1834-] CAPTAIN FITZ-ROY. 257 



interruptions from officers of other ships ; the selling the 

 schooner and its consequences were very vexatious ; the cold 

 manner the Admiralty (solely I believe because he is a Tory) 

 have treated him, and a thousand other, &c. &c.'s, has made 

 him very thin and unwell. This was accompanied by a 

 morbid depression of spirits, and a loss of all decision and 

 resolution. . . . All that Bynoe (the surgeon) could say, that 

 it was merely the effect of bodily health and exhaustion after 

 such application, would not do ; he invalided, and Wickham 

 was appointed to the command. By the instructions Wickham 

 could only finish the survey of the southern part, and would 

 then have been obliged to return direct to England. The grief 

 on board the Beagle about the Captain's decision was universal 

 and deeply felt ; one great source of his annoyment was the 

 feeling it impossible to fulfil the whole instructions ; from his 

 state of mind it never occurred to him that the very instruc- 

 tions order him to do as much of the West coast as he has time 

 for, and then proceed across the Pacific. 



Wickham (very disinterestedly giving up his own promo- 

 tion) urged this most strongly, stating that when he took the 

 command nothing should induce him to go to Tierra del Fuego 

 again ; and then asked the Captain what would be gained by 

 his resignation ? why not do the more useful part, and return 

 as commanded by the Pacific. The Captain at last, to every 

 one's joy, consented, and the resignation was withdrawn. 



Hurrah ! hurrah ! it is fixed the Beagle shall not go one mile 

 south of Cape Tres Montes (about 200 miles south of Chiloe), 

 and from that point to Valparaiso will be finished in about 

 five months. We shall examine the Chonos Archipelago, 

 entirely unknown, and the curious inland sea behind Chiloe. 

 For me it is glorious. Cape Tres Montes is the most southern 

 point where there is much geological interest, as there the 

 modern beds end. The Captain then talks of crossing the 

 Pacific ; but I think we shall persuade him to finish the Coast 

 of Peru, where the climate is delightful, the country hideously 



