Darwin's Observations

Plymouth, England

Dec 27, 1831

Charles Darwin at the age of 22, started his journey on the HMS Beagle voyage as the ship captain's assistant. "The misery I endured from seasickness is far beyond what I ever guessed at."

Cape Verde Islands

Jan 7, 1832

"It then first dawned on me that I might perhaps write a book on the geology of the various countries visited, and this made me thrill with delight."

Crossing the Equator

Feb 21, 1832

"We have crossed the Equator, and I have undergone the disagreeable operation of being shaved... the constable blindfolded me and thus lead along, buckets of water were thundered all around; I was then placed on a plank, which could be easily tilted up into a large bath of water... The whole ship was a shower bath."
Darwin explores Brazilian rainforests for the first time, he was intrigued by the colorfulness and details he had never seen before.

Punta Alta, Argentina

Sep 24, 1832

Darwin is interested into giant fossils he sees, "I have been wonderfully lucky with fossil bones. Some of the animals must have been great dimensions! I am almost sure that many of them are quite new"

Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

Dec 30, 1832

Captain Robert FitzRoy returns 3 native people he had brough to England on a previous voyage. He attempts to start a Christian mission, which fails disastrously.

Falkland Islands

Mar 13, 1833

Darwin finds the Falkland Islands, "desolate and wretched," but he perks up when he cracks open some "primitive looking rocks" and finds fossils. The Falklands were full of brachiopods - two-shelled animals once among the most abundant organisms on Earth.

Rio Negro, Argentina

Aug 19, 1833

Darwin explores the fertile land called, Pampas with the local people (gauchos). "There is high enjoyment in the independence of the gaucho life -- to be able at any moment to pull up [your] horse."

Chiloe Island, Chile

Jan 16, 1835

Darwin sees Mount Osorno erupt while on the island of Chiloe and experiences the earthquake in the woods near Valdivia. Seeing the aftermath of the earthquake affected him tremendously, "I believe this earthquake has done more in degrading or lessening the size of the island, than 100 years of ordinary wear and tear."

Galapagos Islands

Sep 19, 1835

Darwin finds that the species on the Galapagos Islands unique, and strangely related to mainland species. He is particularly interested with the tortoises on the Island. He couldn't even resist taking a ride on them! While Darwin observes the marine iguana, when he opens its mouth to find nothing but seaweed!

Galapagos Islands

Oct 15, 1835

Many species on the island were as weird as their surroundings, their color often blended in with the lava that surrounded them. A few, like the blue-footed booby and Sally lightfoot crab were brightly colored. Named after a word meaning "foolish person," boobies were known for their complete absence of defensive behavior.

Galapagos Island

Oct 17, 1835

Darwin was surprised to learn, back in London that the "birds" he found on the Galapagos Island were actually all finches. These finches all had different beaks for different food on each island.

Sydney, Australia

Jan 25, 1836

On arrival, Darwin's first feeling was "to congratulate myself that I was born an Englishman... it is a fine town." Darwin wonders why there is a completely different set of mammals in Australia

Cocos Islands (Keeling Islands)

Apr 18, 1836

Darwin starts to study the coral reefs growing around the island to test his theory of atoll formation. "I am glad we have visited these islands; such formations surely rank high amongst the wonderful objects of this world."

Mauritius

May 9, 1836

"I took a quiet walk along the sea coast to the north of the town; the plain is there quite uncultivated, consisting of a field of black lava smoothed over with coarse grass and bushes, the greater part of which are mimosas," observes Darwin.

Cape Town, South Africa

Jun 4, 1836

"The first object in Cape town which strikes the eye of a stranger, is the number of bullock wagons... I have as yet not mentioned the well known Table Mountain; this great mass of horizontally stratified sandstone rises quite close behind the town to height of 3,500 feet."

Bahia and Pernambuco, South America

Aug 4, 1836

In the jungles of South America, Darwin discovers many incredible creatures. He is dismayed when the Beagle needs to make an unschedule additional longitude measurements. "This zig-zag manner of proceeding is very grievous... I loathe."

Falmouth, England

Oct 2, 1836

"I reached home late last night. My head is quite confused with so much delight."