Oh. II.] VOYAGE. 29 



doctor, as I fully expected to hear the verdict that I was not 

 fit for the voyage, and I was resolved to go at all hazards. 



I need not here refer to the events of the voyage — where we 

 went and what we did — as I have given a sufficiently full 

 account in my published Journal. The glories of the 

 vegetation of the Tropics rise bofore my mind at the present 

 time more vividly than anything else ; though the sense of 

 sublimity, which the great deserts of Patagonia and the 

 forest-clad mountains of Tierra del Fucgo excited in me, has 

 left an indelible impression on my mind. The sight of a 

 naked savage in his nativo land is an event which can never 

 be forgotten. Many of my excursions on horseback through 

 wild countries, or in the boats, some of which lasted several 

 weeks, were deeply interesting ; their discomfort and some 

 degree of danger were at that time hardly a drawback, and 

 none at all afterwards. I also reflect with high satisfaction 

 on some of my scientific work, such as solving the problem of 

 coral islands, and making out the geological structure of 

 certain islands, for instance, St. Helena. Nor must I pass 

 over the discovery of tho singular relations of the animals 

 and plants inhabiting the several islands of the Galapagos 

 archipelago, and of all of them to the inhabitants of South 

 America. 



As far as I can judge of myself, I worked to the utmost 

 during the voyage from the mere pleasure of investigation, 

 and from my strong desire to add a few facts to the great mass 

 of facts in Natural Science. But I was also ambitious to take 

 a fair place among scientific men, — whether more ambitious 

 or less so than most of my fellow- workers, I can form no 

 opinion. 



The geology of St. Jago is very striking, yet simple : a 

 stream of lava formerly flowed over the bed of the sea, formed 

 of triturated recent shells and corals, which it has baked into 

 a hard white rock. Since then the whole island has been 

 upheaved. But the line of white rock revealed to me a new 

 and important fact, namely, that there had been afterwards 

 subsidence round the craters, which had since been in action, 

 and had poured forth lava. It then 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. That 

 was a memorable hour to me, and how distinctly I can call to 

 mind the low cliff of lava beneath which I rested, with the sun 

 glaring hot, a few strange desert plants growing near, and 

 with living corals in the tidal pools at my feet. Later in the 

 voyage, Fitz-Roy asked me to read some of my Journal, and 



