<P>This is the story of the man without whom the name Charles Darwin might be unknown to us today. That man was Captain Robert FitzRoy, who invited the 22-year-old Darwin to be his companion on board the <EM>Beagle</EM> .</P> <P>This is the remarkable story of how a misguided decision by Robert FitzRoy, captain of HMS <EM>Beagle</EM> , precipitated his employment of a young naturalist named Charles Darwin, and how the clash between FitzRoy?s fundamentalist views and Darwin?s discoveries led to FitzRoy?s descent into the abyss.</P> <P>One of the great ironies of history is that the famous journey—wherein Charles Darwin consolidated the earth-rattling ?origin of the species? discoveries—was conceived by another man: Robert FitzRoy. It was FitzRoy who chose Darwin for the journey—not because of Darwin?s scientific expertise, but because he seemed a suitable companion to help FitzRoy fight back the mental illness that had plagued his family for generations. Darwin did not give FitzRoy solace; indeed, the clash between the two men?s opposing views, together with the ramifications of Darwin?s revelations, provided FitzRoy with the final unendurable torment that forced him to end his own life.</P>