"That the danger was very little was certain, for my two companions made a good fire - a thing which is never done when it is suspected that Indians are near. I reached the place of our bivouac by sunset, and drinking much mate, and smoking several cigaritos, soon made up my bed for the night. The wind was very strong and cold, but I never slept more comfortably."
While the Beagle is off doing more surveys, Darwin is exploring the South American continent. Here he is on the Atlantic coast exploring the mountains between Buenos Aires and Bahia Blanca to the south, which he finds bleak and not very interesting.
I've skipping over several pages in the Voyage that are downright depressing - the genocidal acts of General Rosas. This is followed by pages of geologizing, which are, sadly, beyond me.
As a lover and cigars and hot beverages, I know where he's coming from here. He had been hiking up hill most of the day, suffered leg cramps and had to come back before dark - all alone.
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