Summary

Thanks for her letter of March, which gave him his first explanation of the interest in the [Megatherium] head he had sent.

Wants E. A. Darwin to tell William Clift not to remove numbers or markers on any specimens. The British Museum has first claim on any of his specimens; CD cannot at present say where any should go.

Summary

Has sent all of CD’s directions to William Clift.

Erasmus has been very ill, but is now quite safe and well again. Caroline and Susan are with him.

They have heard FitzRoy is promoted and the Beagle is coming home.

Summary

CD has recovered from his illness.

Fatigue and depression had almost decided Captain FitzRoy to turn over his command, but he was dissuaded.

Beagle will now go no further south than Cape Tres Montes and will finish survey in five months.

CD experiences his first earthquake.

Summary

Became ill two weeks before on his return from Santiago after an interesting trip and some geology – though snow kept him out of the Andes. FitzRoy has had to sell the schooner; he was discouraged by the Admiralty, and the expense was too much for him to bear personally.

Summary

CD is unwell.

FitzRoy has dispatched two casks of bones and stones, a box with "very valuable specimens", and a large jar.

Summary

Family and local news. Tom Eyton will marry. Tells of the great fire of the Houses of Parliament.

Summary

News of family and friends.

Word that William Clift thinks CD’s latest fossils are of much value.

Summary

Heights of various places in Chile.

Summary

Sends two boxes of specimens and part of his "hum-drum letter-like" journal.

Summary

News of family and friends: W. D. Fox will marry in the spring; private theatricals at Eaton house-party.

Summary

In the past six months he has done much geology and natural history. His geological pursuits are a source of high pleasure. Has lately determined to work chiefly on corals.

Spent three weeks going up the Santa Cruz with a party; they ran out of provisions 20 miles from the Cordilleras. Winter at present prevents his doing much natural history.

Summary

Describes Patagonia and its inhabitants.

Writes of his pleasure in geology.

Predicts that Falklands will become an "important halting place". Outlines Beagle’s future itinerary.

Summary

They learn from a garbled report in the Times that CD’s specimens have arrived in Cambridge.

William Clift, at Royal College of Surgeons, delighted by CD’s letter about the bones that were sent to Plymouth.

Strange coincidence that Royal College of Surgeons has the front portion and CD has sent home the remainder of a skull, of which a drawing can now be completed.

Other news of family and friends.

Summary

Thanks CD for letter of 5 April and specimens; did not know the Falklands and Patagonia were so interesting geologically.

Will answer CD’s queries about S. Brazil in another letter. Names Friedrich Sellow, A. Saint-Hilaire, and Andrew Mathews as naturalists who travelled there. Directs CD to Alexander Caldcleugh in Santiago.

Summary

Recounts his trip [from Valparaiso] to Santiago. His meeting with Claude Gay, Thomas Sutcliffe, and others. Geology of tour uninteresting.

Summary

Would welcome hearing Cambridge news. Impossible not to regret friends and pleasures in England, but

has much solid enjoyment and never-failing interest in geology. Tells of his first sight of a savage.

Summary

CD asks the time of shipment and vessel in which the [Megatherium] bones were conveyed.

Patagonia swarms with guanaco, but few other creatures.

Hopes to be able to draw up a tolerable sketch of the geology of the east side of S. America.

Saw Jemmy Button, who is married and will stay in Tierra del Fuego. Mentions Falkland uprising.

Summary

CD’s cargo is safe; the fossils have been sent to William Clift.

JSH asks for dried plants (those sent were all of greatest interest).

Sends news of Cambridge and mutual friends.

Summary

Responds to CD’s queries: the bones were received from Mr Keen and shipped to Henslow; expects another collection which he will forward.

Adds news that has arrived at Buenos Aires since CD left.

Summary

Gives a map of part of Chile between Santiago and San Fernando. Suggests places and people that CD might profitably visit [en route].