VOYAGE OF THE “BEAGLE” (1831–36).
About the time of the excursion with Sedgwick (the exact date is
uncertain) Professor Henslow received a letter from George Peacock
(formerly Dean of Ely and Lowndean Professor of Astronomy at Cambridge)
stating that he had the offer to recommend a young man as naturalist
to accompany Captain Fitzroy on a surveying expedition to many parts
of the world. Leonard Jenyns (afterwards Blomefield) was evidently
considered to be the most suitable person for the position, but he
was unable to accept it. Henslow at once wrote (August 24th, 1831) to
Darwin, and advised him to do his utmost to obtain the position, and
Darwin found the letter waiting for him on his return home after the
geological excursion with Sedgwick. As his father greatly disliked the
idea, Darwin at once wrote (August 30th) and declined, and the next
day went to Maer to be ready for the shooting on September 1st. Here,
however, his uncle, Josiah Wedgwood, took a very different view from
that adopted by his father, with the result that both he and Darwin
wrote (August 31st) to Shrewsbury and reopened the question. Darwin’s
letter shows the most touching deference to his father’s wishes, and
the gravest apprehension lest he should be rendered “uncomfortable” or
“uneasy” by any further suggestion as to the possibility of the voyage,
although his father had said, “If you can find any man of common-sense
who advises you to go, I will give my consent.” We also learn from the
“Autobiography” that his uncle sent for him whilst out shooting and
drove him the thirty miles to Shrewsbury, in order that they might talk
with his father, who then at once consented. This must have been on
September 1st, 1831.
From this time until he went to Plymouth, on October 24th--the final
start was not until December 27th--his letters show that he had a very
busy time making purchases and preparing for the voyage. These letters
breathe the warmest affection to the members of his family and his
friends, together with the keenest enthusiasm for Captain Fitzroy, the
ship, and the voyage.
The voyage of the _Beagle_ lasted from December 27th, 1831, to October
2nd, 1836. Darwin says that it was “by far the most important event in
my life, and has determined my whole career.... I have always felt that
I owe to the voyage the first real training or education of my mind”
(_l. c._, p. 61). He attributes the greatest share in this training to
geology, among the special sciences, because of the reasoning involved
in making out the structure of a new and unknown district; but he
considers that the habits of “energetic industry and of concentrated
attention” which he then acquired were of the utmost importance, and
the secret of all his success in science. He tells us that the love of
sport was present at first in all its keenness, but that he gradually
abandoned it for scientific work.
Among his numerous observations and discoveries during the voyage,
those which appear to stand out in his mind so that he quotes them
in his “Autobiography” are--the explanation of the forms of coral
islands, the geological structure of St. Helena and other islands, and
the relations between the animals and plants of the several Galapagos
islands to each other and to those of South America. His letters and
the collections which he sent home attracted much attention; and
Sedgwick told Dr. Darwin that his son would take a place among the
leading scientific men. When Darwin heard this from his sisters, he
says, “I clambered over the mountains of Ascension with a bounding
step, and made the volcanic rocks resound under my geological hammer.”
His letters during the voyage are full of enthusiasm and of longing to
return to his family and friends.
There was the same conflict between the naval and scientific
departments of the _Beagle_ on the untidiness of the decks which was
afterwards repeated on the _Challenger_, where I have been told that
one of the naval authorities used to say, with resigned disgust, “Oh,
no, we’re not a man-of-war, we’re only a ---- dredger!”
In the course of the voyage the following countries and islands were
visited in the order given:--The Cape de Verde Islands, St. Paul’s
Rocks, Fernando Noronha, South America (including the Galapagos
Archipelago, the Falkland Islands, and Tierra del Fuego), Tahiti, New
Zealand, Australia, Tasmania, Keeling Island, Maldive Coral Atolls,
Mauritius, St. Helena, Ascension. Brazil was then visited again for a
short time, the _Beagle_ touching at the Cape de Verde Islands and the
Azores on the voyage home.
Darwin says, concerning the intellectual effect of his work during the
voyage:--
“That my mind became developed through my pursuits during the
voyage is rendered probable by a remark made by my father, who
was the most acute observer whom I ever saw, of a sceptical
disposition, and far from being a believer in phrenology; for on
first seeing me after the voyage he turned round to my sisters,
and exclaimed, ‘Why the shape of his head is quite altered!’”
(_l. c._, pp. 63, 64).