Montevideo
Spent the whole day in the city.
14th November 1832
[Map from AboutDarwin.com]This morning we entered the harbor at noon; after having fairly conquered as foul a wind as ever blew. I received letters dated July 25, August 15th & 18th.
12th & 13th November 1832
Montevideo
The wind continues dead in our teeth & although carrying on night & day we get on very slowly. In the evening it blew hard & we dropped the anchor.
The wind continues dead in our teeth & although carrying on night & day we get on very slowly. In the evening it blew hard & we dropped the anchor.
11th November 1832
River Plate
The wind is unfavourable & we do not make much progress. Every day is now of consequence, as it is one out of the summer.
10th November 1832
Buenos Aires
Breakfasted with Mr Gore & at noon went on board: in the evening made sail for Monte Video; but as the night was dirty came to an anchor.
Breakfasted with Mr Gore & at noon went on board: in the evening made sail for Monte Video; but as the night was dirty came to an anchor.
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Captain Fitzroy's Journal:
...remained in the outer roadstead, off Buenos Ayres, until the 10th of November. We then employed three days in verifying the positions of some banks, as laid down in Heywood's and other charts, and returned to Monte Video on the 14th.
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Syms Covington’s Journal:
The ships company having (had) their liberty, we left Buenos Ayres November 10th for Monte Video, where we arrived the 14th of the same month.
9th November 1832
Buenos Aires
Called with Capt. FitzRoy on Donna Clara or Mrs Clarke. The history of this woman is most strange. She was originally a handsome young woman, transported for some atrocious crime. On board the convict ship on its passage outwards, she lived with the Captain: some time before coming to the Latitude of Buenos Ayres she planned with the rest of the convict women to murder all on board excepting a few sailors. She with her own hands killed the Captain, & by the help of a few sailors brought the ship into Buenos Ayres. After this she married a man of considerable property & now inherits it. Everybody seems to have forgotten her crimes, from the extraordinary labours she underwent in nursing our soldiers after the disastrous attempt (our flags are now in the Cathedral) to take this city. Mrs Clarke is now an old decrepid woman: with a masculine face, & evidently even yet a most ferocious mind. Her commonest expressions are "I would hang them all Sir", "I would kill him Sir," for smaller offences, "I would cut their fingers off". The worthy old lady looks as if she would rather do it, than say so.
Called with Capt. FitzRoy on Donna Clara or Mrs Clarke. The history of this woman is most strange. She was originally a handsome young woman, transported for some atrocious crime. On board the convict ship on its passage outwards, she lived with the Captain: some time before coming to the Latitude of Buenos Ayres she planned with the rest of the convict women to murder all on board excepting a few sailors. She with her own hands killed the Captain, & by the help of a few sailors brought the ship into Buenos Ayres. After this she married a man of considerable property & now inherits it. Everybody seems to have forgotten her crimes, from the extraordinary labours she underwent in nursing our soldiers after the disastrous attempt (our flags are now in the Cathedral) to take this city. Mrs Clarke is now an old decrepid woman: with a masculine face, & evidently even yet a most ferocious mind. Her commonest expressions are "I would hang them all Sir", "I would kill him Sir," for smaller offences, "I would cut their fingers off". The worthy old lady looks as if she would rather do it, than say so.
8th November 1832
Buenos AiresIn the evening went to the Theatre; I did not understand one word; yet, & which I should think was different from other languages, it sounded most distinct & energetic. We saw here the universal custom amongst the Spaniards of separating the women from the men. In the boxes they are together, but the pit is full of men & the gallery of women. The price for the boxes is about 14 pence or two paper dollars; for the rest of the house it is only one, or seven pence: of English money.
7th November 1832
Buenos Aires
We expected to have gone on board to day, but from bad weather & other causes the sailing of the Beagle has been deferred for a few days. In the evening Capt. FitzRoy & myself dined at Mr Gores, the English Charge d'affaires. We had a very pleasant evening: we met there Colonel Harcourt Vernon, one of the most rare instances of a tourist leaving the beaten tracks of Europe. He has already travelled in Egypt & having a strong wish to see Tropical scenery came to Rio de Janeiro. And as he says, one walk amidst the glories of Brazil well repays the trouble of crossing the Atlantic. Colonel Vernon is now going to undertake a most laborious journey, namely to cross the Pampas to Lima, from whence to Mexico & so home.
We expected to have gone on board to day, but from bad weather & other causes the sailing of the Beagle has been deferred for a few days. In the evening Capt. FitzRoy & myself dined at Mr Gores, the English Charge d'affaires. We had a very pleasant evening: we met there Colonel Harcourt Vernon, one of the most rare instances of a tourist leaving the beaten tracks of Europe. He has already travelled in Egypt & having a strong wish to see Tropical scenery came to Rio de Janeiro. And as he says, one walk amidst the glories of Brazil well repays the trouble of crossing the Atlantic. Colonel Vernon is now going to undertake a most laborious journey, namely to cross the Pampas to Lima, from whence to Mexico & so home.
6th November 1832
Buenos AiresSpent the day in shopping & in gaining information relative to the geology of the country. I trust when the Beagle returns for the winter to the Rio Plata I shall be able to make some long excursions in this un-picturesque but curious country. Buenos Ayres is an excellent place for making purchases; there are many shops kept by Englishmen & full of English goods. Indeed the whole town has more of an European look than any I have seen in S. America. One is called back to the true locality, both by the Gauchos riding through the streets with their gay coloured Ponchos & by the dress of the Spanish ladies. This latter, although not differing much from an English one, is most elegant & simple. In the hair (which is beautifully arranged) they wear an enormous comb; from this a large silk shawl folds round the upper part of the body. Their walk is most graceful, & although often disappointed, one never saw one of their charming backs without crying out, "how beautiful she must be".
5th November 1832
Buenos AiresRode about 6 leagues into the camp to an English Estancia. The country is very level & from in places from Willows & Poplars being planted by the ditches much resembled Cambridgeshire. Generally it is open & consists either of bright green turf or large tracts of a very tall Sow-thistle (8 or 9 feet high).
Even the very roads were burrowed by the Viscache. This animal is nocturnal in its habits; in structure it is allied to the Cavies, having gnawing teeth & only three toes to its hind legs; it differs in having a tail. The holes made by this animal yearly cause the death of many of the Gauchos. As Head mentions, every burrow is tenanted by a small owl, who, as you ride past, most gravely stares at you.
4th November 1832
Buenos AyresWalked into several of the Churches & admired the brilliancy of the decorations for which the city is celebrated. It is impossible not to respect the fervour which appears to reign during the Catholic service as compared with the Protestant. The effect is heightened by the equality of all ranks. The Spanish Lady with her brilliant shawl is kneels by the side of her black servant in the open aisle.
I visited the Museum, which is attached to the only remaining convent; although esteemed as second to none by the inhabitants it is very poor. In the evening went out riding with Hamond; we saw the first starting of a troop of waggons for Mendoza. Changing the bullocks, they travel day & night, but even with this it takes 50 days. These waggons are very narrow & long, they are thatched with reeds & stand on wheels, the diameter of which is 10 feet. They are drawn by 6 bullocks, which are urged on by a goad at least twenty feet long. it is suspended within the roof, so that it can be easily used. The point is sharp & for the intermediate bullocks a small point projects downwards. For the wheel bullocks a short goad is kept in the waggon. All this apparatus at first looks like implements of war.
3rd November 1832
Buenos AyresThe city of Buenos Ayres is large, & I should think one of the most regular in the world. Every street is at right angles to the one it crosses; so that all the houses are collected into solid squares called "quadras". On the other hand the houses themselves are like our squares, all the rooms opening into a neat little court. They are generally only one story high, with flat roofs; which are fitted with seats & are much frequented by the inhabitants in Summer. In centre of the town is the Plaza, where all the public offices, Fortress, Cathedral &c are. It was here that the old Viceroys lived, before the revolution. The general assemblage of buildings possesses considerable architectural beauty, although none individually do so. In the evening went out riding with Hammond & in vain tried to reach the camp; in England any one would pronounce the roads quite impassible; but the bullock waggons do contrive to crawl slowly on, a man however generally goes ahead to survey which is the best part to be attempted. I do not suppose they travel one mile per hour, & yet with this the bullocks are much jaded: it is a great mistake to imagine with the improved roads and increased velocity of travelling that in the same proportion the cruelty towards the animals becomes greater.
For some miles round the town the country is enclosed by ditches & hedges of Agave or Aloes with Fennel. One ride is sufficient to account for the horror which the few English gentlemen who reside here express for Buenos Ayres: In our ride we passed the public place for slaughtering the cattle: the beasts were all lassoed in the Corral; so that there was no skill shown, the only thing which surprised me is the wonderful strength of horses compared to bullocks. After being caught round the horns, one horse dragged them to any distance; the poor beast after vainly in its efforts ploughing up the ground to resist the force, would dash at full speed to one side; the horse immediately turns to receive the shock, & stands so firmly as almost to throw the bullock down when he comes to the end of the Lasso. When brought to the spot for killing, the matador with great caution cuts the hamstrings & then being disabled sticks them; it is a horrible sight: the ground is made of bones, & the men, horses & mud are stained by blood.
2nd November 1832
Buenos AyresPassing the Guard-ship (who this time treated us with greater respect) we anchored at noon in the outer roads. The boats were lowered & a large party of officers went on shore; the landing is very awkward; from the shoalness of the water a cart is obliged to come a long way out to meet the boat. We immediately went out riding: there is no way of enjoying the shore so throughily as on horseback: after being for some months in a ship, the mere prospect of living on dry land is very pleasant, & we were all accordingly in high spirits. It is from this cause, I suppose, that most Foreigners believe that English sailors are all more or less mad.
Syms Covington’s Journal:
Buenos Ayres, about 160 miles southward of Monte Video and IS opposite the Río del la Plata. The city is large and populous, AND is situated on a bank, which extends each way beyond the city a considerable distance. It is very inconvenient for landing, as there is no mole or levy, AND the water being very shallow, people are taken from their boats, when landing, in carts on very high wheels, which carts are in constant attendance for a trifling sum. THE buildings most worthy of notice are the churches, etc.
Buenos Ayres, about 160 miles southward of Monte Video and IS opposite the Río del la Plata. The city is large and populous, AND is situated on a bank, which extends each way beyond the city a considerable distance. It is very inconvenient for landing, as there is no mole or levy, AND the water being very shallow, people are taken from their boats, when landing, in carts on very high wheels, which carts are in constant attendance for a trifling sum. THE buildings most worthy of notice are the churches, etc.
01 November 1832
Buenos Ayres
A calm delightful day. I know not the reason why such days always lead the mind to think of England and home. It would seem as if the serenity of the air allowed the thoughts with greater ease to pass & repass the long interval.
A calm delightful day. I know not the reason why such days always lead the mind to think of England and home. It would seem as if the serenity of the air allowed the thoughts with greater ease to pass & repass the long interval.
Captain Fitzroy’s Journal:
Desirous of communicating with the Government at Buenos Ayres, and measuring the difference of meridians between that city and Monte Video, we weighed anchor on the 31st [Oct], proceeded up the river, and remained in the outer roadstead, off Buenos Ayres, until the 10th of November.
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