Journal Of Researches During The Voyage Of H.M.S. Beagle

Front matter

THE VOYAGE OF THE “BEAGLE”

a) JOURNAL OF a7") RESEARCHES #

¢ % VOYAGE OF S ‘ H.M.S. “BEAGLE”

Chapter I

Porto Praya—Ribeira Grande—Atmospheric dust with infusoria— Habits of a sea-slug and cuttle-fish—St. Paul’s Rocks, nonvolcanic—Singular incrustations—Insects the fitst colonists of islands—Fernado Nogonha—Bahia—Burnished rocks—Habits of a diodon—Pelagic conferve and infusoria—Causes of discoloured * Pfae 4.1

Chapter II. =

Rio de Janeiro—Excursion north of Cape Frio—Great evaporation —Slavery—Botofogo Bay—tTerrestrial planarie—Clouds on the Corcovado—Heavy raine—Musical frogs—Phosphorescent insects —Elater, springing poyers of—Blue haze—Noise made by a butterfly—Entomology—Ants—Wasp killing a spider—Parasitical spider—Artifices of an epeira—Gregarious spider—Spider with an unsymmetrical web. 4 j ° ‘ ° ‘ .

Bahia Blanca—Geology—Numerous gigantic extinct quadrupeds— Recent extinction—Longevity of species—Large animals do not require a luxuriant vegetation—Southern Africa—Siberian fossils—Two species of ostrich—Habits of oven-bird—Armadil- « los—Venomous snake, toad, lizard—Hybernation of animals— Habits of sea-pen—Indians’ wars and massacres—Arrow-head, antiquarian relic ie

Chapter VI

Set out for Buenos Ayres—Rio Sauce—Sierra Ventana—Third Posta—Driving hdises—Bolas—Partridges and foxes—Features of the country—Long-legged plover—Teru-tero—Hail-storm— Natural enclosures in the Sierra Tapalguen—Flesh of puma— Meat diet—Guardia del Monte—Effects of cattle on the vegetation — Cardoon — Buenos Ayres —Corral where cattle are slaughtered . ‘ ‘ é es . ° : . 124

Chapter VII

Excursion té6 St. Fé—Thistle beds—Habits of the bizcacha— Little owl—Saline streams—Level plains—Mastodon—St, Fé— Change in landscape—Geology—Tooth of extinct horse—Relation of the fossil and recent quadrupeds of North and South America—Effects of a great drought—Parana—Habits of the jaguar—Scissor-beak—Kingfisher, parrot, and_ scissor-tail— Revolution—Buenos Ayres—State of government . . » 141

Chapter VIII

Excursion to Colonia del Sacramiento—Value of an estancia— Cattle, how counted—Singular breed of oxen—Perforated

CONTENTS. 9 pebbles—Shepherd dogs—Horses broken-in, Gauchos riding— Character of inhabitants—Rio Plata—Flocks of butterflies— Aéronaut spiders—Phosphorescence of the sea—Port Desire —Guanaco—Port St. Julian—Geology of Patagonia—Fossil gigantic animal—Types of organisation constant—Change in the zoology of America—Causes of extinction . é : : . 161

Chapter IX

s

Santa Cruz—Expedition up the river—Indians—Immense streams of basaltic lava—Fragments not transported by the river— Excavation of the valley—Condor, habits of—Cordillera— Erratic boulders of great size—Indian relics—Return to the ship—Falkland Islanés—WildJhorses, cattle, rabbits—Wolf-like , fox—Fire made of bones—Manner of hunting wild cattle— Geology—Streams of stones—Scenes of violence—Penguin— Geese—Eggs of doris—Compound animals ot ‘ ‘ . 198

Chapter X

Tierra del Fuego, first arrival—Good Success Bay—An account of the Fuegians on board—®Interview with the savages—Scenery of the forests—Cape Horn—Wigwam Cove—Miserable condition of the savages—Famines—Cannibals—Matricide—Religious feelings—Great gale—Beagle Channel—Ponsonby Sound—Build wigwams and settle the Fuegians—Bifurcation of the Beagle Channel—Glaciers—Return to the ship—Second visit in the ship to the settlement—Equality of condition amongst the natives P P ‘ » P P ‘ P ‘gia § $237

Chapter XI. '

Strait of Magellan—Port Famine—Ascent of Mount Tarn—Forests —Edible fungus—Zoology—Great seaweed—Leave Tierra del Fuego—Climate—Fruit-trees and productions of the southern coasts—Height of snow-line on the Cordillera—Descent of glaciers to the sea—lIcebergs formed—Transportal of boulders to CONTENTS,

-—Climate and productions of the Antarctic Islands—Preservation of frozen earcasses—Recapitulation .’ Co eS - 255

Chapter XII

Valparaiso—Excursion to the foot of the Andes—Structure of the land—Ascend the Bell of Quillota—Shattered masses of greenstone—Immense valleys—Mines—State of miners—Santiago —Hot-baths of Cauquenes—Gold-mines—Grinding-mills—Perforated stones—Habits of the puma—El Turco and tapacolo— Humming-birds : . ‘ . ‘ : : : - 278

Chapter XIII. «

Chiloe—General aspect—Boat excursion—Native Indians—Castro —Tame Fox—Ascend San Pedro—Chonos Archipelago— Peninsula of Tres Mentes—Granitic range—Boat-wrecked sailors —Low’s Harbour—Wild potato—Formation of peat—Myopotamus, otter and mice—Cheucau and barking-bird—Opetiorhynchus—Singular character of ornithology—Petrels . + 300.

e e CHAPTER XIV.

e San Carlos, Chiloe—Osorno in eruption, contemporaneously with — Aconcagua and Coseguina—Ride to Cucao—Impenetrable forests—VAldivia—Indians—Earthquake—Concepcion—Great earthquake—Rocks fissured—Appearance of the former towns —The sea black and boiling—Direction of the vibrations— Stones twisted round—Great wave—Permanent elevation of the land—Area of volcanic phenomena—The connection between the elevatory and eruptive forces—Cause of earthquakes— Slow elevation of mountain-chains ‘ ; “ ‘ + 319

Chapter XV

Valparaiso—Portillo pass—Sagacity of mules—Mountain-torrents ~-Mines, how discovered—Proofs of the gradual elevation of

CONTENTS. It the Cordillera—Effect of snow on rocks—Geological structure of the tvro main ranges, their distinct origin and upheaval— Great subsidence—Red snow—Winds—Pinnacles of snow— Dry and clear atmosphere—Electricity—Pampas—Zoology of the opposite sides of the Andes—Locusts—Great bugs— Mendoza—Uspallata pass—Silicified trees buried as they grew

—Incas’ Bridge—Badness of the passes exaggerated—Cumbre— Casuchas—Valparaiso : “ : ; ‘ . ‘ - 342

Chapter XVI

Coast-road to Coquimbo—Great loads carried by the miners— Coquimbo—Earthqua&e—Step-formed terraces—Absence of re- e cent deposits—Contemporaneousness of the tertiary formations —Excursion up the valley—Road to Guasco—Deserts—Valley of Copiap6—Rain and ee Despoblado—Indian ruins—Probable change of climate—Riverbed arched by an earthquake—Cold gales of wind—Noises from a hill—Iquique—Salt alluvium—Nitrate of soda—Lima—Un-

+ healthy country—Ruins of Callao, overthrown by an earthquake —Recent subsidence—Elevated shells on San Lorenzo, their decomposition—Plain wh embedded shells and fragments of pottery—Antiquity of the Indian race. ‘ é ‘ . 367

Chapter XVII

The Galapagos group volcanic—Number of craters—Leaffess bushes —Colony at Charles Island—James Island—Salt lake in crater— Natural history of the group—Ornithology, curious finches— Reptiles—Great tortoises, habits of—Marine lizard, feeds on sea-weed—tTerrestrial lizard, burrowing habits, herbivorous— Importance of reptiles in the archipelago—Fish, shells, insects —Botany—American type of organisation—Differences in the species or races on different islands—Tameness of the birds— Fear of man, an acquired instinct . ‘ ; ° . + 40

12 CONTENTS.

Chapter XVIII

Pass through the Low Archipelago—Tahiti—Aspect—Vegetation on the mountains—View of Eimeo—Excursion into the interior —Profound ravines—Succession of waterfalls—Number of wild useful plants—Temperance of the inhabitants—Their moral state—Parliament convened—New Zealand—Bay of Islands— Hippahs—Excursion to Waimate—Missionary establishment— English weeds now run wild—Waiomio—Funeral of a New Zealand woman—Sail for Australia . : . - 434

Chapter XIX

Sydney—Excursion to Bathurst—Aspect of “the woods—Party of natives—Gradual extinction of the aborigines—Infection generated by associated men in health—Blue Mountains—View of the grand gulf-like valleys—Their origin and formation—Bathurst, general civility of the lower orders—State of society—Van Diemen’s Land—Hobart Town—Aborigines all banished— Mount Wellington—King George’s Sound—Cheerless aspect of the country—Bald Head, calcareous casts of branches of trees— «

Party of natives—Leave Australia . : ‘ ‘ : - 465 a

Chapter XX

Keeling Island—Singular appearance—Scanty flora—Transport of seeds—Birds and insects—Ebbing and flowing springs—Fields of dead coral—Stones transported in the roots of trees—Great crab—Stinging corals—Coral-eating fish—Coral formations— Lagoon islands or atolls—Depth at which reef-building corals can live—Vast areas interspersed with low coral islands—Subsidence of their foundations—Barrier reefs—Fringing reefs—Conversion of fringing reefs into barrier reefs, and into atolls— Evidence of changes in level—Breaches in barrier reefs— Maldiva atolls; their peculiar stfucture—Dead and submerged reefs—Areas of subsidence and elevation—Distribution of vol: canoes—Subsidence slow, and vast in amount . - ‘ - 487

CONTENTS. 13