2^6 THE VOYAGE. /ETAT. 26. [1836. 



is true. ' A new Cytheraea has risen from the ocean.' De- 

 licious scenery, climate, manners of the people are all in har- 

 mony. It is, moreover, admirable to behold what the mis- 

 sionaries both here and at New Zealand have effected. I 

 firmly believe they are good men working for the sake of a 

 good cause. I much suspect that those who have abused or 

 sneered at the missionaries have generally been such as were 

 not very anxious to find the natives moral and intelligent 

 beings. During the remainder of our voyage we shall only 

 visit places generally acknowledged as civilised, and nearly 

 all under the British flag. These will be a poor field for 

 Natural History, and without it I have lately discovered 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 hemi- 

 sphere, 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 Novem- 

 ber ; the letter at the Cape was of a later date, but letters of 

 all sorts are inestimable treasures, and I thank you both for 



