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desolate a land to behold." We were driven into Chiloe by some very
bad weather. An Englishman gave me three specimens of that very fine
Lucanoidal insect which is described in the "Camb. Phil. Trans." (5/2.
"Description of Chiasognathus Grantii, a new Lucanideous Insect, etc."
by J.F. Stephens ("Trans. Camb. Phil. Soc." Volume IV., page 209,
1833.)), two males and one female. I find Chiloe is composed of lava
and recent deposits. The lavas are curious from abounding in, or rather
being in parts composed of pitchstone. If we go to Chiloe in the summer,
I shall reap an entomological harvest. I suppose the Botany both there
and in Chili is well-known.
I forgot to state that in the four cargoes of specimens there have been
sent three square boxes, each containing four glass bottles. I mention
this in case they should be stowed beneath geological specimens and thus
escape your notice, perhaps some spirit may be wanted in them. If a
box arrives from B. Ayres with a Megatherium head the other unnumbered
specimens, be kind enough to tell me, as I have strong fears for its
safety. We arrived here the day before yesterday; the views of the
distant mountains are most sublime and the climate delightful; after our
long cruise in the damp gloomy climates of the south, to breathe a clear
dry air and feel honest warm sunshine, and eat good fresh roast beef
must be the summum bonum of human life. I do not like the look of
the rocks half so much as the beef, there is too much of those rather
insipid ingredients, mica, quartz and feldspar. Our plans are at present
undecided; there is a good deal of work to the south of Valparaiso and
to the north an indefinite quantity. I look forward to every part with
interest. I have sent you in this letter a sad dose of egotism, but
recollect I look up to you as my father in Natural History, and a son
may talk about himself to his father. In your paternal capacity as
proproctor what a great deal of trouble you appear to have had. How
turbulent Cambridge is become. Before this time it will have regained
its tranquillity. I have a most schoolboy-like wish to be there,
enjoying my holidays. It is a most comfortable reflection to me, that
a ship being made of wood and iron, cannot last for ever, and therefore
this voyage must have an end.
October 28th. This letter has been lying in my portfolio ever since
July; I did not send it away because I did not think it worth the
postage; it shall now go with a box of specimens. Shortly after arriving
here I set out on a geological excursion, and had a very pleasant ramble
about the base of the Andes. The whole country appears composed of
breccias (and I imagine slates) which universally have been modified and
oftentimes completely altered by the action of fire. The varieties of
porphyry thus produced are endless, but nowhere have I yet met with
rocks which have flowed in a stream; dykes of greenstone are very
numerous. Modern volcanic action is entirely shut up in the very central
parts (which cannot now be reached on account of the snow) of the
Cordilleras. In the south of the R. Maypu I examined the Tertiary
plains, already partially described by M. Gay. (5/3. "Rapport fait a
l'Academie Royale des Sciences, sur les Travaux Geologiques de M. Gay,"
by Alex. Brongniart ("Ann. Sci. Nat." Volume XXVIII., page 394, 1833.)
The fossil shells appear to me to be far more different from the recent
ones than in the great Patagonian formation; it will be curious if an
Eocene and Miocene (recent there is abundance of) could be proved to
exist in S. America as well as in Europe. I have been much interested
by finding abundance of recent shells at an elevation of 1,300 feet; the
country in many places is scattered over with shells but these are all
littoral ones. So that I suppose the 1,300 feet elevation must be owing
to a succession of small elevations such as in 1822. With these certain
proofs of the recent residence of the ocean over all the lower parts of
Chili, the outline of every view and the form of each valley possesses
a high interest. Has the action of running water or the sea formed this
deep ravine? was a question which often arose in my mind and generally
was answered by finding a bed of recent shells at the bottom. I have
not sufficient arguments, but I do not believe that more than a small
fraction of the height of the Andes has been formed within the Tertiary
period. The conclusion of my excursion was very unfortunate, I became
unwell and could hardly reach this place. I have been in bed for the
last month, but am now rapidly getting well. I had hoped during
this time to have made a good collection of insects but it has been
impossible: I regret the less because Chiloe fairly swarms with
collectors; there are more naturalists in the country, than carpenters
or shoemakers or any other honest trade.
In my letter from the Falkland Islands I said I had fears about a box
with a Megatherium. I have since heard from B. Ayres that it went to
Liverpool by the brig "Basingwaithe." If you have not received it, it is
I think worth taking some trouble about. In October two casks and a jar
were sent by H.M.S. "Samarang" via Portsmouth. I have no doubt you have
received them. With this letter I send a good many bird skins; in the
same box with them, there is a paper parcel containing pill boxes with
insects. The other pill boxes require no particular care. You will
see in two of these boxes some dried Planariae (terrestrial), the only
method I have found of preserving them (they are exceedingly brittle).
By examining the white species I understand some little of the internal
structure. There are two small parcels of seeds. There are some plants
which I hope may interest you, or at least those from Patagonia where
I collected every one in flower. There is a bottle clumsily but I think
securely corked containing water and gas from the hot baths of Cauquenes
seated at foot of Andes and long celebrated for medicinal properties. I
took pains in filling and securing both water and gas. If you can find
any one who likes to analyze them, I should think it would be worth the
trouble. I have not time at present to copy my few observations about
the locality, etc., etc., [of] these springs. Will you tell me how the
Arachnidae which I have sent home, for instance those from Rio, appear
to be preserved. I have doubts whether it is worth while collecting
them.
We sail the day after to-morrow: our plans are at last limited and
definite; I am delighted to say we have bid an eternal adieu to T. del
Fuego. The "Beagle" will not proceed further south than C. Tres Montes;
from which point we survey to the north. The Chonos Archipelago
is delightfully unknown: fine deep inlets running into the
Cordilleras--where we can steer by the light of a volcano. I do not
know which part of the voyage now offers the most attractions. This is a
shamefully untidy letter, but you must forgive me.
LETTER 6. TO J.S. HENSLOW. April 18th, 1835. Valpa |