he three most interesting spectacles [Darwin had] beheld since leaving England, - a Fuegian Savage; - Tropical Vegetation; - and the ruins of Concepcin" (Darwin 195). The transformation of the ever-solid ground into a shaking and sliding sea of earth "in one second created in the mind a strange idea of insecurity which hours of reflection would not have produced" (Dorsey 65). It made him realize that no longer were these foreign sights material for texts, they were reality: It was Darwin's opportunity to combine extensive book learning with such experiences as these that enabled him to achieve such a revolution in human thought. The "great earthquake" makes him vividly aware that he is not only reflecting upon but experiencing things which provide clues to the past history of the earth and its inhabitants. (Darwin 194-195) Darwin's experiences formed his professional and personal habits for the rest of his life. The Beagle's cramped quarters gave no spare room; even "his sleeping space was so confined that he had to remove a drawer from a locker so as to accommodate his feet" (Moorehead 41). Even in close surroundings, he maintained his even temperament, and was liked by all. One shipmate averred that "Darwin was the only man he ever knew against whom he had never heard a word said" (Dorsey 58). Darwin learned the value of organization and the usefulness of every scrap, and "[h]e used to say later that the absolute necessity of tidiness in the cramped space of the Beagle helped to give him his methodical habits of work" (Darwin 2). He developed personal discipline; "the easy ways and pleasant optimism of his younger days gradually gave way to the compelling desire of his work and the intimate life among the associates and crew of the Beagle" (Dibner 13). His organization more than made up for his lack of immediate knowledge; along the way, "Darwin was studying living plants and animals, observing their behaviour and distribution, collec...
