THE OFFER. ^5 



naries, of which slight mention occurs in letters to Fcx and 

 Henslow. 



In April 1831 he writes to Fox: "At present I talk, 

 think, and dream of a scheme I have almost hatched of going 

 to the Canary Islands. I have long had a wish of seeing 

 tropical scenery and vegetation, and, according to Humboldt, 

 Teneriffe is a very pretty specimen." And again in May : 

 " As for my Canary scheme, it is rash of you to ask questions ; 

 my other friends most sincerely wish me there, I plague them 

 so with talking about tropical scenery, &c. Eyton will go 

 next summer, and I am learning Spanish." 



Later on in the summer the scheme took more definite 

 form, and the date seems to have been fixed for June, 1832. 

 He got information in London about passage-money, and in 

 July was working at Spanish and calling Fox " un grandisimo 

 lebron," in proof of his knowledge of the language ; which, 

 however, he found "intensely stupid." But even then he 

 seems to have had some doubts about his companions' zeal, 

 for he writes to Henslow (July 27, 1831) : " I hope you con- 

 tinue to fan your Canary ardour. I read and re-read Hum- 

 boldt ; do you do the same ? I am sure nothing will prevent 

 us seeing the Great Dragon Tree." 



Geological work and Teneriffe dreams carried him through 

 the summer, till on returning from Barmouth for the sacred 

 1 st of September, he received the offer of appointment as 

 Naturalist to the Beagle. 



The following extract from the pocket-book will be a help 

 in reading the letters : — 



"Returned to -Shrewsbury at end of August. Refused 

 offer of voyage. 



" September. — Went to Maer, returned with Uncle Jos. to 

 Shrewsbury, thence to Cambridge. London. 



" nth. — Went with Captain Fitz-Roy in steamer to Plym- 

 outh to see the Beagle. 



u 22?id. — Returned to Shrewsbury, passing through Cam- 

 bridge. 



