i832.] LIFE AT SEA. 



205 



Tell Eyton (I find I am writing to my sisters !) how exceed- 

 ingly I enjoy America, and that I am sure it will be a great 

 pity if he does not make a start. 



This letter will go on the 5th, and I am afraid will be some 

 time before it reaches you ; it must be a warning how in other 

 parts of the world you may be a long time without hearing. 

 A year might by accident thus pass. About the 12th we 

 start for Rio, but we remain some time on the way in sound- 

 ing the Albrolhos shoals. Tell Eyton as far as my experience 

 goes let him study Spanish, French, drawing, and Humboldt. 

 I do sincerely hope to hear of (if not to see him) in South 

 America. I look forward to the letters in Rio^till each one 

 is acknowledged, mention its date in the next. 



We have beat all the ships in manoeuvring, so much so 

 that the commanding officer says, we need not follow his 

 example; because we do everything better than his great 

 ship. I begin to take great interest in naval points, more 

 especially now, as I find they all say we are the No. i in South 

 America. I suppose the Captain is a most excellent officer. 

 It was quite glorious to-day how we beat the Samarajtg in 

 furling sails. It is quite a new thing for a " sounding ship " to 

 beat a regular man-of-war ; and yet the Beagle is not at all a 

 particular ship. Erasmus will clearly perceive it when he 

 hears that in the night I have actually sat down in the sacred 

 precincts of the quarter deck. You must excuse these queer 

 letters, and recollect they are generally written in the evening 

 after my day's work. I take more pains over my log-book, so 

 that eventually you will have a good account of all the places 

 I visit. Hitherto the voyage has answered admirably to me, 

 and yet I am now more fully aware of your wisdom in throw- 

 ing cold water on the whole scheme ; the chances are so 

 numerous of turning out quite the reverse ; to such an extent 

 do I feel this, that if my advice was asked by any person on a 

 similar occasion, I should be very cautious in encouraging 

 him. I have not time to write to anybody else, so send to 

 Maer to let them know, that in the midst of the glorious 

 tropical scenery, I do not forget how instrumental they were 



