Charles Darwin returns to England aboard HMS Beagle

Background. The second survey expedition of HMS Beagle lasted from 27 December 1831 to 2 October 1836. During the voyage Darwin found fossils of spine and a hind leg of what he took to be a mastodon in cliffs near Port St Julian, and the Beagle reached the Galápagos Islands on 15 September 1835. He later wrote that from around March 1836 he had been greatly struck by the character of South American fossils and the species of the Galápagos Archipelago, calling these facts the origin of all his views.

Arrival in England. After a stormy passage and a stop at the Azores, HMS Beagle reached England on 2 October 1836, anchoring at Falmouth, Cornwall. Darwin immediately departed for his family home in Shrewsbury, arriving late on 4 October 1836, where he was greeted by his family.

Biological and Geological Collections. Darwin brought back significant collections, including fossils from South America and specimens from the Galápagos. These materials, such as the mastodon fossils found at Port St Julian and the distinct Galápagos tortoises, were central to his subsequent scientific analyses and publications.