Farewell for the present, Yours most truly obliged.
After his return and settlement in London, he began to realise the value of what he had done, and wrote to Captain Fitz-Roy--"However others may look back to the _Beagle's_ voyage, now that the small disagreeable parts are well-nigh forgotten, I think it far the _most fortunate circumstance in my life_ that the chance afforded by your offer of taking a Naturalist fell on me. I often have the most vivid and delightful pictures of what I saw on board the _Beagle_[96] pass before my eyes. These recollections, and what I learnt on Natural History, I would not exchange for twice ten thousand a year."
[89] _Voyages of the Adventure and Beagle_, vol. i. introduction xii. The illustration at the head of the chapter is from vol. ii. of the same work.
[90] His other nickname was "The Flycatcher." I have heard my father tell how he overheard the boatswain of the _Beagle_ showing another boatswain over the ship, and pointing out the officers: "That's our first lieutenant; that's our doctor; that's our flycatcher."
[91] "There was such a scene here. Wickham (1st Lieutenant) and I were the only two who landed with guns and geological hammers, &c. The birds by myriads were too close to shoot; we then tried stones, but at last, _proh pudor!_ my geological hammer was the instrument of death. We soon loaded the boat with birds and eggs. Whilst we were so engaged, the men in the boat were fairly fighting with the sharks for such magnificent fish as you could not see in the London market. Our boat would have made a fine subject for Snyders, such a medley of game it contained."--From a letter to Herbert.
[92] "My mind has been, since leaving England, in a perfect hurricane of delight and astonishment."--_C. D. to Fox_, May 1832, from Botofogo Bay.
[93] The importance of these results has been fully recognized by geologists.
[94] Sedgwick wrote (November 7, 1835) to Dr. Butler, the head master of Shrewsbury School:--"He is doing admirable work in South America, and has already sent home a collection above all price. It was the best thing in the world for him that he went out on the voyage of discovery. There was some risk of his turning out an idle man, but his character will now be fixed, and if God spares his life he will have a great name among the naturalists of Europe...."--I am indebted to my friend Mr. J. W. Clark, the biographer of Sedgwick, for the above extract.