Charles Darwin in the Falklands, 1833

CHARLES DARWIN IN THE FALKLANDS, 1833

Fragment from Charles Darwin’s Beagle Diary (1831-1836)

Tierra del Fuego

1833

Feb. 23rd

Last nights gale was an unusually heavy one. — We were obliged to let go three anchors. — The Boats were unable to bring off the wooding party, so they were obliged to make it out as well as they could during the night: —

Sunday 24th, 25th

After waiting for fine weather, on Monday I ascended Banks Hill to measure its height & found it 1472 feet. — The wind was so strong & cold; that we were glad to beat a retreat. — If we had been an hour later, the boats could not have reached the shore for us. — This was one of the hills I went up during our last visit, I was surprised that nine weeks had not effaced our footsteps so that we could recognize to whom they belonged. —

26th

Put to sea & steered for the Falkland islands: at night it blew heavily with a great sea: the history of this climate is a history of its gales. —

27th & 28th

Strong breezes. —

March 1st

We arrived early in the morning at Port Louis, the most Eastern point of the Falkland Islands: The first news we received was to our astonishment, that England had taken possession of the Falklands islands & that the Flag was now flying. — These islands have been for some time uninhabited, untill the Buenos Ayres Government, a few years since claimed them & sent some colonists. — Our government remonstrated against this, & last month the Clio arrived here with orders to take possession of the place. — A Buenos ayrean man of war was here, at the time, with some fresh colonists. — Both they & the vessel returned to the Rio Plata. — The present inhabitants consist of one Englishman, who has resided here for some years, & has now the charge of the British flag, 20 Spaniards & three women, two of whom are negresses. — The island is abundantly stocked with animals. — there are about 5000 wild oxen, many horses, & pigs. — Wild fowl, rabbits, & fish in the greatest plenty. — Europaean vegetables will grow. — And as there is an abundance of water & good anchorage; it is most surprising that it has not been long ago colonized, in order to afford provisions for Ships going round the Horn. — At present it is only frequented by Whalers, one of which is here now. — We received all this intelligence from a French boat, belonging [to] a Whaler, which is now lying a wreck on the beach. Between the 12th & 13th of January, the very time when we suffered from the gale off Cape Horn, this fine ship parted from three anchors & drove on shore. — They describe the gale as a perfect hurricane. — They were glad to see us, as they were at a loss what to do. — all the stores are saved & of course plenty of food. —

Capt: FitzRoy has offered to take them 22 in number in the Beagle & to purchase on account of the owners, any stores which we may want. The rest must be sacrificed. —

2nd

Mr Dixon, the English resident, came on board. — What a strange solitary life his must be: it is surprising to see how Englishmen find their way to every corner of the globe. I do not suppose there is an inhabited & civilized place where they are not to be found. —

3rd

Took a long walk; this side of the Island is very dreary: the land is low & undulating with stony peaks & bare ridges; it is universally covered by a brown, wiry grass, which grows on the peat. — In this tract, very few plants are found, & excepting snipes & rabbits scarcely any animals. — The whole landscape from the uniformity of the brown color, has an air of extreme desolation. —

4th

A grievous accident happened this afternoon in the death of Mr Hellyer. — One of the residents brought the news that he had found some clothes & a gun on the sea coast. — We made all haste to the place & in a short time discovered the body, not many yards from the shore, but so entangled in the Kelp, that it was with difficulty it was disengaged. — It was quite evident he had shot a bird & whilst swimming for it, the strong stalks of the sea weed had caught his legs & thus caused his death. —

5th

Mr Hellyer was buried on a lonely & dreary headland. — The procession was a melancholy one: in front a Union jack half mast high was carried, & over the coffin the British ensign was thrown; the funeral, from its simplicity was the more solemn, & suited all the circumstances. —