The Strait of Magalhaens commonly called Magellan Surveyed by His Majesty’s Ships Adventure and Beagle By Captain Philip King R.N. F.R.S. &c. and Captain Fitz Roy R.N. 1826-30, 1832-34.

Exceptionally rare early second issue of the first extensive official British survey of the Strait of Magellan, incorporating the two separate expeditions 1826-1830 and 1832-1834, by Captain Philip Parker King and Captain Robert Fitzroy in H.M.S Adventure and the H.M.S Beagle. The chart records the first extensive surveys of the Straits of Magellan, during which the Beagle Channel was discovered. Importantly this chart is also notable as being the first cartographic record of Charles Darwin’s time spent as naturalist aboard H.M.S Beagle which led him to develop the theory of evolution through natural selection.

This is the earliest issue of this map has appeared for sale for over 30 years.

In 1825, the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty directed two ships to be prepared for a survey of the southern coasts of South America; and in May, of the following year, the Adventure and the Beagle were lying in Plymouth Sound, ready to carry the orders of their Lordships into execution. On board the Adventure were Phillip Parker King, Commander and Surveyor, the Senior Officer of the Expedition and in the Beagle, Captain Stokes Commander and Surveyor. On the 22d of May, 1826, the Adventure and Beagle sailed from Plymouth.  and returned to England on 14 October 1830.

Upon their return to England in 14 October 1830, a chart is assumed to have been published by the Admiralty in 1832 from the survey’s findings, but the only known record of the existence of this chart is from a contemporary review in the Nautical Magazine, of June 1832, pp. 203-204, under the heading:
WORKS OF NAUTICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL SCIENCE, AND ART./ CHARTS, PLANS, AND MAPS.
This is the first chart published of the South American coast, surveyed by Captain King. It contains the whole navigation of this extraordinary, and, we may add, dangerous Strait. Hitherto no chart has appeared, on which a ship could depend, nor a set of directions to consult; and thus have the dangers of this Strait remained as formidable as they were to the first navigators. Numerous channels and inlets have been discovered by Captain King, that are now distinctly defined, among which are the Otway and Skyring waters, places abounding in seals and sea elephants. To vessels employed in hunting these animals, the present chart will be most valuable, as well as the directions by which it is accompanied, and geographers will at length obtain a correct delineation of the southern parts of the South American continent, as well as the heights of the principal mountains. The southern limits of this chart extend to Lat. 55° 9’ S / Price 6s. Size, Double Elephant. Admiralty.

The second surveying voyage of the HMS Beagle and HMS Adventure, with Charles Darwin as a naturalist, departed England in December 1831. Over two years, FitzRoy and his team completed their surveying mission, while Darwin conducted ground breaking observations on the region’s geology, biology, and anthropology. This voyage extended to the Pacific, where Darwin made more discoveries in New Zealand and Australia. The expedition returned to England 2nd October 1836 and the results were provided to the Admiralty and an update chart was probably published in 1836, no earlier than late October but probably by December as the majority of the engraving on the plate had been already been made i 1832 with the first voyage information.

The chronology of publication of the the various early editions of this map up 1837. Note all issues of the map have the same date of publication 2nd May, 1832 at the bottom of the map.

First issue         :    Publication line 2nd May, 1832:  no copy found of this map and only an extract in the Nautical Magazine of June 1832, pp. 203-204, refers to the Admiralty’s map. Shows first voyage surveys only.

Second issue   :    Publication line 2nd May, 1832: Map updated to 1834 and includes 2nd voyage additions as shown with the dates of the two voyages in the title. Published in 1836, no earlier than late October but probably by December as the majority of the
engraving on the plate had been already been made in 1832 with the first voyage information. This edition has an added 3 lines of text below the date 1832-1834: The Height of the Mountains are marked in feet. / K.Kelp, which should be avoided/ unless
                                  carefully sounded.

Third issue       :    Publication line 2nd May, 1832: Map updated to 1834 and includes 2nd voyage additions, published probably late 1836 but probably in 1837. This issue has the same three lines of text as in the second issue, but has additional text below those first
three lines reading: “Fathom lines” and three further lines of text thereafter: