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Charles Darwin sets sail from Plymouth, England on the HMS Beagle on a voyage around the world.
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Darwin made his first observations on the Cape Verde Islands and began considering writing a book about the geography of the places he'll visit on his journey.
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The HMS Beagle has crossed to below the Equator and heads toward South America.
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Darwin experiences Brazilian rainforests for the first time. He is amazed at the aboundance of grasses, flowers, and other plants.
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In Punta Alta, Argentina, Darwin discovers huge fossils.
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Captian FitzRoy returns three native people back to thier country that he had brought back to England on a previous voyage. He attemps to start a Christian mission, but fails.
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Darwin dislikes the barren Falkland Islands, but finds brachipod fossils there.
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Darwin explores the fertile lands of Rio Negro, Argentina.
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While Darwin is on Chiloe Island, Mount Orsono erupts and causes an earthquake. This starts Darwin thinking about how events like these have shaped the Earth.
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Here Darwin finds many new species of plants and animals, but they all seem related to the mainland species. He is particularly interested in the giant tortoises and the iguanas.
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Darwin marvels at the completely different mammals in Australia.
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Darwin studies the coral reefs growing around the Cocos Islands to test his atoll formation theory.
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Darwin observes the grasses and bushes that have begun to grow over the hardened black lava.
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As Darwin observed Table Mountain, he begins to wonder about how the Earth is changed by slow processes.
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Darwin discovers many new incredible creatures in the forests of South America, but is now homesick and is ready to return to England.
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Darwin finally returned to Falmouth, England in October of 1836.