2OO THE APPOINTMENT TO THE 'BEAGLE.' ^ETAT. 22. [1831. 



C. Darwin to Miss Susan Darwin. 



Cambridge, Sunday Morning [September 4, 1831]. 



MY DEAR SUSAN, 



As a letter would not have gone yesterday, I put 

 off writing till to-day. I had rather a wearisome journey,, 

 but got into Cambridge very fresh. The whole of yesterday 

 I spent with Henslow, thinking of what is to be done, and 

 that I find is a great deal. By great good luck I know a man 

 of the name of Wood, nephew of Lord Londonderry. He is. 

 a great friend of Captain Fitz-Roy, and has written to him 

 about me. I heard a part of Captain Fitz-Roy's letter, dated 

 some time ago, in which he says : " I have a right good set of 

 officers, and most of my men have been there before." It 

 seems he has been there for the last few years ; he was then 

 second in command with the same vessel that he has now 

 chosen. He is only twenty-three years old, but [has] seen a 

 deal of service, and won the gold medal at Portsmouth. The 

 Admiralty say his maps are most perfect. He had choice of 

 two vessels, and he chose the smallest. Henslow will give 

 me letters to all travellers in town whom he thinks may 

 assist me. 



Peacock has sole appointment of Naturalist. The first 

 person offered was Leonard Jenyns, who was so near accept- 

 ing it that he packed up his clothes. But having [a] living, 

 he did not think it right to leave [it] to the great regret of 

 all his family. Henslow himself was not very far from, 

 accepting it, for Mrs. Henslow most generously, and without 

 being asked, gave her consent ; but she looked so miserable 

 that Henslow at once settled the point. 



***** 



I am afraid there will be a good deal of expense at first 

 Henslow is much against taking many things ; it is [the] 

 mistake all young travellers fall into. I write as if it was 

 settled, but Henslow tells me by no means to make up 

 my mind till I have had long conversations with Captains 



