The Children on the Beagle

This story is told by a 9-year-old girl living in Denmark.

Scene 1 — The Map

At school, they told me about Darwin and the Beagle. They showed me a map with all the places he went. They said it was the most important journey of his life. They said it was a scientific journey, full of discoveries. But sometimes I wonder… was that the whole story? Who else was on that boat?

Scene 2 — Tierra del Fuego

In my book, beside Darwin there is another hero: the Beagle's captain, Robert FitzRoy. When one of his boats was stolen in a land of fire and wind, he decided to take hostages, and three of these were children. They say he was a hero because he then brought those children all the way to England, where he thought he could teach them to be “civilized.” I'm not sure I understand… Did he think everyone should live the same way? Did he believe their own life wasn't good enough? What if instead he stayed and learned to live like they did?

Scene 3 — London

Far from home, the children were given clothes, porcelain, and lessons. They were even shown to kings and queens. My book says this was kindness. But I don't know… I wonder if they liked being on display. Captain FitzRoy hoped they could go back and teach their families what they had learned. But what would English words mean to people who already had their own language? And who were so far away? What would porcelain mean around a campfire?

Scene 4 — Return to Tierra del Fuego

When the ship finally took them home, they carried china and clothes that didn't really belong in their camp. They stayed and the ship left. And when the Beagle returned a few months later, all those things, the porcelain, the clothes, the tea… were gone. And the campfire wasn't burning anymore. My book says they went back to being “savages.” But I wonder what that meant to them. I think… maybe they were just lost, between two worlds that no longer made sense.

Scene 5 — The Ocean

The story in class always ends with Darwin and his discoveries. But I keep thinking about the children. I wonder if the sea remembers them… even if the books do not.

Final scene:

Their names were Orundellico, Yokcushly, El'leparu, and Boat Memory. Orundellico, was a 14-year-old Yahgan boy called Jemmy Button. Yokcushly, was called Fuegia Basket, she was 9 years old. Boat Memory, whose original name has been lost, tragically died of smallpox shortly after arriving in England. And there was also a young man, El'leparu, named York Minster, who was 26 years old.

Børnene på Beagle

Denne historie bliver fortalt af en 9-årig pige, der bor i Danmark.

Scene 1 — Kortet

I skolen fortalte de mig om Darwin og Beagle-skibet. De viste mig et kort med alle de steder, han sejlede til. De sagde, at det var den vigtigste rejse i hele hans liv. De sagde, det var en videnskabelig rejse, fuld af opdagelser. Men nogle gange tænker jeg… var det virkelig hele historien? Hvem andre var med på båden?

Scene 2 — Ildlandet

I min bog står der, at der også var en anden helt: Beagles kaptajn, Robert FitzRoy. Da en af hans både blev stjålet i et land fyldt med ild og blæst, besluttede han at tage gidsler. Tre af dem var børn. De siger, han var en helt, fordi han tog børnene hele vejen til England, hvor han mente, han kunne lære dem at være “civiliserede.” Jeg forstår det ikke helt… Tænkte han, at alle skulle leve på samme måde? Troede han, at deres liv ikke var godt nok? Hvad nu hvis han i stedet var blevet og lært at leve, som de gjorde?

Scene 3 — London

Langt væk hjemmefra fik børnene tøj, porcelæn og skoleundervisning. De blev endda vist frem for konger og dronninger. I min bog står der, at det var venligt. Men jeg ved ikke… mon de kunne lide at blive vist frem? Kaptajn FitzRoy håbede, at de kunne rejse tilbage og lære deres familier det, de havde lært i England. Men hvad ville engelske ord betyde for nogen, der allerede havde deres eget sprog? Og som boede så langt væk? Hvad ville porcelæn betyde rundt om et bål?

Scene 4 — Tilbage til Ildlandet

Da skibet til sidst sejlede dem hjem igen, havde de porcelæn og tøj med, ting der ikke rigtig hørte til i deres lejr. De blev, og skibet sejlede væk. Og da Beagle kom tilbage nogle måneder senere, var alle tingene væk — porcelænet, tøjet, teen… alt sammen forsvundet. Og bålet brændte ikke længere. I min bog står der, at de var blevet “vilde” igen. Men jeg spekulerer på, hvad det betød for dem. Jeg tror… måske var de bare faret vild, fanget mellem to verdener, der ikke længere gav mening.

Scene 5 — Havet

Historien i klassen ender altid med Darwin og alle hans opdagelser. Men jeg bliver ved med at tænke på børnene. Jeg spekulerer på, om havet mon husker dem… selvom bøgerne ikke gør.

Sidste scene:

De hed Orundellico, Yokcushly, El'leparu og Boat Memory. Orundellico var en 14-årig Yahgan-dreng, som blev kaldt Jemmy Button. Yokcushly blev kaldt Fuegia Basket, hun var 9 år gammel. Boat Memory, hvis rigtige navn er gået tabt, døde desværre af kopper kort efter, at han kom til England. Og så var der også en ung mand, El'leparu, som blev kaldt York Minster, han var 26 år gammel.