How Charles Darwin Dealt with Depression

While it is well known that Charles Darwin suffered from depression or melancholia, probably due to declining health and personal tragedies; it is not as well known that depression was the primary reason that he was invited to make his famous journey of 1831.

This is the story of Robert FitzRoy, the Captain of the HMS Beagle on it's second voyage of surveying and discovery. A man of great accomplishments, Fitzroy attained the rank of Vice Admiral, was a pioneering meteorologist, a good surveyor and a great hydrographer (one who studies the oceans). He was also appointed governor of New Zealand late in his life. He managed to do all this in spite of a depressive personality and probably would be diagnosed as Bipolar today. He was nicknamed "Hot Coffee" by his crew for his fits of rage.

While preparing for the second voyage of the HMS Beagle, Captain FitzRoy was worried. He knew that the captain of the first voyage of the Beagle, Pringle Stokes; had committed suicide on his voyage around the world. His uncle, Robert Stewart, famous in his own right as the Viscount Castlereagh, a great diplomat of the time; was also a recent suicide. FitzRoy was worried about his own bouts with depression.

The problem was that on these long ocean voyages, the Captain was disposed to great isolation and loneliness. In those times, it was unbecoming for the Captain to have any relations with the crew except as a commanding officer. The crew lived in their little world and the Captain in his. If the Captain wanted company, someone to talk to or play chess with, he had to make arrangements for such. Enter Charles Darwin, recommended by two of Captain FitzRoy's friends as a personable and agreeable young fellow. Darwin was named as a naturalist and expected to pay his own way. The Captain hoped, that with this interesting companion, he could avoid the "Black Dog" of depression. And it did seem to work out that way. Except for a few noted disagreements, Darwin and "Hot Coffee" got along well enough.

Actually the job of ship naturalist usually fell to the ship's surgeon. On the Beagle that was Robert McCormick, a man whom both FitzRoy and Darwin seemed to regard as a bit of an ass. McCormick became quite peeved over Darwin's special relation to the Captain and to the encroachment of Darwin onto his turf. He resigned and left the ship in Brazil.

This journey of the HMS Beagle circumnavigated the globe and lasted almost five years. On this voyage, Charles Darwin began his work which led to the science of evolution which still shakes the world to this day. The Beagle was to become one of the most famous ships of all time. And in 1865 Robert FitzRoy was found dead by his wife in his bathroom. Like his uncle, his hand clutched a straight razor. As he himself had feared for so many years; the great Captain had committed suicide.

.