Syms Covington
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Syms Covington (1816-1861) was an assistant to famed naturalist Charles Darwin, and was a teenager when he left England on Darwin's voyage of the HMS Beagle (1831-1836). As Darwin's assistant, he was a collector, hunter, taxidermist and manservant.
In addition to these duties, Covington kept a personal journal regarding his impressions of the voyage. His journal includes accounts ranging from his daily mundane tasks to impressions of the lands and the people he encountered, and it provides a new perspective along with Darwin's publication of the journey. In 1840, he emigrated to New South Wales and later became postmaster in the settlement of Pambula.
In 1998, Australian author Roger McDonald published a novel on Syms Covington, called Mr. Darwin's Shooter which is also available as an audiobook.
External sites:
- Chapter 4 of Covington's Journal
- Chapter 7 of Covington's Journal
- [www.myspace.com/symscovington Syms Covington's MySpace page]
