Beaufort trained Robert FitzRoy, who was put in temporary command of the survey ship HMS "Beagle" after her previous captain committed suicide. When FitzRoy was reappointed as commander for what became the famous second voyage of the "Beagle", he requested of Beaufort "that a well-educated and scientific gentleman be sought" as a companion on the voyage. Beaufort's enquiries led to an invitation to Charles Darwin, who later drew on his discoveries in formulating the theory of evolution he presented in his book "The Origin of Species".