Life and Letters of Charles Darwin — Volume 1Darwin, Charles
History
Life and Letters of Charles Darwin — Volume 1
Darwin, Charles
Darwin, Charles, 1809-1882; Naturalists -- Great Britain -- Biography; Naturalists -- Great Britain -- Correspondence
of the Cambridge President, I hit harder and harder blows. I hope to
give my arms strength for the Cordilleras. You will send me through
Capt. Beaufort a copy of the Cambridge 'Report.'
I have forgotten to mention that for some time past, and for the future,
I will put a pencil cross on the pill-boxes containing insects, as these
alone will require being kept particularly dry; it may perhaps save you
some trouble. When this letter will go I do not know, as this little
seat of discord has lately been embroiled by a dreadful scene of murder,
and at present there are more prisoners than inhabitants. If a merchant
vessel is chartered to take them to Rio, I will send some specimens
(especially my few plants and seeds). Remember me to all my Cambridge
friends. I love and treasure up every recollection of dear old
Cambridge. I am much obliged to you for putting my name down to poor
Ramsay's monument; I never think of him without the warmest admiration.
Farewell, my dear Henslow.
Believe me your most obliged and affectionate friend, CHARLES DARWIN.
CHARLES DARWIN TO MISS C. DARWIN. East Falkland Island, April 6, 1834.
My dear Catherine,
When this letter will reach you I know not, but probably some man-of-war
will call here before, in the common course of events, I should have
another opportunity of writing....
After visiting some of the southern islands, we beat up through the
magnificent scenery of the Beagle Channel to Jemmy Button's country.
(Jemmy Button, York Minster, and Fuegia Basket, were natives of Tierra
del Fuego, brought to England by Captain Fitz-Roy in his former voyage,
and restored to their country by him in 1832.) We could hardly recognise
poor Jemmy. Instead of the clean, well-dressed stout lad we left him,
we found him a naked, thin, squalid savage. York and Fuegia had moved to
their own country some months ago, the former having stolen all Jemmy's
clothes. Now he had nothing except a bit of blanket round his waist.
Poor Jemmy was very glad to see us, and, with his usual good feeling,
brought several presents (otter-skins, which are most valuable to
themselves) for his old friends. The Captain offered to take him to
England, but this, to our surprise, he at once refused. In the evening
his young wife came alongside and showed us the reason. He was quite
contented. Last year, in the height of his indignation, he said "his
country people no sabe nothing--damned fools"--now they were very good
people, with TOO much to eat, and all the luxuries of life. Jemmy and
his wife paddled away in their canoe loaded with presents, and very
happy. The most curious thing is, that Jemmy, instead of recovering his
own language, has taught all his friends a little English. "J. Button's
canoe" and "Jemmy's wife come," "Give me knife," etc., was said by
several of them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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