34 LIFE OF 



to T/tf Times, after the death of his old friend and com- 

 rade in the Beagle, described how after perhaps an 

 hour's work he would say, " Old fellow, I must take the 

 horizontal for it." Then he would stretch himself on one 

 side of the table, and obtain a brief relief from discom- 

 fort, after which he would resume work. 



Some remarks which Darwin makes upon slavery in 

 South America are very forcible, and also illustrate his own 

 sympathetic nature. Here is one incident which struck 

 him more than any story of cruelty, as showing the 

 degradation of slavery. " I was crossing a ferry with a 

 negro, who was uncommonly stupid. In endeavouring 

 to make him understand, I talked loud, and made signs, 

 in doing which I passed my hand near his face. He, I 

 suppose, thought I was in a passion, and was going to 

 strike him ; for instantly, with a frightened look and half- 

 shut eyes, he dropped his hands. I shall never forget my 

 feelings of surprise, disgust, and shame, at seeing a great 

 powerful man afraid even to ward off a blow, directed, 

 as he thought, at his face. This man had been trained 

 to a degradation lower than the slavery of the most help- 

 less animal." 



In one of the numerous additions to the second 

 issue of the Journal in 1845, Darwin speaks thus 

 eloquently from his heart: "On the ipth of August 

 [1836], we finally left the shores of Brazil. I thank God 

 I shall never again visit a slave-country. To this day, if 

 I hear a distant scream, it recalls with painful vividness 

 my feelings when, passing a house near Pernambuco, I 

 heard the most pitiable moans, and could not but suspect 

 lhat some poor slave was being tortured, yet knew that I 



