Charles Darwin on the Voyage of the H.M.S. Beagle, 1831-1836

At age sixteen, Charles Darwin was told by his father, the physician Robert Darwin, "You care for nothing but shooting, dogs, and rat-catching, and you will be a disgrace to yourself and your family."  Six years later Darwin would sail on the first voyage of the H.M.S. Beagle, making discoveries that would change not only his ideas but also the world’s perspective on its own origins.  But Darwin almost didn’t get to go on this life-changing journey.  His father had at first refused to allow him to go, as he believed that exploration was not a wise career choice for the 22-year-old.  He finally relented, a decision that would change Darwin and eventually the world.

1.  Henslow, John S.  A Catalogue of British plants, arranged according to the natural system, with the synonyms of De Candolle, Smith, Lindley, and Hooker, 2d ed.  Cambridge : J. and J.J. Deighton and T. Stevenson, 1835.

Darwin’s spot on the Beagle was acquired through his association with his former professor John S. Henslow, who later developed his Catalogue of Plants from information that Darwin acquired on the voyage.  On December 27, 1831, the H.M.S. Beagle set sail from Plymouth Sound, under the command of Captain Robert FitzRoy, on its journey around the world.  Darwin began the voyage quoting the Bible to his shipmates.  By the journey’s end, he had found much evidence to support scientific, rather than Biblical, theories of the Earth’s origins and development.  Originally planned to last only two years, the voyage actually lasted for almost five years.  Darwin spent a year and a half at sea and three years and three months on land, exploring places and ideas that later influenced the development of his theory of evolution by natural selection.

2.  Darwin, Charles to Charles Lyell, 1860 May 18.  Charles Darwin Papers.

Before and during the voyage, Darwin was inspired by the works of American Philosophical Society members, particularly those of Alexander von Humboldt and Charles Lyell, which he read aloud to his friends.  Puzzled by a band of compressed shells and coral 30 feet above sea level which looked as though it once had been below water, Darwin recalled Lyell’s discussion of the earth’s continuous and gradual change, with land and sea levels rising and falling.  Lyell would  continue to encourage Darwin’s work throughout their lives.  In this letter of May 18, 1860, Darwin wrote to Lyell that “…my Book [On the Origin of Species] would have been & be a mere flash in the pan, were it not for you, Hooker & a few others.”

3.  Darwin, Charles to J.M. Herbert, 1832 June 1-6.  Charles Darwin Papers.

Sea travel allowed Darwin time to read and reflect upon what he observed on land:  “…I find my life on blue water not only very pleasant… an excellent time for reading; so quiet & comfortable, that you are not tempted to be idle” he wrote in a letter to J.M. Herbert.  During this same time he went from Scripture-quoting to skepticism regarding religion: “Here are green Carnations & purple Peaches brought foreward [sic] to show the beneficence of Providence.-- When such evidence is proved false who will not become a Sceptic..."

4.  Darwin, Charles to J.M. Herbert, 1833 June 2.  Charles Darwin Papers.

Unfortunately, the journey also was marked by much unpleasantness.  In this letter, Darwin makes reference to being seasick, which happened often, and in a letter written almost exactly one year later, he comments on the extremes of weather the crew endured: “It is a grand spectacle to see all nature thus raging: but Heaven knows every one in the Beagle has seen enough in this one summer to last them their natural lives." It is believed that Darwin's lifelong poor health may have been due to infection during his travels.

5.  H.M.S. Beagle Map and Chart, from Crellin, J. Charles Darwin and Evolution.  London : Jackdaw Publications ; New York, Grossman Publishers [1968, c. 1967].

6.  Darwin, Charles to Thomas Eyton, 1839 November 30.  Charles Darwin Papers.

7.  Darwin, Charles to J.M. Herbert, 1839 watermark.  Charles Darwin Papers.

8.  Darwin, Charles to Charles Lyell, 1837.  Charles Darwin Papers.

At the end of the voyage, Darwin hopped off the ship at its first stop, foregoing the celebration at Greenwich to which Captain FitzRoy and the rest of the crew returned.  Darwin had work to do: consulting with others such as Thomas Eyton, J.M. Herbert, and Charles Lyell about his discoveries on the voyage and writing his narrative of the journey, published in 1839 as Journal and Remarks, also known as Journal of Researches and Voyage of the Beagle. 

9.  Darwin, Charles to Publishing Firm of Henry Colburn, 1839 Thursday.  Charles Darwin Papers.

10. H.M.S. Beagle, longitudinal section view by F.G. King, from Darwin, C.R. 1935.  Journal of researches [in Russian].  Translated by E.G. Beketov.  Edited by S.L. Sobol’.  Moscow-Leningrad : State Edition (Collected Works Vol. 1).

11.  Charles Lyell, engraving.  Prints and Photographs Collection

12.  Charles Darwin, photograph of portrait at Down House.  Prints and Photographs Collection, Darwin and Down House photographs donated by Whitfield Jenks Bell, Jr., 1971.