Charles Darwin’s voyage of discovery on the HMS Beagle is grippingly described in ”The Evolution of Charles Darwin”, by Diana Preston. Our Weltumrundung (beginning just over 12 months from now) will follow Darwin’s route from Europe to and around South America.
The Beagle had been chartered by the English Admiralty to complete a naval survey around Tierra del Fuego. When finished after two years or so, it was to continue west and return home across the Pacific.
Charles Darwin was invited along to to fill the role of ship’s Naturalist. Just over 20 years old, Darwin had completed his education and was anticipating settling down as a pastor at a country church. It did not take him long to say, “I’m there!”
The Beagle left Plymouth, England just before Christmas in 1831, sailing south past Madiera (did not stop, too stormy), Tenerife (did not stop, 12 day quarantine required before setting foot on land) and the Cape Verde Islands (stopped for 3 delightful weeks). On Feb 28th, 1832, the Beagle entered the Port of Bahia on the Brazilian coast.
The story really picks up here. The ship’s captain, Robert FitzRoy, tasked with creating detailed navigation maps, sails up and down the coasts of southern South America, stopping in ports regularly along the way. Darwin debarked at every occasion he could to investigate and take specimens of the local plants, animals, and rocks. He often remained ashore for weeks at a time while Fitzroy completed his surveying. Almost three years later, Darwin set foot on the Galapagos Islands, off the coast of Ecuador. He spent 19 days there, The Beagle then continued its westward journey across the Pacific, arriving back in England on 2 October, 1836, after almost 5 years away.
The first two thirds is a page turning adventure tale. Darwin’s notes and letters, quoted extensively, paint a vivid picture of life in South America in the 19th century. His notes about Chile especially interested me. My great-grandfather emigrated from Scotland to Chile in 1885. I imagine the conditions he faced to be not too disimilar to what Darwin experienced.
The last third of the book describes Darwin’s efforts once home to develop a theory that fit with his accumulated observations. He was careful and took his time. “On the Origin of Species” was first published in 1859.
