Mellville and Darwin's Writings on the Galapagos Islands During the nineteenth century, two prominent writers, Herman Mellville and Charles Darwin both voyaged to the Galapagos islands off the coast of Ecuador. Both of these individuals wrote descriptive passages about the physical attributes and atmosphere of the Galapagos Islands. The passages vary in specific content due to the intentions and interests of the respective authors, even though the object described is the same. Charles Darwin, best known for the theory of evolution, wrote for the purpose of science; Herman Mellville,