Description
The Voyage of the Beagle
CHAPTER I
ST. JAGO–CAPE DE VERD ISLANDS
Porto Praya–Ribeira Grande–Atmospheric Dust with Infusoria–Habits of
a Sea-slug and Cuttle-fish–St. Paul’s Rocks, non-volcanic–Singular
Incrustations–Insects the first Colonists of Islands–Fernando
Noronha–Bahia–Burnished Rocks–Habits of a Diodon–Pelagic Confervae
and Infusoria–Causes of discoloured Sea.
AFTER having been twice driven back by heavy southwestern gales, Her
Majesty’s ship Beagle, a ten-gun brig, under the command of Captain
Fitz Roy, R. N., sailed from Devonport on the 27th of December, 1831.
The object of the expedition was to complete the survey of Patagonia
and Tierra del Fuego, commenced under Captain King in 1826 to 1830,–to
survey the shores of Chile, Peru, and of some islands in the
Pacific–and to carry a chain of chronometrical measurements round the
World. On the 6th of January we reached Teneriffe, but were prevented
landing, by fears of our bringing the cholera: the next morning we saw
the sun rise behind the rugged outline of the Grand Canary island, and
suddenly illuminate the Peak of Teneriffe, whilst the lower parts were
veiled in fleecy clouds. This was the first of many delightful days
never to be forgotten. On the 16th of January, 1832, we anchored at
Porto Praya, in St. Jago, the chief island of the Cape de Verd
archipelago.
The neighbourhood of Porto Praya, viewed from the sea, wears a desolate
aspect. The volcanic fires of a past age, and the scorching heat of a
tropical sun, have in most places rendered the soil unfit for
vegetation. The country rises in successive steps of table-land,
interspersed with some truncate conical hills, and the horizon is
bounded by an irregular chain of more lofty mountains. The scene, as
beheld thro
Product ID: 9781776791279
Sku: 9781776791279
