246 THE VOYAGE. .ETAT. 24. [1833. 



keep up the most flagging spirit ? If I was to throw it away, 

 I don't think I should ever rest quiet in my grave. I 

 certainly should be a ghost and haunt the British Museum. 



How famously the Ministers appear to be going on. 

 I always much enjoy political gossip and what you at home 

 think will, &c., &c., take place. I steadily read up the weekly 

 paper, but it is not sufficient to guide one's opinion ; and 

 I find it a very painful state not to be as obstinate as a pig 

 in politics. I have watched how steadily the general feeling, 

 as shown at elections, has been rising against Slavery. What 

 a proud thing for England if she is the first European nation 

 which utterly abolishes it ! I was told before leaving 

 England that after living in slave countries all my opinions 

 would be altered ; the only alteration I am aware of is 

 forming a much higher estimate of the negro character. 

 It is impossible to see a negro and not feel kindly towards 

 him ; such cheerful, open, honest expressions and such fine 

 muscular bodies. I never saw any of the diminutive Portu- 

 guese, with their murderous countenances, without almost 

 wishing for Brazil to follow the example of Hayti ; and, 

 considering the enormous healthy-looking black population, 

 it will be wonderful if, at some future day, it does not take 

 place. There is at Rio a man (I know not his title) who has 

 a large salary to prevent (I believe) the landing of slaves ; he 

 lives at Botofogo, and yet that was the bay where, during my 

 residence, the greater number of smuggled slaves were landed. 

 Some of the Anti-Slavery people ought to question about his 

 office ; it was the subject of conversation at Rio amongst 

 the lower English 



C. Darwin to J. M. Herbert. 



Maldonado, Rio Plata, June 2, 1833. 



MY DEAR HERBERT, 



I have been confined for the last three days to a 

 miserable dark room, in an old Spanish house, from the torrents 



