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The beginning of the journey
Charles Darwin, aged 22, embarks on the HMS Beagle voyage as the ship captain's assistant -
Visit to Cap Verde Islands
Darwin was exhilarated by his first observations. "It 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
Darwin stated that," We have closed the equation, and I have undergone the disagreeable observation of being shaved." They blindfolded Darwin and thus lead along, buckets of water were thundered all around; Then he was placed on a plank, which could be easily tilted up into a large bath of water. -
Next stop Salvador,Brazil
Darwin explores Brazilian rain forests for the first time. "Here I first saw tropical forest in all it's sublime grandeur. I never experienced such intense delight." -
Punta Alta, Argentina
Darwin is intrigued by the great fossils he sees. "I have been wonderfully lucky with fossil bones. Some of the animals must have been of great dimensions." I am almost sure that many of them are quiet now." -
Tierra del fuego, Argentina
Captain Robert Fitzroy repatriates three native people he had brought to England. Fitzroy attempts to start a christian mission, which fails disastrously. -
Falklands Islands
Darwin finds the barren, windswept Falkland Islands 'desolate and wretched'. But he perks up when he cracks open some'primitive looking rocks' and finds fossils.' -
Rio Negro, Argentina
Darwin explores the fertile low land areas known as Pampas with the local people or 'gauchos'. There is high enjoyment in the independence of the gaucho life. -
Visit to Chiloe Island,Chile
Darwin sees mount osmo erupt while 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 wear and tear. -
Galaplagos Islands
Darwin found many species of plants, birds and tortoises unique to the Galapagos island, but they seem mysteriously related to mainland species. He was really fascinated and amused by the'immense' Galapagos tortoises. -
Sydney, Australia
On arrival in Sydney cove, Darwins first feeling was 'to congratulate myself that I was born an Englishman..it is a fine town' -
Mauritius
'I took a quiet walk along the sea coast to the town; the plain is there quiet uncultivated, consisting of afraid of black lava smoothed over with course grass and bushed, the greater part of which are mimosas. -
Bahia and Perninmbuco, South America
In the jungles of south America, Darwin discovers many incredible creatures. However, both homesick and seasick, he is dismayed when the beagle makes unscheduled detour to make additional longitude measures. -
Cape Town,South Africa
'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. -
Falmath, England
'I reached home late last night my head is quite confused with so much delight'. The beagle ship was only 27m(90 feet)long and carried 74 people and 22 docks, in very close quarters.