Beagle cross-sections

© AMNH Special Collections

Darwin knew that life would be cramped aboard the Beagle, but it was still a shock to see how small the ship was: just 90 feet long. The poop cabin Darwin would share with two other men during the day measured just 10 feet by 11 feet—and part of it was taken up by a mast. The ship's library lined one wall, and a large table filled most of the remaining space.

To sleep, Darwin hung a hammock over the table. He lay just two feet from the ceiling, looking up at the stars through a skylight that Captain FitzRoy thoughtfully installed.