At 22, as he prepares to enter the clergy, Charles Darwin is offered the position of naturalist on the HMS Beagle’s expedition to South America. But in 1831, a sea voyage is as unthinkable as a modern-day foray into outer space. His father objects to the outlandish scheme, but with the help of a persuasive uncle, Darwin eventually receives permission to sail. And so he sets off, fully expecting to take his orders at the end of the two-year expedition. Instead, he returns in five, a full-fledged genius who would one day write a book that truly changed the world. What Mr. Darwin Saw is a lively and accessible look at the journey of the HMS Beagle. Readers learn about life on board the ship for Darwin, the captain and crew, and the expedition’s artist; their encounters with slavery; how specimens were collected; the scientific basis for the Biblical flood; Darwin’s adventures in Galapagos, Australia, and other countries and continents; and much more.