Mr. Darwin's Shooter (1998)
By Roger MacDonald
Syms Covington recounts his experiences as Charles Darwin’s loyal assistant during the Beagle voyage and the composition of The Origin of Species.
As a young boy, Syms Covington is recruited for service on a survey ship. Three decades later, he has settled in Australia and is anxiously awaiting the arrival of Charles Darwin’s seminal text. His friend, Dr. MacCraken, notes Covington’s disappointment at being excluded from The Origin of Species and slowly surmises the seaman’s extraordinary history aboard Darwin’s Beagle. Covington served, alongside his preacher friend John Phipps, aboard two ships before moving to the Beagle. Once there, he tries to attract the mysterious Darwin’s attention. Covington desires to rise above his position of general errand boy, in spite of the captain’s phrenological assessment deeming him too wild. Just as Covington begins to sense the futility of his attempts, he draws Darwin’s notice after bandits attack him in Brazil. Darwin soon transforms the boy into his assistant; Covington aids him with notes and transcription aboard the ship, and shoots various animals for Darwin’s collection once they reach their destinations. For each specimen he collects for Darwin, Covington collects one for himself, shipping the specimens to England for sale to eager naturalists. A proficient assistant, Covington remains Darwin’s unheralded companion throughout the Beagle’s voyage and for two years after its return to England. Even after Covington emigrates to Australia, he maintains a working relationship with Darwin, his mentor and father-figure.
McDonald reintroduces Covington to the now-mythical Beagle voyage, basing this historical fiction on the documented but overlooked assistant. This novel offers a unique perspective on Darwin’s voyage, reinvigorating the iconic scientist with an often-ignored humanity. Darwin is imperfect: he vomits overboard from seasickness, seems unable to shed his proper demeanor even in the privacy of his cabin, and often takes advantage of his young devotee. The excluded acknowledgment in Origin, particularly in light of Covington’s enduring devotion, is the ultimate indictment of the great naturalist. Yet for all the perceived failings as a man, Darwin’s scientific acumen is highlighted by the existing environment of ignorance from which his theories sprout; phrenology, for instance, is not only practiced but offered as redoubtable evidence of character. Even Darwin’s specimens, displayed at his London home, evoke little more than perplexed praise from fellow naturalists. Although Darwinism is commonly associated with evolution and Non-Creationism, here he is portrayed as a religious man conflicted by scientific enlightenment. Where Covington steadfastly adheres to the Creation story, seeking Phipp’s religious guidance, Darwin’s belief shifts with the evidence of natural selection. He questions the infallibility of God, citing the obvious changes in the species God created. Darwin must resolve, personally if not scientifically, whether evolution necessarily precludes Creation. The constrast between Darwin’s struggle and Covington’s blind faith, both in his mentor and his religion, highlights the sacrifices Darwin makes for his scientific integrity.
Evaluation: By presenting Darwin’s voyages from his servant’s fictionalized perspective, MacDonald demythologizes Darwin and his scientific persona. Here, we see the collaborative nature of his scientific processes, as well as the difficulties he encounters in both the voyage and the formulation of his theories.
– Natalie Champ