Valparaiso Here I remained in bed till the end of October.
In a letter to Caroline Darwin CD wrote: 'I have been unwell & in bed for the last fortnight, & am now only able to sit up for a short time. As I want occupation I will try & fill this letter. — Returning from my excursion into the country I staid a few days at some Goldmines & whilst there I drank some Chichi a very weak, sour new made wine, this half poisoned me, I staid till I thought I was well; but my first days ride, which was a long one again disordered my stomach, & afterwards I could not get well; I quite lost my appetite & became very weak. I had a long distance to travel & suffered very much; at last I arrived here quite exhausted. It was a grievous loss of time, as I had hoped to have collected many animals.
I've just found your site - I don't know who you are, but thank you thank you for this wonderful resource. I've been immersed in Darwin lately, both fiction and fact, especially the Beagle voyage. This is amazing - especially the chance to juxtapose Fitzroy's diary, and the helpful photos. Thank you very very much!
ReplyDeleteHi Emma... who I am is not really relevant, save that I too am very interested in reading the whole of the Beagle Diaries, but have always been daunted my their size!
ReplyDeleteThe answer? Serialise them daily from the beginning in Devonport in December 1831...
Incidentally, as a Devonian I know Devonport/Plymouth intimately; and it amuses me that two of the crew (both carpenters, and likely Devonport men) were 'Rogers' and 'Rowe', which without the 's' is my name! So with all 'Rowes' being related, I had an ancestor on the Beagle (or so I like to think)!!
It's a labour of love.
Roger R.
PS Spread the word...
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