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To J.S. Henslow [c. 26
October ] 24 November [1832]
Monte Video [Buenos Ayres]
32°7'N, 62°W
My dear Henslow,
We arrived here on the
24th of Octob: after our first cruize on the coast of Patagonia:
North of the Rio Negro we fell in with some little Schooners employed
in sealing; to save the loss of time in surveying the intricate mass
of banks, Capt: FitzRoy has hired two of them has put officers
in them. -- It took us nearly a month fitting them out; as soon as
this was finished we came back here, are now preparing for a
long cruize to the South. -- I expect to find the wild mountainous
country of Terra del. very interesting; after the coast of
Patagonia I shall thoroughly enjoy it. -- I had hoped for the credit
of dame Nature, no such Country as this last existed; in sad reality
we coasted along 240 miles of sand hillocks; I never knew before,
what a horrid ugly object a sand hillock is: -- The famed Country of
the Rio Plata in my opinion is not much better; an enormous brackish
river bounded by an interminable green plain, is enough to make any
naturalist groan. So hurrah for Cape Horn the land of storms.
-- Now that I have had my growl out, which is a priviledge
sailors take on all occasions, I will turn the tables
give an account of my doings in Nat: History. -- I must have one more
growl, by ill luck the French government has sent one of its
Collectors to the Rio Negro. -- where he has been working for the
last six month, is now gone round the Horn. -- So that I am
very selfishly afraid he will get the cream of all the good things,
before me. -- As I have nobody to talk to about my luck ill
luck in collecting; I am determined to vent it all upon you. -- I
have been very lucky with fossil bones; I have fragments of at least
6 distinct animals; as many of them are teeth I trust, shattered
rolled as they have been, they will be recognised. I have
paid all the attention, I am capable of, to their
geological site, but of course it is too long a story for here. --
1st the Tarsi Metatarsi very perfect of a Cavia: 2nd the upper
jaw head of some very large animal, with 4 square hollow
molars. -- the head greatly produced in front. -- I at first
thought it belonged either to the Megalonyx or Megatherium. -- In
confirmation, of this, in the same formation I found a large surface
of the Osseous polygonal plates, which "late observations" (what are
they?) show belong to the Megatherium. -- Immediately I saw them I
thought they must belong to an enormous Armadillo, living species of
which genus are so abundant here: 3d The lower jaw of some large
animal, which from the molar teeth, I should think belonged to the
Edentata: 4th. some large molar teeth, which in some respects would
seem to belong to an enormous Rodentia; 5th, also some smaller teeth
belonging to the same order: c c. -- If it interests you
sufficiently to unpack them, I shall be very curious to hear
something about them: -- Care must be taken, in this case, not
to confuse the tallies. -- They are mingled with marine shells, which
appear to me identical with what now exist. -- But since they were
deposited in their beds, several geological changes have taken place
in the country. -- So much for the dead now for the living. --
there is a poor specimen of a bird, which to my unornithological
eyes, appears to be a happy mixture of a lark pidgeon
snipe...I suppose it will turn out to be some well-know bird although
it has quite baffled me. -- I have taken some interesting amphibia; a
fine Bipes; a new Trigonocephalus beautifully connecting in its
habits Crotalus Vipe-rus: plenty of new (as far as my
knowledge goes) Saurians. -- As for one little toad; I hope it may be
new, that it may be Christened "diabolicus".- Milton must allude to
this very individual, when he talks of "squat like [a] toad", its
colours are by Werner, ink black, vermilion red buff
orange. -- It has been a splendid cruize for me in Nat: History.
-- Amongst the pelagic Crustaceae, some new Curious genera. --
In the Zoophites Some interesting animals. -- as for one Flustra, if
I had not the specimen to back me up, nobody would believe in its
most anomalous structure. -- But as for novelty all this is nothing
to a family of pelagic animals; which at first sight appear like
Medusa, but are really highly organized. -- I have examined them
repeatedly, certainly from their structure, it would be
impossible to place them in any existing order -- Perhaps Salpa is
the nearest animal; although the transparency of the body is nearly
the only character they have in common. -- All this may be said of
another animal, although of a much simpler structure. --
I think the dried plants nearly contain all which
were then Bahia Blanca flowering. All the specimens will be packed in
casks -- I think there will be three: (before sending this letter I
will specify dates c c). -- I am afraid you will groan or
rather the floor of the Lecture room will, when the casks arrive. --
Without you I should be utterly undone. -- The small cask contains
fish; will you open it, to see how the spirit has stood the
evaporation of the Tropics. --
On board the Ship, everything goes on as well as
possible, the only drawback is the fearful length of time between
this day of our return. -- I do not see any limits to it: one
year is nearly completed the second will be so before we even
leave the East coast of S America. -- And then our voyage may be said
really to have commenced. -- I know not, how I shall be able to
endure it. -- The frequency with which I think of all the happy hours
I have spent at Shrewsbury Cambridge, is rather ominous. -- I
trust everything to time fate will feel my way as I go
on: -- We have been at Buenos Ayres for a week. - Nov. 24th. -- It is
a fine large city; but such a country; everything is mud; You can go
no where, you can do nothing for mud. -- In the city I obtained much
information about the banks of the Uruguay. -- I hear of Limestone
with shells, beds of shells in every direction. -- I hope,
when we winter in the Plata to have a most interesting Geological
excursion in that Country. -- I purchased fragments (NOrs: 837
8) of some enormous bones; which I was assured belonged to the former
giants!!
-- I also procured some seeds. -- I do not know whether they are
worth your accepting; if you think so, I will get some more: -- They
are in the box: I have sent to you by the Duke of York Packet,
commanded by Lieu: Snell to Falmouth. -- two large casks, containing
fossil bones --a small cask with fish, a box containing skins,
spirit bottle c pill-boxes with beetles. -- Would you be
kind enough to open these latter, as they are apt to bec(ome) mouldy.
-- With the exceptions of the bones, the rest of my collection looks
very scanty. Recollect how great a proportion of time is spent at
sea. I am always anxious to hear in what state my things come
any criticisms about quantity or kind of specimens. -- In the smaller
cask is part of a large head, the anterior portions of which are in
the other large ones. -- The packet has arrived I am in a
great bustle: You will not hear from me for some months:
Till then believe me, my dear Henslow, Yours very
truly obliged, Chas Darwin. -
Remember me most kindly to Mrs. Henslow. --
To J. S. Henslow 11 April 1833
- April 11th, 1833
- 49°S, 67°W
My dear Henslow
We are now running up from the Falkland Islands to
the Rio Ne-gro (or Colorado). -- The Beagle will proceed to M: Video;
but if it can be managed I intend staying at the former place. -- It
is now some months since we have been at a civilized port, nearly all
this time has been spent in the most Southern part of Tierra del
Fuego. -- It is a detestable place, gales succeed gales with such
short intervals, that it is difficult to do anything. -- We were 23
days off Cape Horn could by no means get to the Westward. -- The last
finale gale, before we gave up the attempt was unusually
severe. A sea stove one of the boats there was so much water
on the decks, that every place was afloat; nearly all the paper for
drying plants is spoiled half of this cruizes collection. --
We at last run in to harbor in the boats got to the West by
the inland channels. -- As I was one of this party, I was very glad
of it: with two boats we went about 300 miles, thus I had an
excellent opportunity of geologising seeing much of the
Savages. -- The Fuegians are in a more miserable state of barbarism,
than I had expected ever to have seen a human being. -- In this
in-clement country, they are absolutely naked, their temporary
houses are like what children make in summer, with boughs of trees.
-- I do not think any spectacle can be more interesting, than the
first sight of Man in his' primitive wildness. -- It is an interest,
which cannot well be imagined, untill it is experienced. I shall
never forget, when enter-ing Good Success Bay, the yell with which a
party received us. They were seated on a rocky point, surrounded by
the dark forest of beech; as they threw their arms wildly round their
heads their long hair anything more delightful than his Sunday
round, of King's, Trinity those talking giants, Whewell
Sedgwick: I hope your musical tastes continue in due force. I shall
be ravenous for the Piano-forte. Do you recollect, poor old Granny,
how I used to torment your quiet soul every evening? -- I have not
quite determined whether I will sleep at the Lion, the first night,
when I arrive per Wonder or disturb you all in the dead of the night,
everything short of that is absolutely planned. -- Everything about
Shrewsbury is growing in my mind bigger more beautiful; I am
certain the Acacia Copper Beech are two superb trees: I shall
know every bush, I will trouble you young ladies, when each of
you cut down your tree to spare a few. As for the view behind the
house I have seen nothing like it. It is the same with North Wales.
Snowden to my mind, looks much higher much more beautiful than
any peak in the Cordilleras. So you will say, with my benighted
faculties, it is time to return, so it is, I long to be
with you -- Whatever the trees are, I know what I shall find all you.
-- I am writing nonsense -- so Farewell. -- My most affectionate love
to all I pray forgiveness from my Father. Yours most
affectionately
Charles Darwin...
To J. S. Henslow 12 [August] 1835
Lima
July6 12th . 1835
My dear Henslow
This is the last letter which I shall ever write
to you from the shores of America. -- and for this reason I send it
-- In a few days time the Beagle will sail for the Galapagos Isds --
I look forward with joy interest to this, both as being
somewhat nearer to England, for the sake of having a good look
at an active Volcano. -- Although we have seen Lava in abundance, I
have never yet beheld the Crater -- I sent by H.M.S. Conway two large
boxes of Specimens. The Con-way sailed the latter end of June. --
With them were letters for you. -- Since that time I have travelled
by land from Valparaiso to Copiapo seen something more of the
Cordilleras. -- Some of my Geological views have been subsequently to
the last letter altered. -- I believe the upper mass of strata are,
not so very modern as I supposed. -- This last journey has explained
to me much of the ancient history of the Cordilleras. -- I feel sure
they formerly consisted of a chain of Volcanoes from which enormous
streams of Lava were poured forth at the bottom of the sea. -- These
alternate with sedimentary beds to a vast thickness: at a subsequent
period these Volcanoes must have formed Islands, from which have been
produced strata several thousand feet thick of coarse Conglomerate.
-- These Islands were covered with fine trees; in the Conglomerate I
found one 15 feet in circumference, per-fectly silicified to the very
centre. -- The alternations of compact crystalline rocks (I cannot
doubt subaqueous Lavas) sedimentary beds, now upheaved,
fractured indurated from the main range of the Andes. The
formation was produced at the time, when Ammonites, several
Terebratulae, Gryphites, Oysters, Pectens, Mytili c c
lived. -
In the central parts of Chili, the structure of
the lower beds are rendered very obscure by the Metamorphic action,
which has rendered even the coarsest Conglomerates, porphyritic. --
The Cordilleras of the Andes so worthy of admiration from the
grandeur of their dimensions, to rise in dignity when it is
considered that since the period of Ammonites, they have formed a
marked feature in the Geography of the Globe. -- The geology of these
Mountains pleased me in one respect; when reading Lyell, it had
always struck me that if the crust of the world goes on changing in a
Circle, there ought to be somewhere found formations which having the
age
of the great European secondary beds, should possess the structure
of Tertiary rocks, or those formed amidst Islands in limited
Basins. Now the alterations of Lava coarse sediment, which
form the upper parts of the Andes, correspond exactly to what would
accumulate under such circumstances. In consequence of this I can
only very roughly
separate into three divisions the varying strata (perhaps 8ooo ft
thick) which compose these mountains. I am afraid you will tell me to
learn my A.B.C.-to know quartz from Feldspar before I indulge in such
speculations. -- I lately got hold of ( ) report on M. Dessalines
D'Orbigny's labors in S. America. I experienced rather a debasing
degree of vexation to find he has described the geology of the
Pampas, that I have had some hard riding for nothing; it was
however gratifying that my conclusions are the same, as far as I can
collect, with his results. -- It is also capital, that the whole of
Bolivia will be described. I hope to be able to connect his Geology
of that country, with mine of Chili. -- After leaving Copiapo, we
touched at Iquique. I visited, but do not quite understand the
position of the Nitrate of Soda beds. -- Here in Peru, from the state
of Anarchy, I can make no expedition....
Believe me, dear Henslow, Yours affectionately
obliged
Charles Darwin
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