Plans to come to Shrewsbury.

Is pleased with cabin assignment on Beagle. Beagle will map the east side of Tierra del Fuego and Patagonia and set longitude of many places.

Regrets leaving the tropics, despite interest in a land where Europeans have never been. They have experienced political turmoil at Montevideo. Natural history going well.

Has had to draw bills totalling £217 in seven months.

Is glad the Captain has decided to winter in Tierra del Fuego, because this will facilitate "glorious excursions" into the Andes.

Has obtained fragments of fossil bones and part of a Megatherium head.

Their long delay occurred because the charts were not complete for sending home.

CD is now on shore because of seasickness.

The family may not hear from him for a year.

His trip across the Andes and back was his most successful excursion: can clearly demonstate that the western part of the double line of mountains is much older, with fossil shells at 12000ft; the eastern line may be as modern as the Patagonian plains. If proved, this is an important fact in the theory of the formation of the world. Has found petrified trees.

Living quietly on the ship and eating good food has been good for him. He longs for home. Peru is in a miserable state.

CD’s impressions of Sydney and of FitzRoy’s character and temperament.

Beagle is again in Brazil because of need to check on "singular disagreements in the Longitudes".

Pleased by Sedgwick’s praise.

FitzRoy is hard at work on his book [Narrative, vol. 2].

CD’s health is improved.

Describes his visit to zoo.

Gives news of E. A. Darwin and Harriet Martineau.

Thanks for ham and corrections in spelling. Gives account of his social activities in past week.

Recounts dinner at Erasmus’ house with Harriet Martineau and others, and a visit to Cambridge to stay with Henslow and meet old friends again.

Family and Shropshire news.