Charles Darwin’s Diary of the Voyage of HMS Beagle
Charles Darwin’s journey to the Galapagos Islands was, without a doubt, one of the most important voyages ever undertaken. From it, the British naturalist developed his theory of evolution, turning the popular understanding of the world on its head. But Darwin didn’t just visit this one group of islands on his intrepid adventures. His trusty ship, the HMS Beagle, also took him up and down the coastline of South America, allowing him to see Patagonia and the Andes mountains, among many other natural wonders.
As any good scientist would, Darwin kept meticulous journals while he was away at sea. Above all, his writings, collected in The Voyage of the Beagle offer a fascinating insight into how the legendary naturalist worked. More specifically, they hint at the impact he was to have on the scientific world upon his return to England. In one entry, for example, Darwin writes: “I industriously collected all the animals, plants, insects & reptiles from this Island. It will be very interesting to find from future comparison to what district or “centre of creation” the organized beings of this archipelago must be attached.”
It’s not all science, however. In his diaries, Darwin also provides a unique document shedding light on everything from South American politics to what it’s really like being away at sea for months at a time. In one notable entry, for instance, he recalls a clove shave with a certain General Rosas, a bloodthirsty military leader in Patagonia, while at other times, Darwin simply uses the pages of his journal to praise the beauty of the starry night sky or of the Andes mountains.
Such is the scientific, as well as the literary merit of The Voyage of the Beagle that, even if he hadn’t gone on to publish On the Origin of Species, Darwin would still have been remembered as a great, and important, writer. However, he did indeed publish his seminal work and, by 1890, his theory of evolution had come to be accepted by much of the scientific community. His famous book, widely regarded as one of the most important tomes ever produced, has long overshadowed his diaries. However, for anyone who wants an insight into the mind of Darwin himself, both as a scientist and as a man, then his journals will always be an essential read.