Charles set out on the ship HMS Beagle on an expedition to map the coast of South America.
During the expedition, the young naturalist Darwin was able to see the landscapes of Madeira, the Cape Verde Islands, and West Africa, and as far as the Tierra del Fuego. Every time the ship docked, Darwin spent most of his time ashore conducting geological surveys and collecting material for natural history studies.
He took careful notes and sent the collected samples and letters to Cambridge from time to time. Since he had little experience in collecting specimens of various kinds, he sent them for later evaluation by specialists. He also sent a copy of his journal for his family.
