Reports in detail on the 20 Feb 1835 earthquake and on volcanic activity into December of 1835. Encloses a letter sent to him describing the earthquake.
CD’s impressions of Sydney and of FitzRoy’s character and temperament.
They have been reading about the wreck of the Challenger; much impressed by Capt. FitzRoy’s bravery.
The W. D. Foxes have a daughter. Family news.
CD’s 27th birthday. News of family and friends. A niece, Mary Susan Parker, born 31 January.
All prefer Hobart Town and its society to Sydney. CD’s view on emigration to colonies. All on board are homesick.
News of friends and family.
No summary available.
Keeling Islands, his first coral lagoons; he has been occupied with subject of coral formation for six months.
Very busy at sea rewriting old geological notes. Has difficulties with writing.
FitzRoy has proposed joint account of the journey, combining CD’s journal with his own.
Looks forward with anxiety to Henslow’s reaction to the geological notes.
Will call on Sir J. Herschel, then take short trip in the African desert.
Horrified at the publication of "the little book of extracts" from his letters to Henslow ["Letters to Professor Henslow" (1835), Collected papers 1: 3–16].
In five days of geologising on St Helena, he found that the shells on high land had been mistakenly identified as seashells. They are land shells, but of species no longer living.
Can think of nothing but the return to England and his family.
No summary available.
Beagle is again in Brazil because of need to check on "singular disagreements in the Longitudes".
Pleased by Sedgwick’s praise.
CD has come home – little altered in looks and otherwise not a bit changed. He will go to London to be there when Beagle arrives, and he and Caroline will visit Maer soon.
Welcomes CD home; urges him to come to Woodhouse.
Happily home, he sends thanks to his "first Lord of the Admiralty". Will visit Maer in two or three weeks.
CD describes his happy home-coming. Finds his family and Shrewsbury unchanged.
Sends news of his movements since Beagle put in at Falmouth. His charts are safe and already being engraved.
Announces his engagement.
Last four days have been spent calling on naturalists. Geologists have been kind, but zoologists seem to think a number of undescribed creatures a nuisance.
Will send his belongings to Cambridge, but eventually his quarters must be London.
FitzRoy is to be married.
His fossil bones are unpacked and some are great treasures. He has some geology to do: R. I. Murchison has lent him a map and asked him to look at a part of the country he has been describing.
Their only protection against having Harriet Martineau as sister-in-law is that she works Erasmus too hard.
Welcomes CD; has tried to find him. May see him in Cambridge. Reminisces about CD’s musical taste and memory. Describes Charles Whitley’s wedding and wife. Mentions friends.