Now, Darwin was not the first to land on this group of islands, but rather he was the first to document in-depth analysis of everything from animals, to plants, to habitat and climate. The majesty of the landscape described by Darwin has no equal in any other landscape known to mankind today. The "goblins of darkness" that emerge from the depths of the sea, giant tortoises whose size is incomparable to any European tortoise and specimens of finches indigenous to the respective island are examples of Charles Darwin's analysis on his first encounter with the archipelago of Galapagos. Countless years have passed since those fateful days when Darwin resided in the Galápagos, but was Darwin accurate in his portrayal? How much has changed since then? What new discoveries were made during Darwin's analytic visit? Over the centuries, ancient castaways, pirates, conquerors and scientists encountered the enchanted islands before Darwin, and their tales of the mysterious Galápagos gave way to myths. With fantastic creatures that could not be found anywhere else in the world, the mystery of the islands led to more curious expeditions. Popularity began to surround the islands when the Spanish and British governments began commissioning expeditions to the Galápagos in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. This time could easily be compared to the “Caifornian gold rush of the 1850s” (Hickman, 61) as the islands quickly became frequented by ships that would reduce the populations of the numerous turtles and whales on the premises and in the surrounding waters. Travelers would arrive on the island group to bring these rare animals to the elite, making meat and soaps available for profit. After the "gold rush", there...... at the center of the map ......conscious and attentive tourist furor to witness the singular beauty of the Galápagos. Works Cited “Marine iguanas of the Galapagos Islands - BBC Wildlife. " Youtube. Google, 2008. Web. May 18. 2011. Darwin, Charles. On Evolution. Ed. Thomas F. Glick and David Kohn. Illinois: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc, 1996. Print. Heinzel, Hermann and Barnaby Hall Galapagos Journal. California: Christopher Helm Ltd.-A&C Black Ltd., 2000. Print.Hickman, John. The Enchanted Islands The Galapagos Discovered. New Hampshire: Tanager Books-Longwood Publishing, 1985. Print.Larson, Edward's Workshop. J. Evolution. New York: Basic Books, 2001. Print. Lowenberg, Bret James. Darwin, Wallace and the Theory of Natural Selection. New Jersey: New Haven Press, 1957. PrintStewart, Paul D. et al Who Changed the World. London: BBC Books, 2006. Print