1836.] HOME LETTERS. 265 



and nearly all under the British flag. These will be a poor 

 field for Natural History, and without it I have lately dis- 

 covered that the pleasure of seeing new places is as nothing. 

 I must return to my old resource and think of the future, but 

 that I may not become more prosy, I will say farewell till the 

 day arrives, when I shall see my Master in Natural History, 

 and can tell him how grateful I feel for his kindness and 

 friendship. 



Believe me, dear Henslow, 



Ever yours, most faithfully, 



CHAS. DARWIN. 



C. Darwin to Miss S. Darwin. 



Bahia, Brazil, August 4 [1836]. 



MY DEAR SUSAN, 



I will just write a few lines to explain the cause of 

 this letter being dated on the coast of South America. Some 

 singular disagreements in the longitudes made Captain Fitz- 

 Roy anxious to complete the circle in the southern hemisphere, 

 and then retrace our steps by our first line to England. This 

 zigzag manner of proceeding is very grievous ; it has put the 

 finishing stroke to my feelings. I loathe, I abhor the sea and 

 all ships which sail on it. But I yet believe we shall reach 

 England in the latter half of October. At Ascension I 

 received Catherine's letter of October, and yours of November ; 

 the letter at the Cape was of a later date, but letters of all sorts 

 are inestimable treasures, and I thank you both for them. 

 The desert, volcanic rocks, and wild sea of Ascension, as soon 

 as I knew there was news from home, suddenly wore a 

 pleasing aspect, and I set to work with a good-will at my old 

 work of Geology. You would be surprised to know how 

 entirely the pleasure in arriving at a new place depends on 

 letters. We only stayed four days at Ascension, and then made 

 a very good passage to Bahia. 



