We are all familiar with the works of Charles Darwin and his awesome contribution to natural sciences. This grand old (once young) man is one of the most significant scientists of the 19th century, so I will let others talk about his work. Today in Mirigli headquarters we are interested in Darwin’s voyage on HMS Beagle with Captain FitzRoy.
On December 1831, at the tender age of 22, Charles Darwin embarked a 5-year trip around the world on HMS Beagle. No one knew it yet, but this could be the most important gap year in history. During this journey Darwin would venture in Rio, Montevideo, Buenos Aires, Patagonia, the Falklands, the Galapagos, Tahiti, New Zealand, Australia and Cape Town collecting plants and animals previously unknown to science.
The Invitation
Captain FitzRoy had been commissioned to survey the coastline of South America on HMS Beagle, which he combined with a quest to return three captured Tierra Fuegians back home from England. Captain FitzRoy had been observing various minerals and geography on his previous voyages, and regretted not having on board a university-trained expert who could get the maximum scientific benefit of the journey. Coincidentally Charles Darwin landed on this post, even though he wasn’t even the first choice! Darwin was thrilled about the voyage opportunity, but he had to turn it down first because his father opposed the trip. Robert Darwin wanted his son to become a clergyman, and feared that five years would be too long distraction from his studies. Relatives had to convince father Robert to let his son go, and Charles Darwin later looked back at those uncertain days before the favourable resolution: “I shall never forget what very anxious & uncomfortable days these two were.— My heart appeared to sink within me, independently of the doubts raised by my Fathers dislike to the scheme.”
Darwin would travel as a passenger on HMS Beagle instead of being employed by navy, and therefore his costs had to be covered by his father. Fortunately Robert Darwin was a wealthy man and could handle the costs worth approximately million quid in today’s money. The costs included equipment for the voyage, food, servant on the boat and any costs on land expeditions e.g. hiring guides, horses, carriages and lodging. The voyage took five years in total, and Charles Darwin spent three of them on land collecting plants, animals and studying geology.
Life on HMS Beagle
HMS Beagle was a teeny tiny boat for her grand job. She was only 30 m long, 8 meters wide, and carrying crew of 75. (How did they all fit in? Were they stacked below the deck?) Obviously privacy was luxury on board, however Darwin had his own small cabin for scientific work. On 12th of September 1831 Darwin visited Beagle for the first time in the dockyard and made a note that “she — looked more like a wreck than a vessel commissioned to go round the world.”
Food and other necessities had to be stored on the boat for a long journey at sea, and close to departure Darwin observed that “Not one inch of room is lost, the hold would contain scarcely another bag of bread.” It was (and still is) important to have good variety of food on board to keep everyone healthy and well nourished. Captain FitzRoy’s log (on 19 November 1832) gives some insight into a menu on HMS Beagle: “74 lbs of fresh beef, 37 lbs of vegetables…310 lbs suet, 10 bushels of peas, 5 bushels of oatmeal, sugar 735 lbs…Rum 484 gallons, Bread 3300 lbs…raisins 1360 lbs, [beans] 50 bushels…cocoa 740 lbs, tea 240 lbs. Vinegar 100 gallons, tobacco 1520 lbs, soap 375 lbs.” Dry foodstuff was supplemented with fresh fruits and vegetables bought from ports. These could be pickled for further legs on the journey. Scurvy and other sailor’s malnourishment conditions were already history, and boat surgeons made sure sailors got all the vitamins they needed to stay healthy.
Apart from food, cleanliness was also very important on a boat where the crew occupied the same close quarters of their floating home. Darwin was impressed on several occasions by the impeccable cleaning that could have been pride in any gentleman’s home on land.
Tactics of everyday life
Darwin quickly noticed that the life on boat required different tactics to everyday life on land. His first night on board was full of new insights and even such mundane event as sleeping in a hammock appeared difficult:” 4th Decmeber 1831: — I — experienced a most ludicrous difficulty in getting into it; my great fault of jockeyship was in trying to put my legs in first. The hammock being suspended, I thus only succeded in pushing [it] away without making any progress in inserting my own body. — the correct method is to sit accurately in centre of bed, then give yourself a dexterous twist & your head & feet come into their respective places.”
Darwin realized that it was necessary to forget many little comforts which one enjoys on shore without almost perceiving them. “Nothing can be done without so much extra trouble, even a book cannot be taken from the shelves or a piece of soap from the washing stand, without making it doubtful whether in the one case it is worth while to wash ones hands, or in the other to read any passage.”
The Sea
HMS Beagle set on the journey from Devonport (UK) on 26th December 1831. Darwin didn’t enjoy the first weeks on board much, thanks to persistent seasickness.
29 December 1831
— We are in the Bay of Biscay & there is a good deal of swell on the sea. — I have felt a good deal nausea several times in the day. — I will now give all the dear bought experience I have gained about sea-sickness. — In first place the misery is excessive & far exceeds what a person would suppose who had never been at sea more than a few days. — I found the only relief to be in a horizontal position — I found the only thing my stomach would bear was biscuit & raisins —— But the only sure thing is lying down, & if in a hammock so much the better.
Darwins suffering prompted later on some advice to explorers contemplating a voyage by sea. He recommended travels by land if possible, especially if the journey was going to be long and one has inclination to seasickness. Also he urged to bear in mind “how large a proportion of the time during a long voyage is spent on the water, as compared to the days in harbour”. Darwin questioned the glories of the illimitable ocean and called it “a tedious waste, a desert of water”, however pointed out that (25 sept 1836) “No doubt there are some delightful scenes; a moonlight night, with the clear heavens, the dark glittering sea, the white sails filled by the soft air of a gently blowing trade wind, a dead calm, the heaving surface polished like a mirror, and all quite still excepting the occasional flapping of the sails. It is well once to behold a squall, with its rising arch, and coming fury, or the heavy gale and mountainous waves. I confess however my imagination had painted something more grand, more terrific in the full grown storm.”
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