From Leonard Darwin to Emma Darwin 15 December [1874]

Dear mother

I suppose you will have heard by this time how we failed to do any thing on the 9^th.; it was very hard work getting every thing ready, as I had to prepare about 190 dry plates, the week before and had to do night work as well. On the morning of the 9^th. we pretty well saw what it would be but we had to go on getting very thing ready just as if it was a fine day. It began about 2 in the afternoon so that we had plenty of time in the morning for gloomy forebodings. Just as the planet was half way on the sun it cleared up a bit and I managed to get a look at it through my telescope, but we could get nothing in the way of photographs at that time  A little later it cleared up again for a bit, and I managed to get about a dozen weak photographs; they were very poor as the light was so bad. Then it began to rain and it was evidently all over. We all went out riding then although I was as tired as possible having been up the night before till daylight trying to get a few observations  Next morning we felt as if we had been to a funeral the day before, and it was next day that I felt most aggravated by our bad luck, as it was a glorious day and I took a lot of good photographs of the sun with the plates prepared for the transit. The only difficulty was in the preparation of the dry plates, and as we had a certain number of bad plates I was rather anxious about them and in one sense it was a consolation to think that with a bright sun I believe the whole 120 plates would have turned out well. It really was a wonderful bit of bad luck, Palmer had sent off Crawford a hundred miles in one direction, and we had 4 other private observers, most of them having come here for practice, scattered over the island; thus there were 6 English parties in all, extending over a distance of 1000 miles, and not one of them saw anything of value. The Americans came and went to a place not very much famed for fine weather, and saw a great deal, but not the most important thing of all, the planet just leaving the sun. It is a very good thing that someone saw it, but It is hard on Palmer to have nothing to shew for the worry and trouble of organizing 6 stations. The people here have been wonderfully nice about it and shewed such a wonderful interest in our success; and seemed nearly as sorry as we were at not getting anything. So much for the Transit of Venus. Now that the aggravation is over I [illeg] beginning to think about coming home, and how I shall best enjoy myself on the way. Our plans are to stay here and keep at work till December 28^th.; this is for the sake of the colony as they want some differences of longitude determined  Then we pack up and send the things home in the Merope which sails about the middle of January. My plans must be rather vague, and there is no harm in that as the only use of definite plans that I know of is to receive letters. When you get this you may write to me at Boston, as the most likely place to catch me. I dont think you could catch me at San Fransico. I am on the road to getting a very jolly trip but it is very doubtful as yet. There is a small government steamer that goes round to the West Coast to inspect lighthouses, and they generally put in at the most interesting bays and sounds. From some accounts I have heard these seem the most interesting places in New Zealand; but very few people have been there, and those that have been like making out the most of it. It is said that sailing ships never go with these sounds as the sides are so steep that it is quite calm in them, and they might have to stay there for weeks. We have had D^r. Hector straying with us for a few days before the transit, and all liked him very much indeed. He is on his way home to England now, and I suppose I shall meet him then.

This is a funny climate—so wonderfully changeable; a few days a-go I felt as if I might get a sunstroke walking across these baking plains and all the distant objects were so distorted by the mirage, and trembling air from the hot ground that it was impossible to recognise them till within half a mile; now we have had a steady down pour for about three days, and have fires in the room all day long, though they are not really wanted except to give the room a cheerful look. Another curious thing is the way in which a very few miles alters the character of the climate altogether. New Zealand does not look very wide on the map and yet the climate is quite different on the West Coast, where about three times as much rain falls in the year as here, and the only time it is fine there is when its raining here.

Another mail just arrived with a long letter from you. I had often wondered whether that letter from the coast of America every reached and I am glad to see that it did, but from what you say the fisherman could only have been moderately honest. I remember that after we had given the letters to the fisherman, and were sailing away, we saw a ship coming up after us, which also spoke to the fisherman; and from the way in which she was handled they said she must be a man of war. I expect the wily fisherman gave up the letters but thought it prudent to retain the money, 6/- for each letter. I am awfuly glad to hear from you, and also from Garge, that he really seems to have made a start; it is the best bit of news since I left England. I have very little news as I have only left this places for two day for the last month or more. Palmer and I telegraphed in to say that we were going to stay Saturday and Sunday at a place called Ilam where the Hoopers live, son of the bishop; they are the nicest people I have come across yet I think; and I think I shall go there pretty often, as we can invite ourselves when we like.

Well goodbye mother; it wont be for long now; I shall miss not getting your letters on the way home very much.

Your affec son | Leonard Darwin