# Captain Fitz Roy — The Voyage of the Beagle character guide > Captain Fitz Roy in The Voyage of the Beagle by Charles Darwin. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Fitz Roy **First appearance:** 0004-i-st-jago-cape-de-verd-islands ## Snapshot The Beagle's exacting commander, he sails to survey Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego while carrying chronometers, Fuegian passengers, and Darwin's restless curiosity. ## Who they are Fitz Roy commands the ten-gun brig whose five-year mission frames the entire voyage, from Devonport's gales to the Cape de Verd islands and beyond. His obsessive precision—chronometrics, coastlines, souls—collides with the wildness of the places he surveys and the people he has brought back to England. Without his ship and his stubborn sense of duty, Darwin's observations would have no deck to stand on. ## Relationships ### [Fuegia Basket](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_of_the_beagle_se/characters/fuegia_basket) _professional_ Captain Fitz Roy oversees Fuegia as part of his mission to educate and civilize the Fuegian natives aboard the Beagle. ### [Jemmy Button](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_of_the_beagle_se/characters/jemmy_button) _professional_ Captain Fitz Roy acts as a mentor and commander to Jemmy, guiding his adaptation to English customs. ### [Queen Pomarre](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_of_the_beagle_se/characters/queen_pomarre) _social_ Captain Fitz Roy meets Queen Pomarre as a diplomatic acquaintance during the Beagle's visit to Tahiti. ### [Mr. Bachman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_of_the_beagle_se/characters/mr_bachman) _professional_ Captain Fitz Roy and Mr. Bachman have a professional relationship as commander and crew member. ### [R. Matthews](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_of_the_beagle_se/characters/r_matthews) _professional_ Captain Fitz Roy coordinates with missionary R. Matthews for the Fuegian settlement project. ### [Falconer](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_of_the_beagle_se/characters/falconer) _professional_ Captain Fitz Roy and Falconer have a brief professional encounter, likely related to navigation or exploration. ## In the story ### [The Voyage of the Beagle](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_of_the_beagle_se/chapters/the-voyage-of-the-beagle) Commander of the Beagle, responsible for the voyage and the mission to survey South American coasts. ### [I: St. Jago—Cape de Verd Islands](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_of_the_beagle_se/chapters/i-st-jago-cape-de-verd-islands) Commander of the Beagle; the ship sailed under his command from Devonport. ### [II: Rio de Janeiro](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_of_the_beagle_se/chapters/ii-rio-de-janeiro) Mentioned as captain of the Beagle, though not directly active in this chapter. ### [Bahia Blanca](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_of_the_beagle_se/chapters/v-bahia-blanca) Darwin mentions that with Captain Fitz Roy's consent, he was left behind at Bahia Blanca to travel overland to Buenos Aires. ### [Bahia Blanca to Buenos Aires](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_of_the_beagle_se/chapters/vi-bahia-blanca-to-buenos-aires) Fitz Roy's calculation of the height of Sierra Ventana (3,340 feet) is cited. ### [Buenos Aires and St. Fe](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_of_the_beagle_se/chapters/vii-buenos-aires-and-st-fe) Darwin refers to Captain Fitz Roy's observations on the revolution. ### [VIII: Banda Oriental and Patagonia](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_of_the_beagle_se/chapters/viii-banda-oriental-and-patagonia) Commanded the Beagle during the voyage. ### [Santa Cruz, Patagonia, and the Falkland Islands](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_of_the_beagle_se/chapters/ix-santa-cruz-patagonia-and-the-falkland-islands) Leads the expedition up the Santa Cruz River and organizes the tracking system. ### [X: Tierra del Fuego](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_of_the_beagle_se/chapters/x-tierra-del-fuego) Commands the Beagle, decides to settle the Fuegians in Ponsonby Sound, and leads the boat expedition through the Beagle Channel. ### [Strait of Magellan.—Climate of the Southern Coasts](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_of_the_beagle_se/chapters/xi-strait-of-magellan-climate-of-the-southern-coasts) Captain Fitz Roy determined to leave the Strait of Magellan by the Magdalen Channel and offered to take three Patagonians on board. ### [Central Chile](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_of_the_beagle_se/chapters/xii-central-chile) Mentioned in the context of the voyage and the narrative of the Beagle's travels. ### [Chiloe and Chonos Islands](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_of_the_beagle_se/chapters/xiii-chiloe-and-chonos-islands) Attempted to ascend San Pedro with a party. ### [Chiloe and Concepcion: Great Earthquake](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_of_the_beagle_se/chapters/xiv-chiloe-and-concepcion-great-earthquake) Was in the town of Valdivia during the earthquake and witnessed the shaking of wooden houses. ### [Passage of the Cordillera](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_of_the_beagle_se/chapters/xv-passage-of-the-cordillera) Hails an American whaler near Concepcion to anchor safely. ### [Northern Chile and Peru](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_of_the_beagle_se/chapters/xvi-northern-chile-and-peru) Offered to pick up Darwin at Copiapó in the Beagle. ### [Galapagos Archipelago](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_of_the_beagle_se/chapters/xvii-galapagos-archipelago) Commanded the Beagle during the visit to the Galapagos Archipelago. ### [Tahiti and New Zealand](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_of_the_beagle_se/chapters/xviii-tahiti-and-new-zealand) Commander of the Beagle during the voyage to Tahiti and New Zealand. ### [Australia](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_of_the_beagle_se/chapters/xix-australia) Darwin accompanies Captain Fitz Roy to Bald Head at King George's Sound. ### [Keeling Island: Coral Formations](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_of_the_beagle_se/chapters/xx-keeling-island-coral-formations) Accompanied Darwin to the settlement on Sunday, April 3rd. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_of_the_beagle_se/characters/captain_fitz_roy - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_of_the_beagle_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_of_the_beagle_se/characters