Darwin & HMS Beagle Introduction - Dec. 27, 1831 - Jan. 16, 1832

After having been twice driven back by heavy south-western gales, Her Majesty's ship "Beagle" a ten-gunbrig, under the command of Captain Fitz Roy, R.N., sailed from Devonport on the 27th of December, 1831.The object of the expedition was to complete the survey of Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego, commencedunder Captain King in 1826 to 1830 - to survey the shores of Chile, Peru, and of some islands in the Pacific - and to carry a chain of chronometrical measurements round the World. On the 6th of January wereached Teneriffe, but were prevented landing, by fears of our bringing the cholera: the next morning wesaw the sun rise behind the rugged outline of the Grand Canary Island, and suddenly illumine the Peak of Teneriffe, whilst the lower parts were veiled in fleecy clouds. This was the first of many delightful daysnever to be forgotten. On the 16th of January 1832 we anchored at Porto Praya, in St. Jago, the chief islandof the Cape de Verd archipelago.




HMS Beagle in the seaways of Tierra del Fuego, painting by Conrad Martens