Robert FitzRoy

Captain HMS Beagle Royal Navy 1831-1836 Loyal Servant of His Majesty and of Our Creator. Currently tweeting the return trip of our voyage in 1836.

[Robert FitzRoy @Captain_FitzRoy]

The irreclaimably barren appearance of the sea coast of Northern Chile, is very repulsive to an eye accustomed to woodland scenery: yet there is an effect in its lofty mountains, which seem to rise abruptly almost from the ocean, that charms one for a time.

[Robert FitzRoy @Captain_FitzRoy]

But as the Indian name for them is 'manchana,' (manzana is Spanish for apple) I should incline to think they were introduced by the first missionaries.

[Robert FitzRoy @Captain_FitzRoy]

Apple trees are now abundant in southern Chile, throughout the Indian as well as Spanish territories. Whether they are indigenous, or were planted by the early missionaries, has been much disputed in that country;

[Robert FitzRoy @Captain_FitzRoy]

We found the greater part of the Challenger's crew still in health; but delay and bad weather had increased the sick-list and two of her party (the assistant-surgeon and a midshipman) were in danger: waiting so long in a wet, dirty place had tried all their constitutions severely

[Robert FitzRoy @Captain_FitzRoy]

No time was then lost in galloping to Talcahuano, and going on board the Blonde, so that Captain Seymour's letter was delivered to Commodore Mason soon after ten.

[Robert FitzRoy @Captain_FitzRoy]

In this clumsily-built, flat-bottomed boat were five horses, a troublesome young bull, six men and three nominal boatmen, one of whom merely attempted to steer. With long poles our unwieldy craft was pushed into the stream and made progress, though most crab-like was the movement

[Robert FitzRoy @Captain_FitzRoy]

With the first dawn we drove the lazy boatmen to their barge, urging them alternately with money, entreaties, reproaches, and threats.

[Robert FitzRoy @Captain_FitzRoy]

No inducement could prevail upon the owner of the ferry-boat to let her take us across before daylight, so we sat down by a fire, after feeding our excellent horses, and dozed till daybreak.

[Robert FitzRoy @Captain_FitzRoy]

We reached 'Playa Blanca' as it got dusk. The heights were difficult, in the dark, but we passed without worse disaster than a roll in the mud, from my girths breaking while struggling in a slough. We galloped briskly, until we were completely bewildered in the darkness.

[Robert FitzRoy @Captain_FitzRoy]

Leaving the hospitable colonel assembling a remarkably awkward squad, whom he was anxiously preparing for the threatened attack of the 'Boroanos,' we rode away upon the good horses which, three days previously, had brought us from Concepcion.

[Robert FitzRoy @Captain_FitzRoy]

D. Geronimo told me he had received intelligence of a large body of Indians, about three thousand strong, who were marching northward against Colipi, and his allies, the Chilians. He thought it probable that they would molest the Challenger's people, for the sake of plunder.

[Robert FitzRoy @Captain_FitzRoy]

At Arauco the worthy colonel welcomed me to breakfast, but regretted that I had been prevented from proceeding to the wreck: he thought some accident had happened, and hardly could believe that we had actually passed a night at the Leübu.

[Robert FitzRoy @Captain_FitzRoy]

The clothing of the Araucanians, made by themselves, is very strong good cloth. Indian ponchoes will keep out rain longer than any others. Dark blue is the usual colour of their clothes, from ponchoes to petticoats; and they are all of woollen manufacture.

[Robert FitzRoy @Captain_FitzRoy]

I saw a fine-looking young Indian woman, the daughter of a cacique, who had accompanied some of her tribe to look at the white men. Her horse was a beautiful animal, looking as wild as herself.

[Amy Smith @amysmith292]

Happy 215th birthday @Captain_FitzRoy; captain of Charles Darwin’s ship The Beagle, 2nd Governor of New Zealand, founder of the Met Office. Have a seashell, and a draught of NZ Pinot Gris

[Robert FitzRoy @Captain_FitzRoy]

To see an Indian woman dressed in her national costume, with large golden ornaments, quite transports the imagination of one to the days of Cortes and Pizarro.

[Robert FitzRoy @Captain_FitzRoy]

The square cloak, or mantle, thrown over the shoulder and fastened in front by a pin with a very large flat head, the size of a dollar; the broad band round the waist ornamented with beads; and the beaded or brass ornaments in the hair, ears and under the neck.

[Robert FitzRoy @Captain_FitzRoy]

During the last two days I have seen several Indians of pure Araucanian blood, in their native dress, and am much struck by the precise similarity of that worn by the women, to the dress of the aborigines of Peru, as described and figured in Frazier's voyage.

[Robert FitzRoy @Captain_FitzRoy]

@cdarwin Fear not Mr. Darwin, my absence is merely temporary.

[Robert FitzRoy @Captain_FitzRoy]

Those who can afford to do so, keep horses solely for the purpose of escape, which are the finest and the swiftest they can procure.

[Robert FitzRoy @Captain_FitzRoy]

Every Chilian residing on the frontier endeavours to keep by him a good horse, on which to escape, in case of a sudden attack of the Indians; for, as they never give quarter, and approach at a gallop, it is highly necessary to be always prepared.