JOURNAL. 



CHAPTER I. 



Porto Praya — Ribeira Grande— Atmospheric Dust with Infusoria 

 —Habits of a Sea-skig and Cuttle-fish— St. Paul's Rocks, non- 

 volcanic — Singular Incrustations — Insects the first Colonists of 

 Islands — Fernando Noronha— Bahia — Burnished Rocks— Hab- 

 its of a Diodon — Pelagic Confervse and Infusoria — Causes of 

 discoloured Sea. 



ST. JAGO CAPE DE VERD ISLANDS. 



After having been twice driven back by heavy 

 south-western gales, Her Majesty's ship Beagle, a 

 ten-gun brig, under the command of Captain Fitz 

 Roy, R.N., sailed from Devonport on the 27th of De- 

 cember, 1831. The object of the expedition was 

 to complete the survey of Patagonia and Tierra del 

 Fuego, commenced under Captain King in 1826 

 to 1830 — to survey the shores of Chile, Peru, and 

 of some islands in the Pacific — and to carry a chain 

 of chronometrical measurements round the World. 

 On the 6th of January we reached Tcneriffe, but 

 were prevented landing, by fears of our bringing 

 the cholera : the next morning we saw the sun rise 

 behind the rugged outline of the Grand Canary 

 island, and suddenly illumine the Peak of Tene- 

 riffe, whilst the lower paits were veiled in fleecy 

 clouds. This was the first of many delightful days 

 never to be forgotten. On the 16th of January, 

 1832, we anchored at Porto Praya, in St. Jago, the 

 chief island of the Cape de Verd archipelago. 



The neighbourhood of Porto Praya, viewed 

 from the sea, wear-s a desolate aspect. The vol- 

 canic fires of a past age, and the scorching heat of 

 A 



