book, which would be useful to me, you can mention it to him: I trust I shall find a letter (although it is a long time to look forward to) at Valparaiso: I shall be so glad to hear what you are doing.— Very often during your last Spring when the weather has been fine; I have been guessing whether it would do for Gamblingay⁵ or whether at that very instant some revered Botanist was not anxiously looking at the other side of a fenny ditch.— The only piece of Cambridge news, which I have heard for a long time was a good one: it was that a Living has been given to you.— I hope it is true.—

Remember me most truly to M^rs. Henslow & to Leonard Jennings.—⁶ & believe me My dear Henslow.— Your most obliged & affectionate friend— Chas. Darwin.—