Summary

CD comments on lectures and lecturers at Edinburgh.

Summary

Account of the four-month voyage to Tierra del Fuego, Cape Horn, and return. The Fuegians are landed with Richard Matthews [the missionary in charge of them]. Storms, seasickness, hostile savages, and scenery are described. His increasing interest in all branches of natural history makes the hardships worth while. FitzRoy buys a schooner. CD will stay at Rio Negro while it is fitted.

Summary

With the help of General Rosas, CD has just finished an overland journey from Patagones to Buenos Aires; he tells of fossil finds at Bahia Blanca and Guardia del Monte. Spring reminds him of home.

Summary

Describes his trip to north of Santa Fé, his illness, and return by boat to Buenos Aires – which he found in the throes of a revolution. Covington is cut off from the town, which some expect to be plundered.

Summary

His troubles during the revolution have ended well.

Now plans to investigate geological formations at Rio Negro. Is concerned about the expense but cannot bear to miss seeing "one of the most curious pieces of Geology".

Summary

Thanks for her letter of March, which gave him his first explanation of the interest in the [Megatherium] head he had sent.

Wants E. A. Darwin to tell William Clift not to remove numbers or markers on any specimens. The British Museum has first claim on any of his specimens; CD cannot at present say where any should go.

Summary

Astounded she cares for his book [Origin] as much as she seems to.

Comments on variation among domestic dogs; believes domestic dog has descended from several wild species and those species from a single ancient ancestor.

Athenæum review is unfair.

Expects to convert four or five "really good judges".

Summary

Became ill two weeks before on his return from Santiago after an interesting trip and some geology – though snow kept him out of the Andes. FitzRoy has had to sell the schooner; he was discouraged by the Admiralty, and the expense was too much for him to bear personally.

Summary

Definite plans now to leave Valparaiso 1 June and to arrive in Sydney in January; then Cape of Good Hope and home in September 1836.

Describes Concepción after earthquake.

Will cross the Cordilleras. Hopes snow will hold off.

Summary

Describes his trip from Coquimbo to Copiapò, where he rejoined the Beagle – a hard and wearisome journey, but geologically interesting.

FitzRoy piloted the [Blonde] to rescue crew of wrecked Challenger.

CD has received letters that were missing, and others; for ten months there will be none to or from him.

Summary

At sea 25 days from Galapagos to Tahiti, where they stayed ten days. It was delightful. Then three weeks to New Zealand, where they will be for ten days.

Convinced of high merit of missionaries.

Dislikes Augustus Earle’s book.

Summary

CD is studying the Bible, likes the gospels best.

Glad he stayed for T. C. Hope’s lectures on electricity.

Is running short of funds.

Summary

Keeling Islands, his first coral lagoons; he has been occupied with subject of coral formation for six months.

Very busy at sea rewriting old geological notes. Has difficulties with writing.

FitzRoy has proposed joint account of the journey, combining CD’s journal with his own.

Looks forward with anxiety to Henslow’s reaction to the geological notes.

Summary

In five days of geologising on St Helena, he found that the shells on high land had been mistakenly identified as seashells. They are land shells, but of species no longer living.

Can think of nothing but the return to England and his family.

Summary

Last four days have been spent calling on naturalists. Geologists have been kind, but zoologists seem to think a number of undescribed creatures a nuisance.

Will send his belongings to Cambridge, but eventually his quarters must be London.

FitzRoy is to be married.

Summary

His fossil bones are unpacked and some are great treasures. He has some geology to do: R. I. Murchison has lent him a map and asked him to look at a part of the country he has been describing.

Their only protection against having Harriet Martineau as sister-in-law is that she works Erasmus too hard.

Summary

Dinner at the Hensleigh Wedgwoods’. They have agreed to go over his journal. Henry Holland thinks it not worth publishing alone because it goes over FitzRoy’s ground.

His impressions of Harriet Martineau: "She is overwhelmed with her own projects, her own thoughts and own abilities."

Summary

Has just given a paper [on "Sand tubes"] at Cambridge Philosophical Society and exhibited some specimens. It went well, with Whewell and Sedgwick taking an active part.

Herschel thinks 6000–odd years since the creation not nearly long enough to explain the separations from a single stock.

Summary

Sends a number of questions (to put to his father), mainly concerned with transmission of diseases, between Europeans and natives, "people packed together", etc.

Is investigating how to get Government support [for Zoology].

Summary

His books grow in size. Hopes to bring out work on volcanic islands and coral formations in the autumn or winter. The Journal of researches will not be published until autumn [actually not until 1839]. Whewell and Lyell flatter him about it. Has given up all society.