[2]Observa。sobreelClimadeLima，p。67——Azara’sTravels，vol。i。p。381——Ulloa’sVoyage，vol。ii。p。28——Burchell’sTravels，vol。ii。p。524——Webster’sDescriptionoftheAzores，p。124——
Voyageal’IsledeFranceparunOfficerduRoi，tom。i。p。248——
DescriptionofSt。Helena，p。123。
[3]Temple，inhistravelsthroughUpperPeru，orBolivia，ingoingfromPotositoOruro，says，“IsawmanyIndianvillagesordwellingsinruins，upeventotheverytopsofthemountains，attestingaformerpopulationwherenowallisdesolate。”Hemakessimilarremarksinanotherplace；butIcannottellwhetherthisdesolationhasbeencausedbyawantofpopulation，orbyanalteredconditionoftheland。
[4]Edinburgh，Phil。Journ。，Jan。，1830，p。74；
andApril，1830，p。258——alsoDaubenyonVolcanoes，p。438；andBengalJourn。，vol。vii。p。324。
[5]PoliticalEssayontheKingdomofNewSpain，vol。iv。p。199。
[6]AsimilarinterestingcaseisrecordedintheMadrasMedicalQuart。Journ。，1839，p。340。Dr。Ferguson，inhisadmirablePapersee9thvol。ofEdinburghRoyalTrans。，showsclearlythatthepoisonisgeneratedinthedryingprocess；andhencethatdryhotcountriesareoftenthemostunhealthy。PreviousChapterNextChapterTheVoyageoftheBeagle-Chapter17TheVoyageoftheBeaglebyCharlesDarwinPreviousChapterNextChapterChapter17-GalapagosArchipelagoSEPTEMBER15th——Thisarchipelagoconsistsoftenprincipalislands，ofwhichfiveexceedtheothersinsize。TheyaresituatedundertheEquator，andbetweenfiveandsixhundredmileswestwardofthecoastofAmerica。
Theyareallformedofvolcanicrocks；afewfragmentsofgranitecuriouslyglazedandalteredbytheheat，canhardlybeconsideredasanexception。
Someofthecraters，surmountingthelargerislands，areofimmensesize，andtheyrisetoaheightofbetweenthreeandfourthousandfeet。Theirflanksarestuddedbyinnumerablesmallerorifices。Iscarcelyhesitatetoaffirm，thattheremustbeinthewholearchipelagoatleasttwothousandcraters。Theseconsisteitheroflavaorscoriae，oroffinely-stratified，sandstone-liketuff。Mostofthelatterarebeautifullysymmetrical；theyowetheirorigintoeruptionsofvolcanicmudwithoutanylava：itisaremarkablecircumstancethateveryoneofthetwenty-eighttuff-craterswhichwereexamined，hadtheirsouthernsideseithermuchlowerthantheothersides，orquitebrokendownandremoved。Asallthesecratersapparentlyhavebeenformedwhenstandinginthesea，andasthewavesfromthetradewindandtheswellfromtheopenPacifichereunitetheirforcesonthesoutherncoastsofalltheislands，thissingularuniformityinthebrokenstateofthecraters，composedofthesoftandyieldingtuff，iseasilyexplained。
Consideringthattheseislandsareplaceddirectlyundertheequator，theclimateisfarfrombeingexcessivelyhot；thisseemschieflycausedbythesingularlylowtemperatureofthesurroundingwater，broughtherebythegreatsouthern[map]
Polarcurrent。Exceptingduringoneshortseason，verylittlerainfalls，andeventhenitisirregular；butthecloudsgenerallyhanglow。Hence，whilstthelowerpartsoftheislandsareverysterile，theupperparts，ataheightofathousandfeetandupwards，possessadampclimateandatolerablyluxuriantvegetation。Thisisespeciallythecaseonthewindwardsidesoftheislands，whichfirstreceiveandcondensethemoisturefromtheatmosphere。
Inthemorning17thwelandedonChathamIsland，which，liketheothers，riseswithatameandroundedoutline，brokenhereandtherebyscatteredhillocks，theremainsofformercraters。Nothingcouldbelessinvitingthanthefirstappearance。Abrokenfieldofblackbasalticlava，thrownintothemostruggedwaves，andcrossedbygreatfissures，iseverywherecoveredbystunted，sun-burntbrushwood，whichshowslittlesignsoflife。
Thedryandparchedsurface，beingheatedbythenoon-daysun，gavetotheairacloseandsultryfeeling，likethatfromastove：wefanciedeventhatthebushessmeltunpleasantly。AlthoughIdiligentlytriedtocollectasmanyplantsaspossible，Isucceededingettingveryfew；andsuchwretched-lookinglittleweedswouldhavebetterbecomeanarcticthananequatorialFlora。Thebrushwoodappears，fromashortdistance，asleaflessasourtreesduringwinter；anditwassometimebeforeIdiscoveredthatnotonlyalmosteveryplantwasnowinfullleaf，butthatthegreaternumberwereinflower。ThecommonestbushisoneoftheEuphorbiaceae：
anacaciaandagreatodd-lookingcactusaretheonlytreeswhichaffordanyshade。Aftertheseasonofheavyrains，theislandsaresaidtoappearforashorttimepartiallygreen。ThevolcanicislandofFernandoNoronha，placedinmanyrespectsundernearlysimilarconditions，istheonlyothercountrywhereIhaveseenavegetationatalllikethisoftheGalapagosIslands。
TheBeaglesailedroundChathamIsland，andanchoredinseveralbays。
OnenightIsleptonshoreonapartoftheisland，whereblacktruncatedconeswereextraordinarilynumerous：fromonesmalleminenceIcountedsixtyofthem，allsurmountedbycratersmoreorlessperfect。Thegreaternumberconsistedmerelyofaringofredscoriaeorslags，cementedtogether：
andtheirheightabovetheplainoflavawasnotmorethanfromfiftytoahundredfeet；nonehadbeenverylatelyactive。Theentiresurfaceofthispartoftheislandseemstohavebeenpermeated，likeasieve，bythesubterraneanvapours：hereandtherethelava，whilstsoft，hasbeenblownintogreatbubbles；andinotherparts，thetopsofcavernssimilarlyformedhavefallenin，leavingcircularpitswithsteepsides。Fromtheregularformofthemanycraters，theygavetothecountryanartificialappearance，whichvividlyremindedmeofthosepartsofStaffordshire，wherethegreatiron-foundriesaremostnumerous。Thedaywasglowinghot，andthescramblingovertheroughsurfaceandthroughtheintricatethickets，wasveryfatiguing；butIwaswellrepaidbythestrangeCyclopeanscene。
AsIwaswalkingalongImettwolargetortoises，eachofwhichmusthaveweighedatleasttwohundredpounds：onewaseatingapieceofcactus，andasIapproached，itstaredatmeandslowlywalkedaway；theothergaveadeephiss，anddrewinitshead。Thesehugereptiles，surroundedbytheblacklava，theleaflessshrubs，andlargecacti，seemedtomyfancylikesomeantediluviananimals。Thefewdull-colouredbirdscarednomoreformethantheydidforthegreattortoises。
23rd——TheBeagleproceededtoCharlesIsland。Thisarchipelagohaslongbeenfrequented，firstbythebucaniers，andlatterlybywhalers，butitisonlywithinthelastsixyears，thatasmallcolonyhasbeenestablishedhere。Theinhabitantsarebetweentwoandthreehundredinnumber；theyarenearlyallpeopleofcolour，whohavebeenbanishedforpoliticalcrimesfromtheRepublicoftheEquator，ofwhichQuitoisthecapital。Thesettlementisplacedaboutfourandahalfmilesinland，andataheightprobablyofathousandfeet。Inthefirstpartoftheroadwepassedthroughleaflessthickets，asinChathamIsland。Higherup，thewoodsgraduallybecamegreener；andassoonaswecrossedtheridgeoftheisland，wewerecooledbyafinesoutherlybreeze，andoursightrefreshedbyagreenandthrivingvegetation。Inthisupperregioncoarsegrassesandfernsabound；buttherearenotree-ferns：Isawnowhereanymemberofthepalmfamily，whichisthemoresingular，as360milesnorthward，CocosIslandtakesitsnamefromthenumberofcocoa-nuts。Thehousesareirregularlyscatteredoveraflatspaceofground，whichiscultivatedwithsweetpotatoesandbananas。Itwillnoteasilybeimaginedhowpleasantthesightofblackmudwastous，afterhavingbeensolong，accustomedtotheparchedsoilofPeruandnorthernChile。Theinhabitants，althoughcomplainingofpoverty，obtain，withoutmuchtrouble，themeansofsubsistence。
Inthewoodstherearemanywildpigsandgoats；butthestaplearticleofanimalfoodissuppliedbythetortoises。Theirnumbershaveofcoursebeengreatlyreducedinthisisland，butthepeopleyetcountontwodays’
huntinggivingthemfoodfortherestoftheweek。Itissaidthatformerlysinglevesselshavetakenawayasmanyassevenhundred，andthattheship’scompanyofafrigatesomeyearssincebroughtdowninonedaytwohundredtortoisestothebeach。
September29th——Wedoubledthesouth-westextremityofAlbemarleIsland，andthenextdaywerenearlybecalmedbetweenitandNarboroughIsland。Botharecoveredwithimmensedelugesofblacknakedlava，whichhaveflowedeitherovertherimsofthegreatcaldrons，likepitchovertherimofapotinwhichithasbeenboiled，orhaveburstforthfromsmallerorificesontheflanks；intheirdescenttheyhavespreadovermilesofthesea-coast。Onbothoftheseislands，eruptionsareknowntohavetakenplace；andinAlbemarle，wesawasmalljetofsmokecurlingfromthesummitofoneofthegreatcraters。IntheeveningweanchoredinBank’sCove，inAlbemarleIsland。ThenextmorningIwentoutwalking。
Tothesouthofthebrokentuff-crater，inwhichtheBeaglewasanchored，therewasanotherbeautifullysymmetricaloneofanellipticform；itslongeraxiswasalittlelessthanamile，anditsdepthabout500feet。
Atitsbottomtherewasashallowlake，inthemiddleofwhichatinycraterformedanislet。Thedaywasoverpoweringlyhot，andthelakelookedclearandblue：Ihurrieddownthecinderyslope，and，chokedwithdust，eagerlytastedthewater——but，tomysorrow，Ifounditsaltasbrine。
Therocksonthecoastaboundedwithgreatblacklizards，betweenthreeandfourfeetlong；andonthehills，anuglyyellowish-brownspecieswasequallycommon。Wesawmanyofthislatterkind，someclumsilyrunningoutoftheway，andothersshufflingintotheirburrows。Ishallpresentlydescribeinmoredetailthehabitsofboththesereptiles。ThewholeofthisnorthernpartofAlbemarleIslandismiserablysterile。
October8th——WearrivedatJamesIsland：thisisland，aswellasCharlesIsland，werelongsincethusnamedafterourkingsoftheStuartline。Mr。Bynoe，myself，andourservantswerelefthereforaweek，withprovisionsandatent，whilsttheBeaglewentforwater。WefoundhereapartyofSpaniards，whohadbeensentfromCharlesIslandtodryfish，andtosalttortoise-meat。Aboutsixmilesinland，andattheheightofnearly2000feet，ahovelhadbeenbuiltinwhichtwomenlived，whowereemployedincatchingtortoises，whilsttheotherswerefishingonthecoast。
Ipaidthispartytwovisits，andsleptthereonenight。Asintheotherislands，thelowerregionwascoveredbynearlyleaflessbushes，butthetreeswerehereofalargergrowththanelsewhere，severalbeingtwofeetandsomeeventwofeetnineinchesindiameter。Theupperregionbeingkeptdampbytheclouds，supportsagreenandflourishingvegetation。Sodampwastheground，thattherewerelargebedsofacoarsecyperus，inwhichgreatnumbersofaverysmallwater-raillivedandbred。Whilestayinginthisupperregion，welivedentirelyupontortoise-meat：thebreast-plateroastedastheGauchosdo_carneconcuero_，withthefleshonit，isverygood；andtheyoungtortoisesmakeexcellentsoup；butotherwisethemeattomytasteisindifferent。
OnedayweaccompaniedapartyoftheSpaniardsintheirwhale-boattoasalina，orlakefromwhichsaltisprocured。Afterlanding，wehadaveryroughwalkoveraruggedfieldofrecentlava，whichhasalmostsurroundedatuff-crater，atthebottomofwhichthesalt-lakelies。Thewaterisonlythreeorfourinchesdeep，andrestsonalayerofbeautifullycrystallized，whitesalt。Thelakeisquitecircular，andisfringedwithaborderofbrightgreensucculentplants；thealmostprecipitouswallsofthecraterareclothedwithwood，sothatthescenewasaltogetherbothpicturesqueandcurious。Afewyearssince，thesailorsbelongingtoasealing-vesselmurderedtheircaptaininthisquietspot；andwesawhisskulllyingamongthebushes。
Duringthegreaterpartofourstayofaweek，theskywascloudless，andifthetrade-windfailedforanhour，theheatbecameveryoppressive。
Ontwodays，thethermometerwithinthetentstoodforsomehoursat93
degs。；butintheopenair，inthewindandsun，atonly85degs。Thesandwasextremelyhot；thethermometerplacedinsomeofabrowncolourimmediatelyroseto137degs。，andhowmuchabovethatitwouldhaverisen，Idonotknow，foritwasnotgraduatedanyhigher。Theblacksandfeltmuchhotter，sothateveninthickbootsitwasquitedisagreeabletowalkoverit。
Thenaturalhistoryoftheseislandsiseminentlycurious，andwelldeservesattention。Mostoftheorganicproductionsareaboriginalcreations，foundnowhereelse；thereisevenadifferencebetweentheinhabitantsofthedifferentislands；yetallshowamarkedrelationshipwiththoseofAmerica，thoughseparatedfromthatcontinentbyanopenspaceofocean，between500and600milesinwidth。Thearchipelagoisalittleworldwithinitself，orratherasatelliteattachedtoAmerica，whenceithasderivedafewstraycolonists，andhasreceivedthegeneralcharacterofitsindigenousproductions。Consideringthesmallsizeoftheislands，wefeelthemoreastonishedatthenumberoftheiraboriginalbeings，andattheirconfinedrange。Seeingeveryheightcrownedwithitscrater，andtheboundariesofmostofthelava-streamsstilldistinct，weareledtobelievethatwithinaperiodgeologicallyrecenttheunbrokenoceanwasherespreadout。Hence，bothinspaceandtime，weseemtobebroughtsomewhatneartothatgreatfact——thatmysteryofmysteries——thefirstappearanceofnewbeingsonthisearth。