Second Kamchatka Expedition
The active development of the Far East by Russia began under Peter the Great almost immediately after the Poltava victory and the end of the northern war with
the conclusion of peace with Sweden in 1721.
The opening of a sea route to Kamchatka would facilitate the study of the North Pacific Ocean. Peter 1 was interested in sea routes to India and
China, the spread of Russian influence on the eastern part of the Pacific Ocean, reaching the “unknown part” of North America, where they have not yet reached
reach the French and the British.
Interest in India and China and the ways of penetration there grew in the world after Marco Polo in 1271 - 1295 passed to China by land and
returned back by sea, telling the world about the “kingdoms and wonders” of the East. In 1466, Afanasy Nikitin entered India, telling a description of his
trips. Later, in 1453, the land roads there were blocked by the Ottoman Turks, who captured Constantinople, and Europe was forced
look for sea routes.
Vasco da Gama managed to open this route (through southern Africa), but at the same time the search also went in a southwestern direction. Columbus, Balboa, Cabral,
Magellan discovered the New World to the world. Europe rushed to share this tasty morsel. Pope Alexander Boggia, having arbitrated, gave everything that
lay to the west of the Azores of Spain, to the east of Portugal, which was, in general, a fair decision... for Spain and Portugal... But, to
Much to their chagrin, at that moment other naval powers already existed - England, France, Holland. The showdown dragged on for
century, from which, as we now know, England emerged right in all respects, and declared itself the mistress of the seven seas.
Russia by that time had already become a maritime power and, naturally, could not cede half the world to the powerful, but still tiny England. That's why
The issue of conquering the seas and penetrating China has always been relevant for the empire that was beginning to gain strength.
Somewhere there was a still unknown “land of da Gama”, rich in fur.
In January 1725, Peter 1 ordered the preparation of an expedition to the Pacific Ocean to reach the shores of North America. The expedition was supposed to
to reach some “city of European possessions” in America:
· It is necessary to make one or two boats with decks in Kamchatka, or another place there.
· On these boats (to sail) near the land that goes to the north, and according to hope (they don’t know it) it seems that that land is part of America.
· And in order to look for where it came into contact with America, and to get to which city of European possessions; and if they see a European ship,
to find out from him what this bush is called, and take it in writing and visit the shore yourself and take the original statement and, putting it on the map, come here.
On the recommendation of the Admiralty Board, the expedition was led by Vitus Jonassen Bering (1681-1741).
Vitus Jonassen Bering (1681-1741).
The first Kamchatka expedition stopped somewhere off the coast
Kamchatka. In 1726 she reached Okhotsk, from there she reached
Bolsheretsk and Nizhne-Kamchatsk. Only in 1728 did Bering sail from the eastern coast of Kamchatka to Cape Dezhnev, but bad weather did not allow
reach the final goal of the expedition to the shores of America.
In 1732, a ship under the command of M. Gvozdev came so close to the shores of America that
the sailors were able to distinguish its shores, but the eastern headwind again did not allow the “Archangel Gabriel”
get closer to the cherished goal.
In 1733, the government decided to organize the second Kamchatka expedition,
also called the Great Siberian or Great Siberian-Pacific.
Great hopes were placed on this expedition. The expedition had to find ways
navigation on the Arctic Ocean, explore routes to America, Japan, conduct
cartographic research (clarification of the location of the “land of da Gama”), study the life and customs of peoples,
inhabiting these lands.
The expedition included naturalists, geographers, and historians. The future hero of this expedition, Georg
Steller got into it only thanks to his persistence. Bering in every possible way refused to take on board
second physician, but the desire of the young naturalist... to all sorts of difficulties and labors, as well as the desire
to visit the newly invented places was so strong that he obtained permission from Bering
to stay on the ship not as a scientist or physician, but under any conditions.
On June 4, 1741, the packet boats “St. Apostle Peter” under the leadership of Bering and “St.
Pavel” under the command of Chirikov set off for the shores of America. Bering tried to find
the notorious "land da Gama", and Chirikov wanted to prove that America is not very far from Chukotka
eastern corner.
Commander Bering vainly ironed the Pacific Ocean in a vain attempt to find the lost land. She didn’t exist then, and she hasn’t appeared now.
Storms tore the ships... Bering's patience was running out (the patience of the crew, presumably, ended much earlier). And he gave the order
turn northeast... On June 20, in heavy fog, the ships lost each other. Next, they had to complete the task separately.
On July 15, Chirikov and his “Holy Apostle Paul” reached land off the coast of America, which now bears the name of the first ruler of Russian settlements in
America - the land of Baranov. Two days later, having sent a boat with a dozen sailors to the ground under the command of navigator Dementyev and not waiting for them
returning within a week, he sends a second one with four sailors to search for comrades. Without waiting for the return of the second boat and without having
opportunity to approach the shore, Chirikov gave the order to continue the voyage.
“Saint Apostle Paul” visited some of the islands of the Aleutian chain.
From the report of A.I. Chirikov on the voyage to the shores of America. 1741.7 December.
And in the land where we walked and explored about 400 versts, we saw whales, sea lions, walruses, pigs, birds... a lot of them... On this land everywhere
the high mountains and the shores to the sea are steep... and on the mountains near the place where they came to the land, as shown above, the forest is quite large... It turned out that our
shore on the western side, 200 fathoms away... They came to us in 7 small leather trays, each with one person... And in the afternoon... they arrived
to our ship in the same 14 trays, one person each.
After visiting the islands of the Aleutian ridge, "St. Apostle Paul" headed for Kamchatka and on October 12, 1741, arrived at Peter and Paul Harbor.
The packet boat “St. Apostle Peter” was looking for “St. Apostle Paul” from the very first day of their separation, Bering did not even suspect that he was near the ridge
islands that Chirikov has already visited. The arguments of Georg Steller, who observed seagulls in the sea, that there should be land nearby and it is necessary to turn towards
north did not have any effect on the captain-commander, who was preoccupied with the disappearance of the ship, and even vice versa - they irritated the experienced 60-year-old
Bering. The commander wandered for another two months in the hope of finding “St. Apostle Paul.” But it seemed that failure was following him. "Land da Gama" never
found, the ship was lost... It was impossible to delay further - the entire expedition was in jeopardy... And on July 14, naval master Sofron Khitrovo, after
After a long meeting, I made the necessary entry in the ship’s logbook for these cases: “And before we left the harbor, we took the indicated course south-
ost-shadow-ost they sailed not only up to 46, but also up to 45 degrees, but they didn’t see any land... For this reason, they decided to change one point, keep
closer to the north, that is, to go east-north-east..." The loss of hopes of finding the "land da Gama" and Chirikov's ship were not the only reasons,
forced the commander to change course - only half of the 102 barrels of water remained; they had to return to Petropavlovsk no later than the end of September, if
the coast of America will be found. But he was not there... On July 14, the packet boat "St. Apostle Peter" went to the northern latitudes, and a day later Steller saw
outlines of the earth.
In the morning, with clear weather, all doubts disappeared. But due to weak winds, the packet boat was able to approach the shore only on July 20.
This was the American northwest.
Several sailors, officer Sofron Khitrovo and naturalist Steller set foot on the long-awaited shore.
Anyone can easily imagine how great was the joy of everyone when we finally saw the shore, congratulations poured in from all sides to the captain, until
which the honor of discovery was most important to, wrote Steller, excited by the event. Only Bering did not share the general rejoicing - he was already ill.
The burden of responsibility for the expedition, failures at the very beginning of the journey - all this greatly depressed Vitus Bering. Everyone rejoiced at the sheer luck
glimpses of future glory, but it was also necessary to return. Only wise with long experience of navigation, elderly, striving for this goal 9
years, and finally, having received it, Bering realized this: “Who knows whether the trade winds will delay us here? The shore is unfamiliar to us, our provisions are limited
wintering will not be enough.” According to the instructions of the Admiralty Board, one should search for American shores and islands with extreme diligence and diligence,...
to visit them and truly find out what kind of people they are, and what the place is called, and whether those shores are truly American. Bering was not diligent
refuse, but he probably faced a difficult choice: to carry the “discoverer’s cross” to the end and explore the land found with such difficulty, or
not to risk the expedition and immediately go back with the illusory hope of returning here with the “third expedition”... Later explorers will
often reproach Bering for indecisiveness, but great life experience, according to the testimony of the same Steller (who was in very strained relations with
commander from the very beginning of the expedition) proved that Bering was more prudent than all his officers.
Already on July 20, looking at the top of Mount St. Elias, the captain-commander probably decided to follow another part of the instructions that said: “If more
aspirations, for which time will not allow you to examine and describe in one summer, report on that path in detail, and without waiting for the decree, follow and
finally bring it to another summer...” And having made this decision, he was already adamant, ordering to stay exactly as long as necessary for
replenishing water supplies. Bering did everything he could for Russia; he had no right to risk people’s lives anymore. Couldn't waste precious time on
cartographic research, search for European cities and study of the life of the aborigines.
But, probably, the general spirit of the expedition turned out to be so strong that fate was again favorable: the captain-commander was forced to yield
the pressure of the young scientist in his desire to explore the newly invented land and allowed Steller to join the group of sailors who were supposed to
go ashore to replenish water supplies.
Naturalist Steller found himself in time trouble. And you can’t call it anything other than the will of providence - what Bering achieved in 9 years, Steller managed
done in 10 hours.
The observations he made, together with the data of the navigators, allowed him to draw an unmistakable conclusion - the shore of America had been found.
While the team was preparing water, Steller was doing the job for which he was born into this world - he was researching.
Having come across a well-trodden path, he literally rushed headlong in search of people. The Cossack Foma Lepekhin accompanying him tried to
hold back: “They’ll pile on you, you can’t fight back. Look how it was cut down (about an alder rod). Not otherwise with a knife or an ax. Let's go to ours. After all, they will kill here, or in
They'll take it full. We’ll be lost.” To which Steller reasonably replied: “Fool. There are people here, we need to find them...” Perseverance was partially rewarded - they came across
on the fireplace of the aborigines and Steller was ready to swear that this was a Kamchadal camp, and if not for the landscape and vegetation, he could still swear.
Another mystery awaited him when he came across a pit similar to those in which the Kamchadals fermented fish: four steps along, three across - two steps.
human height. But... there was no smell of fish rot. With the risk that they would be discovered sooner or later, Steller went down into the pit - it turned out to be an underground barn, in
in which stood birch bark vessels two cubits high, filled with smoked salmon, in others - pure sweet grass, piles of nettles, bundles of
pine bark, ropes made of sea grass of extraordinary strength, arrows longer than Kamchatka ones (well planed and painted in
black color) . Regarding them, Lepekhin remarked: “It’s no different than Tatar or Tunguska.” They walked another three miles in the hope of meeting the inhabitants, until
saw a stream of smoke. But they never managed to get to this fire - on the way, Steller saw a flock of birds, the breed of which he could not determine.
Therefore, he asked Lepekhin to shoot one of them. At the sound of the shot, a human scream was heard from the side where they were shooting. Steller rushed
there, but there was no one there, although the grass was crushed, as if someone was standing there. Probably one of the locals accompanied them all the time or, in extreme cases,
I just came across them and watched the uninvited guests in bewilderment. The shot scared him. This shot brought two more results - shot
the bird turned out to be previously unknown to science and its discoverer was Georg Steller, and a sailor sent to the
their search - it was time to return... But in this short time he managed to collect 160 species of local plants, take samples of household utensils, and familiarize himself with
abandoned dwellings.
The very next day, on another island of the Aleutian ridge, the expedition came across American Indians.
The return journey, as Bering had expected, was difficult. Fogs and storms made it difficult for ships to move. Water and provisions were running out. Scurvy
harassed people. On November 4, the expedition encountered unknown land. On November 7, Bering ordered the landing. No one could have guessed then that
they are several days' journey from Kamchatka. The difficult time of winter has come. December 8, 1741 expedition leader Captain-Commander Vitus
Jonassen Bering died. Command passed to Lieutenant S. Vaksel. People were losing strength. Of the 76 people who landed on the island, 45 survived. All who
could stand on his feet, hunted sea animals and birds, and strengthened crumbling dugouts.
From the report of Lieutenant S. Vaksel from the Admiralty Board on the voyage with V. Bering to the shores of America. 1742.15 November.
This island, on which my crew and I spent the winter... is about 130 versts long, 10 versts across. There is no housing on it, but there are no signs that
when people were on it, they weren’t... When we were on this island we lived very poorly, since our dwellings were in holes dug in the sand and
covered with sails. And in collecting firewood they had an extreme burden, for they were forced to look for and collect firewood along the seashore and carry it on their shoulders.
with their straps 10 and 12 versts.
... We were possessed by a severe scurvy disease... Our food through this winter, due to the lack of provisions, can be said to be the poorest and
much difficulty, and also contrary to human nature, for they were forced to walk along the seashore and be separated from their homes for 20 and 30 miles
and the elder about killing some kind of animal for food, namely a beaver, a sea lion or a seal... which, having killed, they sewed on themselves at such a distance... And during
moreover, since those animals, out of fear, moved themselves much further away from us, then they fed on sea cats, which for a time in the spring sail to that island...
They hunted sea cows, which are quite large, because one cow contains no less than 200 pounds of meat.
Among them were Russians, Danes, Swedes, Germans - and they all fought to complete the expedition with dignity. Georg Steller found himself here too
an activity to his liking - during his stay on the island, which later received the name Bering, he described 220 species of plants, observed fur seals,
sea lions. His great merit was the description of the sea cow, an animal from the order of sirens, which was subsequently completely exterminated and remained only in
Steller's description. Having survived a difficult winter, the crew from the remains of the St. Apostle Peter, broken by a storm, built a small boat, on which 26
August 1742 and returned to Peter and Paul Harbor. This completed the second Kamchatka expedition.
In 1743, the Senate suspended the work of the Second Kamchatka Expedition. The results of both expeditions were significant: the American coast was discovered,
the strait between Asia and America was examined, the Kuril Islands, the coast of America, the Aleutian Islands were studied, ideas about Okhotsk were clarified
sea, Kamchatka, Japan.
List of used literature
V.D. Sergeev, “Pages of the history of Kamchatka”, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Far Eastern book edition, Kamchatka branch, 1992, 191 p.
Martynenko, “Journey to the country of Uikoal”, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Far Eastern book edition, Kamchatka branch, 1987, 135 p.
Vitus Bering. Reconstructed image
On June 4, 1741, two small ships flying the St. Andrew's flag left Avacha Bay in Kamchatka. They headed southeast. This event was the beginning of the Second Kamchatka Expedition of Vitus Bering and Alexei Chirikov. More than eight years have passed since leaving St. Petersburg. Such a considerable period of time was spent on preparatory and organizational work, obtaining the necessary resources and materials and, most importantly, on a protracted, stubborn struggle with the local bureaucratic apparatus, which was not accustomed to the supervision of the capital. The course followed by the expeditionary packet boats “St. Peter” and “St. Paul” was chosen in advance, after much discussion and debate. According to the maps available to the expedition's professor of astronomy, Louis de la Croer, it was in the southeastern direction that the mysterious and vast land of Juan de Gama should be sought. It was quite often depicted in the works of cartographers of the 18th century. None of those who took part in the meetings before departure knew that the map presented by the professor was erroneous, and the land indicated on it was nothing more than a myth. This misconception played a certain role in the fate of the expedition, but there was still more to come.
Emperor's plans
Peter I was an active and energetic person. Throughout his reign, Russia had to fully taste the fruits of his labors and decisions made. There were projects and plans that were conceived and implemented on time. There were those that the emperor, who died by no means at an old age, did not get around to implementing. The emperor was passionate about the idea of bringing his country out of the provincial backwaters, reaching rich and exotic countries in order to establish trade with them. To realize these royal aspirations, not only sharp soldiers' bayonets and guns of battleships and frigates were required. What was needed was detailed information about distant lands and territories and finding ways to get to them. Back in 1713, Fyodor Saltykov, an associate of the Tsar who had been a naval agent in London for a long time, presented the idea of building ships at the mouth of the Yenisei in order to go around Siberia along the coast and find islands and lands that could be developed, or establish trade relations with China .
However, only in 1724, at the end of his reign, Pyotr Alekseevich finally began to implement such a project, that is, to explore the route through the “Arctic Sea” to India and China. The Emperor believed that in this field the Russians could achieve great success and, as a result, get a shorter route to sources of expensive colonial goods. In December 1724, Peter signed a decree on organizing a geographical expedition with broad tasks. She had to finally find out the location of the strait between Asia and America, study the Far Eastern shores of Russia and, first of all, Kamchatka. For this purpose, it was prescribed to manufacture two vessels on site, on which it was planned to carry out sea voyages.
The command of the expedition was entrusted to the Dane Vitus Jonassen Bering, who had been in Russian service for 21 years. This choice was not accidental, and the emperor, who was scrupulous in personnel matters, would not have placed a random person in such a responsible post. Bering was born in 1681 in Copenhagen and at the time of his appointment he was an experienced and competent officer - he was already 44 years old. Having graduated from the cadet corps in Amsterdam in 1703, in the same year he went to Russia, which was in dire need of qualified and trained naval personnel. A big role in making this decision was played by Bering’s meeting with Admiral Cornelius Cruys, who, on behalf of the Tsar, dealt with personnel issues in Europe. By this time, Bering already had a voyage to the East Indies under his belt.
The young sailor was accepted into Russian service without delay with the rank of second lieutenant. He took part in the events of the Northern War, and in 1710 he was transferred to the Azov Fleet, where he already commanded the shrewd “Munker” with the rank of captain-lieutenant. After the unsuccessful Prut campaign and the end of the Russian-Turkish war, Bering again found himself in the Baltic, where the struggle with the still strong Sweden continued. The Dane served faithfully and confidently moved up the career ladder: in 1719 he commanded the ship “Selafail”, which made a difficult voyage from Arkhangelsk to Kronstadt, and later, in 1720, the ships “Malburg” and “Lesnoye”. The latter was at that time one of the largest ships of the Baltic Fleet and was armed with 90 guns. In the same year, Bering received the rank of captain of the 2nd rank. In 1724, at the time of the decision to organize the Kamchatka expedition, he was already a captain-commander.
First Kamchatka expedition
The territories where the expedition was to work were then little explored, and their location on maps of the early 18th century was very approximate. According to one version, Peter I had at his disposal a map of “Kamchadalia” compiled in 1722 by the Nuremberg cartographer I. B. Homan. This document depicted a fairly large landmass near Kamchatka, designated the “Land of Juan de Gama.” Bering's responsibilities, among other things, were to determine the exact location of this land and find out whether it was connected to North America.
Initially, the expedition consisted of 37 people. On January 24, 1725, during the last days of the reign of Peter I, she left St. Petersburg and headed through Siberia to Okhotsk. Subsequently, the expedition's personnel expanded and at times reached 400 people, including soldiers, sailors and artisans. This journey, under the conditions of that time - on foot, on horseback and on river boats - took almost two years. The long road was full of difficulties. The personnel suffered from frosts, had to starve - there were cases of death and desertion. At the last stage of the 500 km long journey to Okhotsk, large loads were transported on sledges, to which people were harnessed as draft force.
On October 6, 1726, with an advance detachment, Bering arrived in Okhotsk, where he had to wait for the rest of the expedition, divided into parties. In January 1727, the last of them arrived in this settlement, led by Martyn Shpanberg, also a Dane in Russian service, like Bering himself. There was no place to accommodate personnel and property, so the travelers had to settle down in Okhotsk on their own, building and equipping their own dwellings in order to live in them until the end of the winter of 1726–1727.
In this difficult task, Bering was helped by his comrades, among whom lieutenants Alexey Ilyich Chirikov and Martyn (Martin) Petrovich Shpanberg stood out for their abilities and zeal. Chirikov was a young man born in 1703 into a noble family in the Tula province. The young man showed a talent for science and in 1715 became a graduate of the Moscow Navigation School, and in 1721 - of the St. Petersburg Maritime Academy. The very next year after graduation, Chirikov was returned to the Academy as a teacher. His sharp mind and abilities largely influenced his appointment as Bering’s assistant. Lieutenant Shpanberg, who entered Russian service relatively recently, in 1720, managed to establish himself as an experienced sailor, and he also knew Bering personally.
During his long journey through Siberia, Alexey Chirikov identified 28 astronomical points, which made it possible for the first time to determine the true latitudinal extent of Siberia. Having waited until spring, the expedition moved further from Okhotsk. In the early autumn of 1727, she reached Bolsheretsk on two river ships, and from there people and cargo were transported on boats and dog sleds to the mouth of the Kamchatka River, where the Nizhnekamchatsky fort had been located since 1713. Sled dogs were conscripted – often forcibly – from the local population.
Here, in the spring of 1728, the construction of the expedition ship began. By the summer of the same year, the boat “Saint Gabriel” was ready, on which Bering went to sea on July 14. The boat moved north along the coast of Kamchatka, while simultaneously surveying the coastline was carried out. As a result, more than 600 km of previously virtually unexplored coastline was mapped. The Kamchatka and Ozerny peninsulas have been discovered. Having reached the southern coast of Chukotka, having made the discovery of the Gulf of the Cross, Providence Bay and the Island of St. Lawrence on August 31, Bering did not land on the island and did not come close to the coast, but continued moving to the northeast.
"St. Gabriel" encountered strong winds on its way, alternating with foggy weather, and the next time the land was seen from board only on August 12. The next day, Bering, no longer seeing the shore, decided to convene a meeting. Gathering Alexei Chirikov and Martyn Shpanberg in his cabin, he invited them to express their opinions on the following questions: should the fact of the existence of a strait between Asia and America be considered fully proven? And is there a need in this case to move to the mouth of the Kolyma, as was indicated in one of the many points of the instructions for the expedition? Chirikov suggested approaching the coast and continuing to move northeast until the mouth of the Kolyma or a strip of ice was reached. If the weather is unfavorable and accompanied by contrary winds, then no later than August 25, turn back and winter on the land opposite Chukotka, rich in forest, which was known from the Chukchi. That is, Alaska was meant. Shpanberg adhered to a cautious position, proposing to go to the northeast until August 16, and then go to Kamchatka for the winter. As a result, Bering decided to move north to further clarify the situation.
On the afternoon of August 14, when visibility became more or less acceptable, land with high mountains was seen from the “St. Gabriel” far to the west, most likely it was Cape Dezhnev. Vitus Bering and his companions did not yet know that almost 80 years before them, Russian Cossacks passed through this strait under the leadership of Semyon Dezhnev, and this geographical place was actually discovered a second time. Having entered the sea, later called the Chukchi Sea, the travelers made numerous depth measurements and other observations. However, the time was already quite late for Arctic voyages, and Bering gave the order to return. Two weeks later, “Saint Gabriel” returned to the Nizhnekamchatsky fort, or Nizhnekamchatsk, where the expedition remained for the winter of 1728–1729.
In the summer of 1729, Bering made an attempt to reach the American coast. “St. Gabriel” left the anchorage on June 5, but three days later, having traveled more than 100 miles to the east and encountering strong winds along the way, it was forced to turn back. Having rounded Kamchatka from the south, opening Avacha Bay and Kamchatka Bay, on July 24, 1729, the boat arrived in Okhotsk. During this trip, members of the expedition described most of the eastern and some part of the western coast of Kamchatka. If we take into account similar work carried out in the previous year, 1728, then the total length of the coastline explored by Bering and his companions reached almost 3.5 thousand km. From Okhotsk Bering left for St. Petersburg with expedition reports and reports. He reached the capital 7 months later.
Instructions of the Senate and preparation of the Second Kamchatka Expedition
During Bering's five-year absence, changes took place in Russia. Empress Anna Ioannovna now sat on the throne, whose thoughts were far from the projects of her great uncle. Based on the results of their voyages, Vitus Bering and Alexei Chirikov created a detailed map, which was in use for a long time. Even such a famous English navigator as James Cook later expressed his admiration for the cartographic work done. Of course, there were inaccuracies on the map made: Kamchatka was somewhat shorter than its original, the outlines of Chukotka were not entirely correct - however, it was the first document known in Europe, which depicted hitherto completely unexplored lands.
After two months of staying in St. Petersburg, having understood the new realities of the capital, Vitus Bering at the end of April 1730 submitted memos to the Admiralty Board. In the first document, called “The Proposal,” the Dane argued convincingly about the obvious proximity of America to the Kamchatka Peninsula and the need to establish trade and economic relations with the local population. Since the trip to the Far East and back through Siberia made a strong impression on Bering, in the same “Proposal” he spoke out for more intensive development of this region - in his opinion, it was possible and necessary to extract iron ore, table salt and sow grain here. The second note, submitted to the Admiralty Board, expressed the need for further exploration of the Asian coast and the prospect of sending ships to the mouth of the Amur and the Japanese Islands. In addition, Bering insisted on organizing a special expedition to the American coast to study the issue of establishing colonies and trading posts. The captain-commander expressed a desire to go to the Far East again and take personal part in a new expedition.
Matters during the reign of Anna Ioannovna were not resolved as dynamically as before, and memos from the Admiralty Collegium reached the Senate only towards the end of 1730. Nevertheless, the documents presented by Bering did not become the prey of dusty chests and long drawers. Having examined the reports and reports, the Russian Academy of Sciences recognized that the Kamchatka expedition, despite the successes achieved, did not achieve all its objectives, and the study of Kamchatka and, in the future, the coast of America should be continued. In addition, it was necessary to sail across the Arctic Ocean in order to study the possibility of creating a more convenient route to the Kamchatka Sea than by land. In fact, these were ideas for creating the Northern Sea Route, the implementation of which became possible only much later.
Bering's projects, supplemented by scientists from the Academy of Sciences, risked drowning in a much more dangerous sea than Kamchatka - in the sea of the Senate and court bureaucracy. However, they found an active ally - Chief Secretary of the Senate Ivan Kirillovich Kirilov. He was an outstanding man of his time: a statesman, scientist, associate of Peter I, Kirilov is considered one of the founders of Russian academic geography. Cartographer, historian and lawyer, he was a persistent supporter of establishing mutually beneficial trade between Russia and the East. In his accompanying note to Bering's materials, Kirilov listed the numerous benefits that Russia could receive from organizing a new expedition to the Far East. It should be noted that it was then that the idea was expressed about organizing a round-the-world expedition from Kronstadt to the shores of Kamchatka. This plan was realized only seventy years later by Ivan Kruzenshtern and Yuri Lisyansky on the sloops “Neva” and “Nadezhda”.
Having overcome all bureaucratic delays, in April 1732 the highest decree was issued on the organization and equipment of the Second Kamchatka Expedition, the leadership of which was again entrusted to Vitus Bering. It was supposed to take place as part of an even larger-scale project, called the Great Northern Expedition. Its main tasks and goals were formulated by the Chief Secretary of the Senate Ivan Kirillovich Kirilov and the President of the Admiralty Board Nikolai Fedorovich Golovin. It was intended to carry out extensive and comprehensive studies of the northern lands, Siberia and the Far East.
To implement this plan, it was planned to equip 8 research detachments, each of which would have its own task and region of research and act independently of the others. Bering's detachment had to cross Siberia, reach Kamchatka and begin exploring the shores of America. In addition, it was necessary to clarify the fact of the existence of the so-called “Land of Juan de Gama,” which still worried the minds of many scientists. To help Bering, they gave him his already proven travel comrade, Alexei Chirikov, who by that time had already received the rank of captain-lieutenant. Another comrade-in-arms of the captain-commander, Dane Martyn Shpanberg, now received an independent task: to map the little-studied Kuril Islands in detail and then sail to the shores of Japan.
The work of the Great Northern Expedition was expected to be completed in 6 years; a significant amount was allocated for the equipment of its detachments - 360 thousand rubles. The Russian Academy of Sciences sent a large group of scientists, which became the Academic detachment of the Great Northern Expedition.
Second time through Siberia to the Far East
At the beginning of 1734, Vitus Bering and his people concentrated in Tobolsk. From here they sent several geodetic parties to study the northern lands. In fact, it was Bering who was entrusted with the task of coordinating the actions of individual detachments of the Northern Expedition. At the end of October of the same year, Bering arrived in Yakutsk, where he had to spend three years. This was not an empty and useless pastime - through the efforts of the captain-commander and his associates, the construction of an ironworks and a rope workshop for the manufacture of rigging for future ships of the expedition was organized. The necessary equipment and food were prepared and sent to Okhotsk.
Nevertheless, the captain-commander left the city and went to Okhotsk only after he was convinced that his people were provided with food in the proper amount. In Okhotsk we again had to deal with the “full assistance” of the local authorities. Bering had a frankly bad relationship with the city commandant. The “all-seeing eye” of the Admiralty Board, which for some reason considered itself such only because of the generous flow of denunciations coming from Siberia, irritably urged the captain-commander, openly reproaching him for his sluggishness, pointing out that the ships should have already been built , but the sails are sewn, and it is necessary not to write reports, but to set sail as soon as possible. The high officials of the capital were unaware that the difficulties that Bering encountered were not caused by his slowness, but that the local conditions in complexity were akin to the strength of the Arctic ice and almost as insurmountable.
Packet boat "St. Peter" (drawing, 19th century)
Meanwhile, in Okhotsk, under the leadership of shipwrights Makar Rugachev and Andrei Ivanovich Kuzmin, the construction of two expedition ships - the packet boats "St. Peter" and "St. Paul" - was coming to an end. These two-masted ships had a displacement of about 200 tons and were armed with 14 guns. At the beginning of July 1740, the packet boats were launched, and their equipment for future navigation began. In September of the same year, Vitus Bering sailed from Okhotsk to Kamchatka, where a convenient bay was discovered on the eastern shore, which received the name Petropavlovskaya. Here both ships and their crews spent the winter. In the spring of 1741, final preparations began.
To the shores of America
A few weeks before the expected departure, a meeting of officers and navigators was held, at which the route was worked out. Based on the inaccurate map available to Professor de la Croer, with the notorious “Land of Juan de Gama” marked on it, they decided to head southeast for its discovery and further study. This decision was recorded in written minutes.
On June 4, 1741, the flagship “St. Peter” under the command of Bering and “St. Paul”, whose commander was Alexey Chirikov, left Avachinskaya Bay. For almost two weeks, the ships moved southeast, trying to discover something that was not there. Finally, when all possible calculations and disappointed expectations showed that there was no land in this area, Bering ordered a change of course to the northeast. The expedition only wasted time and supplies. On June 20, the sea was shrouded in thick fog, in which “St. Peter” and “St. Paul” lost each other. Bering spent three days searching for Chirikov, traveling south about 200 miles. But it was all in vain. Then the ships followed to the shores of America on their own.
On July 17, 1741, land with snow-capped mountains was finally spotted from the St. Peter. Subsequently, the highest of them was named Mount St. Elias. The expedition members congratulated Bering on the long-awaited discovery, but he did not show joy, and according to the observations of those around him, he was gloomy and taciturn. Even then, the sixty-year-old captain-commander began to feel unwell.
"St. Peter" headed west along the coast, and three days later Kayak Island was discovered at 60 degrees north latitude. A convenient bay was spotted a little to the north, which was used to replenish fresh water from the shore. Already ill, Bering himself did not land on American soil. Traces of human habitation were found on the shore: dwellings, utensils and hearths. Probably, local residents fled when they saw a structure they had never seen before - a sailing ship.
On July 21, the ship continued its journey to the west - the weather was rainy and cloudy. Almost a third of the team suffered from scurvy; Bering himself did not get out of bed. On August 2, Tumanny Island (later Chirikov Island) was discovered. On August 10, when there were already many sick people on board, Bering decided to return to Kamchatka. On August 29, treeless and deserted islands were discovered off the southwestern tip of Alaska, where a couple of days later the sailor who was the first to die of scurvy was buried. Subsequently, this disease will reap its harvest. In this place, “St. Peter” stood for about a week, and the first contact with the aborigines immediately took place.
On September 6, the packet boat put to sea and headed west. From time to time, mountainous land appeared on the horizon - the Aleutian Islands. There was not enough provisions. There were more and more sick people, which made it difficult to control the ship. Often, sailors on watch at the helm were taken under the arms of their healthier comrades. Having no maps of the area in which they were located, the officers of the packet boat guided it solely by the stars. The stormy sea drove the St. Peter to the north.
On November 4, land with snow-covered mountains appeared. The crew mistook it for Kamchatka, but it was an island. Not finding a suitable harbor for anchorage, the “St. Peter” anchored near the shore. This played a fatal role in his fate. Twice the anchor ropes broke, and in the end the waves and wind landed the ship on the rocks.
Death of Bering, wintering and end of the expedition
Realizing that the ship was no longer suitable for further voyage, the crew, as soon as the weather permitted, began disembarking. It was November 8th. It soon became clear that the discovered land was not Kamchatka at all, but an island, the shores of which were strewn with driftwood. Six rectangular holes were dug on the shore, which were covered with canvas - they became the dwellings of travelers for the coming months. All possible supplies and equipment were unloaded from the ship. Bering himself, already seriously ill, was transported on a stretcher. Of the crew of 75 people, 20 died of scurvy soon after landing on the island. Of the remaining, no more than a dozen could stand on their feet. Exhausted, Captain-Commander Vitus Bering lay in the dugout for almost a month. At his request, they half-covered him with sand - the patient said that it made him warmer. On December 6, 1741, the brave pioneer passed away.
Cross on Bering's grave on Bering Island (Commander Islands)
Bering was buried in the soil of the island that was later named after him. And all the islands of the archipelago were named Commander Islands. Senior officer Sven Waxel, a Swede by nationality, took command of the crew. Together with him, his ten-year-old son, who was taken on the voyage, experienced all the hardships of wintering. Subsequently, Lavrenty Vaksel became an officer in the Russian fleet. By mid-winter, only 45 crew members remained alive. Fortunately, the island turned out to be full of fuel, there were many arctic foxes on it, and off the coast there were now extinct marine mammals, which were called sea cows.
The “St. Peter”, dilapidated by winter storms, was dismantled and a small evacuation vessel began to be built from its components. Since both ship carpenters had died by this time, difficulties arose during construction, since none of the officers and navigators were shipwrights. The situation was saved by the Krasnoyarsk Cossack Savva Starodubtsev, who took part in the construction of packet boats in Okhotsk. With his help, it was possible to build a small ship, also called “St. Peter”. Subsequently, according to Vaksel’s report, Starodubtsev was awarded nobility for these services. On August 9, 1742, the new “St. Peter” was launched. On August 13, the travelers left the island that sheltered them and on the 29th of the same month they safely reached the Peter and Paul prison in Kamchatka.
The voyage of the packet boat "St. Paul" turned out to be shorter and ended successfully. Having lost sight of his flagship, Alexey Chirikov, on the night of July 14-15, noticed land that turned out to be a group of islands. 11 who landed on the shore, and then 4 more people went missing along with the boats, which made the task of replenishing fresh water difficult, and on July 25 the decision was made to return to Kamchatka. Having sailed along the Aleutian Islands, on October 10, 1741, “St. Paul” returned to Petropavlovsk.
Real image of Vitus Bering
For a long time, the exact burial place of Vitus Bering remained unknown. In 1991, when it was the 250th anniversary of Bering and Chirikov’s voyage to the shores of America, the Adventure club, led by the famous journalist and researcher Dmitry Shparo, together with the Institute of Archeology of the USSR and with the support of others, including Danish organizations, carried out an expedition to the island Bering. As a result of the excavations, the grave of the captain-commander was found, his remains were removed and transported to Moscow for examination. They were subsequently returned and reburied on Bering Island. As a result of the research, it was possible to restore the true appearance of the famous pioneer. The famous image supposedly of Vitus Bering actually belongs to his uncle, a Danish court poet of the 17th century. The original appearance of the captain-commander was restored.
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The active development of the Far East by Russia began under Peter the Great almost immediately after the Poltava victory and the end of the Northern War with the conclusion of peace with Sweden in 1721.
The opening of a sea route to Kamchatka would facilitate the study of the North Pacific Ocean. Peter 1 was interested in sea routes to India and China, the spread of Russian influence over the eastern part of the Pacific Ocean, and reaching the “unknown part” of North America, where the French and British had not yet reached.
Interest in India and China and the ways of penetration there grew in the world after Marco Polo in 1271 - 1295 traveled to China by land and returned back by sea, telling the world about the “kingdoms and wonders” of the East. In 1466, Afanasy Nikitin entered India, telling a description of his journey. Later, in 1453, the land routes there were blocked by the Ottoman Turks, who captured Constantinople, and Europe was forced to look for sea routes.
It was possible to open this path Vasco Yes Gama(through southern Africa), but at the same time the searches also went in a southwestern direction. Columbus , Balboa , Cabral , Magellan- opened the New World to the world. Europe rushed to share this tasty morsel. Pope Alexander Boggia having arbitrated, he gave everything that lay to the west of the Azores to Spain, to the east to Portugal, which was, in general, a fair decision... for Spain and Portugal... But, to their great chagrin, at that moment they already existed and other maritime powers - England, France, Holland. The showdown dragged on for centuries, from which, as we now know, England emerged right in all respects and declared itself the mistress of the seven seas.
Russia by that time had already become a maritime power and, naturally, could not cede half the world to the powerful, but still tiny England. Therefore, the issue of conquering the seas and penetrating China has always been relevant for the empire that was beginning to gain strength.
Somewhere there was a still unknown “land of da Gama”, rich in fur.
In January 1725, Peter 1 ordered the preparation of an expedition to the Pacific Ocean to reach the shores of North America. The expedition was supposed to reach some “city of European possessions” in America:
I. It is necessary to make one or two boats with decks in Kamchatka, or another place there.
II. On these boats (sail) near the land that goes to the north, and according to hope (they don’t know it) it seems that that land is part of America.
III. And in order to look for where it came into contact with America, and to get to which city of European possessions; and if they see a European ship, find out from him what this bush is called, and take it in writing and visit the shore yourself and take the original report and, putting it on the map, come here.
In 1732, a ship under the command M. Gvozdeva came so close to the shores of America that the sailors were able to distinguish its shores, but the post-wind headwind again prevented the “Archangel Gabriel” from getting close to their cherished goal.
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In 1733, the government decided to organize the second Kamchatka expedition, also called Great Siberian or Great Siberian-Pacific.
Great hopes were placed on this expedition. The expedition was supposed to find shipping routes across the Arctic Ocean, explore routes to America and Japan, conduct cartographic research (clarification of the location of the “land of da Gama”), and study the life and customs of the peoples inhabiting these lands.
The expedition included naturalists, geographers, and historians. The future hero of this expedition George Steller I got into it only thanks to my persistence. Bering in every possible way refused to take on board a second physician, but the desire of the young naturalist... for all sorts of difficulties and labors, as well as the desire to visit newly invented places, was so strong that he obtained from Bering permission to remain on the ship not as a scientist or physician, but on any conditions.
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June 1741 packet boats “ Holy Apostle Peter"under the leadership of Bering and " Holy Apostle Paul“under the command of Chirikov they set off for the shores of America. Bering tried to find the notorious “land of da Gama,” and Chirikov wanted to prove that America was not very far from the eastern corner of Chukotka.
Commander Bering vainly ironed the Pacific Ocean in a vain attempt to find the lost land. She didn’t exist then, and she hasn’t appeared now.
Storms tossed the ships... Bering's patience was running out (the patience of the crew, presumably, ended much earlier). And he gave the order to turn northeast... On June 20, in heavy fog, the ships lost each other. Next, they had to complete the task separately.
On July 15, Chirikov and his “Holy Apostle Paul” reached a land off the coast of America, now bearing the name of the first ruler of Russian settlements in America - the land of Baranov. Two days later, having sent a boat with a dozen sailors to land under the command of navigator Dementyev and not waiting for their return within a week, he sends a second one with four sailors to search for his comrades. Without waiting for the return of the second boat and not being able to approach the shore, Chirikov gave the order to continue sailing.
“Saint Apostle Paul” visited some of the islands of the Aleutian chain.
And in the land where we walked and examined about 400 miles, we saw whales, sea lions, walruses, pigs, birds... a lot of... On this land everywhere there are high mountains and the shores to the sea are steep... and on the mountains nearby from the place where they came to the land, as shown above, the forest was quite large... Our shore turned out to be on the western side, 200 fathoms away... They came to us in 7 small leather trays, each with one person... And in the afternoon... we came to our ship in the same 14 trays, one person at a time.
After visiting the islands of the Aleutian ridge, "St. Apostle Paul" headed for Kamchatka and on October 12, 1741, arrived at Peter and Paul Harbor.
The packet boat "St. Apostle Peter" was looking for "St. Apostle Paul" from the very first day of their separation, Bering did not even suspect that he was located next to the ridge of islands that Chirikov had already visited. Arguments of Georg Steller, who observed seagulls in the sea, that there should be land nearby and the need to turn north did not have any effect on the captain-commander, who was preoccupied with the disappearance of the ship, and even on the contrary - they irritated the experienced 60-year-old Bering. The commander wandered for another two months in the hope of finding the “St. Apostle Paul.” But, it seemed, failures followed him The "Earth da Gama" was never found, the ship was lost... It was impossible to delay any further - the entire expedition was in jeopardy... And on July 14, the naval master Sofron Khitrovo, after a long meeting, made the necessary entry in the ship’s log for these cases:
And before we left the harbor, on the designated course south-east-shadow-east, we sailed not only up to 46, but also up to 45 degrees, but we didn’t see any land... For this reason, they decided to change one point, keep closer to the north, that is, to go east-north-east...
The loss of hopes of finding the “land da Gama” and Chirikov’s ship were not the only reasons that forced the commander to change course - out of 102 barrels of water, only half remained; he had to return to Petropavlovsk no later than the end of September if the coast of America was found. But he was not there... On July 14, the packet boat "St. Peter the Apostle" went to the northern latitudes, and a day later Steller saw the outlines of the earth.
In the morning, with clear weather, all doubts disappeared. But due to weak winds, the packet boat was able to approach the shore only on July 20.
This was the American northwest.
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Several sailors, officer Sofron Khitrovo and naturalist Steller set foot on the long-awaited shore.
Anyone can easily imagine how great was the joy of everyone when we finally saw the shore; congratulations poured in from all sides to the captain, who was most responsible for the honor of the discovery, wrote Steller, excited by the event. Only Bering did not share the general rejoicing - he was already ill. The burden of responsibility for the expedition, failures at the very beginning of the journey - all this greatly depressed Vitus Bering. Everyone rejoiced at the sheer success, the glimpses of future glory, but it was also necessary to return. Only wise with long experience of navigation, elderly, striving for this goal for 9 years, and finally having received it, Bering realized this: Who knows whether the trade winds will delay us here? The coast is unfamiliar to us; we don’t have enough food to survive the winter.
December 23, 1724 (01/3/1725) - Peter I issued a decree on organizing the First Kamchatka Expedition. This was an important step in the development of Siberia and the establishment of trade relations with the countries of the East. Its key aspect was the question of the possibility of sailing the northern route from Arkhangelsk to India. In this regard, the expedition was tasked with exploring the northern regions of the Pacific Ocean and finding out the location of America. In fact, the strait between Chukotka and Alaska was discovered back in 1648 by Dezhnev, but the scientific community learned about it only in 1758.It is interesting that the nature of this document and the interpretation of the objectives of the expedition still cause lively debate among scientists. Some call it simply a note or certificate, but most historians still believe that the document is a full-fledged decree of Peter I. There is even greater diversity in the interpretation of tasks. Many people understand them much more broadly than the search for a strait. The expedition, in their opinion, was supposed to explore the route to America, which in any case was in close proximity to our shores, and find out who Russia’s closest neighbor is.
Urgent need for research
In 1721, the Northern War was successfully completed, and the opportunity arose to move on to solving the most important state tasks of peaceful development, including the exploration of the eastern borders of Russia and the northern part of the Pacific Ocean. In this regard, a decree was issued on the preparation of the First Kamchatka Expedition. In addition to the decree, Peter I personally wrote instructions to its commander, in which he clearly defined the goals, ways to achieve them and the desired result.
Thus, the expedition faced not only the most pressing scientific, but also the most important government tasks - clarifying the borders of the Russian Empire and annexing newly discovered lands to it. At the same time, the most kind treatment was prescribed for peoples and tribes entering Russian citizenship. The expedition lasted five years, but the sea voyage lasted only a month and a half. The rest of the time was spent moving from St. Petersburg to Kamchatka and back, building ships, procuring provisions and building materials.
By this time, a lot of unreliable information about this region had accumulated in world literature. On Western European maps, the strait between Chukotka and Alaska has existed since 1566. It also existed on many Russian maps, but they did not have an evidence base, since they were compiled on the basis of old drawings and interviews with local residents. To obtain reliable data, it was necessary to conduct a thorough study of the North Pacific Ocean.
Plans of Peter I
In the instructions, Peter I indicated that the expedition ship should follow from Kamchatka along the land that goes north, and according to his assumption, it was already part of America. Further to the nearest European possessions in America, land on the shore, take written evidence and put this place on the map or go until you meet with any European ship that could provide information about the lands reached by the expedition. The instructions did not mention finding a route to India or a strait between Asia and America.
The head of the expedition was the Danish captain 1st rank Vitus Bering (1681 - 1741). In 1704 he was accepted into Russian service and soon became one of the best commanders of battleships. Bering took an active part in military operations against the Swedes and repeatedly carried out important assignments. Overall, he was an intelligent and courageous officer. At the same time, he did not show sufficient determination in difficult moments. It is interesting that in documents he himself signed as Vitez Bering, ours officially called him Vites, but in everyday life he was simply Ivan Ivanovich.
Drawing by V.N. Efimova
Danish lieutenants Martyn Shpanberg and Alexey Chirikov were appointed Bering's assistants. Shpanberg was characterized as an experienced sailor and an active officer, but he had no education, was often rude and prone to money-grubbing. In contrast, Chirikov had deep knowledge of navigation and was an excellent sailor. He understood the enormous scientific and national significance of the expedition and worked selflessly to achieve success. Midshipman P.A. made a great contribution to the work of the expedition. Chaplin, navigator K. Moshkov, shipwrights and sailors.
Difficulties of the land route
The first detachment of the expedition under the command of Chirikov set out on January 24, 1725. Cannons, cannonballs, anchors, sails and ropes, a large number of tools and various equipment were brought directly from St. Petersburg. Along the way, the convoy constantly grew. From Yakutsk, for example, 6 thousand poods of food alone were transported. The expedition's land route to Okhotsk ran through Vologda, Tobolsk, Ilimsk and Yakutsk, a total of 9 thousand kilometers.
It was especially difficult to overcome the section of over 1000 km between Yakutsk and Okhotsk. Heavy cargo was sent on ships under the command of Spanberg. Along the rivers we only reached the halfway point, and then frosts struck. Then the loads were carried on sledges by people. But the sledges got stuck and had to be abandoned. To help the detachment, Bering sent people from Okhotsk. They had to overcome mountains, swamps and completely wild places. Along the way they ate dead horses, rawhide bags and other leather items, and only at the beginning of January 1727 did they arrive in Okhotsk. The abandoned sledges with cargo were collected already in May.
Route of the First Kamchatka Expedition
The transition of the main detachment was no easier. Of the 663 horses taken in Yakutsk, about 270 died or froze on the way. Up to 80 kg of cargo was placed on a horse, and in winter people carried up to 80-100 kg on sleds. Many drivers ran away and some died. In the Okhotsk fort, which at that time consisted of only 10 courtyards, it was necessary to build huts and barns, build and equip ships.
On August 22, 1727, on a small ship “Fortuna” built here and a repaired boat, the expedition left Okhotsk. Two weeks later the ships arrived in Bolsheretsk. Then it was necessary to continue the journey to Nizhne-Kamchatsk, but Bering did not dare to go there by sea. Heavy loads were again sent along the rivers on ships under the command of Spanberg. But he again failed to reach his goal. The rivers froze, and it was only possible to continue the journey in winter on dogs. Bering with the rest of the expedition and the convoy made this transition in January 1728 in conditions of severe frosts and snow storms.
Here, as at the transition from Yakutsk to Okhotsk, many local residents were involved in transporting goods. Everyone understood that this exposed their families to mortal danger, since men were deprived of the opportunity to prepare food for the winter, but such was the price of great geographical discoveries at that time.
Bering arrived in Nizhne-Kamchatsk on March 11, 1728, and immediately laid down the boat “St. Gabriel". The vessel had a length of 18.3, a width of 6.1 and a draft of 2.3 m. It was equipped and equipped in strict accordance with the regulations so that it would worthily represent the Russian Navy. We have always observed such a demanding and respectful attitude towards compliance with all rules and traditions when building a military vessel, starting with the first ship “Eagle” (read the details). The crew of "St. Gabriel" consisted of 44 people. Bering's decision to go to Nizhne-Kamchatsk not by sea, but by dog, excluded the possibility of laying the ship in the fall and significantly delayed the exit to the sea. This delay shortened the sailing time off the northern coast and reduced the effectiveness of the expedition.
Hiking around Chukotka
"St. Gabriel" went to sea on July 14, 1728. On the morning of July 17 - the first geographical discovery: Karaginsky Island. Then the sailors walked along the shore of the Gulf of Anadyr, discovered the Gulf of the Cross and Providence Bay, and before entering the Bering Strait they discovered the Island of St. Lawrence. Then the coast disappeared far to the south. We sailed north for two more days and reached 67°18’48” N. sh., but no land was found. In fact, they had already passed the strait between the continents and were in the Chukchi Sea, but the sailors did not know about it. 34 days have passed since leaving Novo-Kamchatsk.
Bot "St. Gabriel" at sea
From a painting by E.V. Voishvilo
The time has come to decide where to sail next. Chirikov suggested heading west, to the mouth of the Kolyma. However, Bering was sure that he had already given an answer to the second point of Peter I’s instructions (since it became clear that America did not agree with Asia). In this regard, the third point of the instructions (to get to the nearest European possessions in America) was also dropped, since it is not known at what distance America is located. Therefore, Bering considered his task completed and on August 15 ordered to return.
On the way back, the sailors discovered the island of St. Diomede and on September 2 dropped anchor at the mouth of the Kamchatka River. The following year, Bering put to sea on June 5, 1729 and went east to search for America. Having encountered great difficulties and not finding land, he turned south and, entering Bolsheretsk, arrived in Okhotsk on July 23, 1729. The first Kamchatka expedition was successfully completed. Later, extensive research in the North Pacific Ocean was carried out by an expedition led by.
Results of the expedition
In St. Petersburg, Bering presented a report on the expedition and attached a map to it. It marked the strait between Asia and America, but it was noted that the northern coast of the Asian continent east of Kolyma was drawn according to old maps. Based on this, the Admiralty Board and the Senate doubted the opening of the strait between the continents. Having refused Chirikov's offer to reach Kolyma, Bering earned the reproaches of his contemporaries and descendants that he failed to cope with the tasks assigned to him.
The following materials were used when writing this article:
- Grekov V.I. Essays on the history of Russian geographical research in 1725-1765. 1960
- Military encyclopedia. Saint Petersburg. 1912
- Eastern literature. Medieval historical sources of the East and West. Internet portal
- Brockhaus and Efron. Encyclopedic Dictionary. Saint Petersburg. 1890—1907
Assessing the actions of Bering and his companions now, we can probably agree with the opinion of their contemporaries that they could have done more. But we must also keep in mind that this was the first scientific sea expedition. Russia was just beginning to explore and develop its vast possessions. What do you, dear reader, think about this?
Share your opinion in the comments to this article. This will be interesting for everyone!
The first Kamchatka expedition 1725-1730. occupies a special place in the history of science. She
was the first major scientific expedition in the history of the Russian Empire, undertaken by government decision. In organizing and conducting the expedition, a large role and credit belongs to the navy. The starting point of the First Kamchatka Expedition was the personal decree of Peter I on the organization of the “First Kamchatka Expedition” under the command of Vitus Bering, December 23, 1724. Peter I personally wrote instructions to Bering.
The sea route from Okhotsk to Kamchatka was discovered by the expedition of K. Sokolov and N. Treski in 1717, but the sea route from the Sea of Okhotsk to the Pacific Ocean had not yet been discovered. It was necessary to walk across the mainland to Okhotsk, and from there to Kamchatka. There, all supplies were delivered from Bolsheretsk to the Nizhnekamchatsky prison. This created great difficulties in the delivery of materials and supplies. It is difficult for us to even imagine the incredible difficulty of the journey across the deserted thousand-mile tundra for travelers who do not yet have organizational skills. It is interesting to see how the journey proceeded and in what form people and animals arrived at their destination. Here, for example, is a report from Okhotsk dated October 28: “Provisions sent from Yakutsk by dry route arrived in Okhotsk on October 25 on 396 horses. On the way, 267 horses disappeared and died due to lack of fodder. During the journey to Okhotsk, people suffered great hunger; due to lack of food, they ate belts,
leather and leather pants and soles. And the horses that arrived ate grass, getting out from under the snow; due to their late arrival in Okhotsk, they did not have time to prepare hay, but it was not possible; everyone was frozen from deep snow and frost. And the rest of the ministers arrived on dog sleds to Okhotsk.” From here the goods were transported to Kamchatka. Here, in the Nizhnekamchatsky fort, under the leadership of Bering, on April 4, 1728, a boat was laid down, which in June of the same year was launched and named “St. Archangel Gabriel.”
On this ship, Bering and his companions sailed through the strait in 1728, which was later named after the leader of the expedition. However, due to dense fog, it was not possible to see the American coast. Therefore, many decided that the expedition was unsuccessful.
Results of the First Kamchatka Expedition
Meanwhile, the expedition determined the extent of Siberia; the first sea vessel on the Pacific Ocean was built - “Saint Gabriel”; 220 geographical objects have been discovered and mapped; the existence of a strait between the continents of Asia and America has been confirmed; the geographical position of the Kamchatka Peninsula has been determined. The map of V. Bering's discoveries became known in Western Europe and was immediately included in the latest geographical atlases. After the expedition of V. Bering, the outlines of the Chukotka Peninsula, as well as the entire coast from Chukotka to Kamchatka, take on a form on maps that is close to their modern images. Thus, the northeastern tip of Asia was mapped, and now there was no doubt about the existence of a strait between the continents. The first printed report about the expedition, published in the St. Petersburg Gazette on March 16, 1730, noted that Bering reached 67 degrees 19 minutes north latitude and confirmed that “there is a truly northeastern passage there, so that from Lena ... by water to Kamchatka and further to Japan, Hina
(China) and the East Indies it would be possible to get there.”
Of great interest to science were the geographical observations and travel records of the expedition participants: A.I. Chirikova, P.A. Chaplin and others. Their descriptions of coasts, relief,
flora and fauna, observations of lunar eclipses, ocean currents, weather conditions, observations about earthquakes, etc. were the first scientific data on the physical geography of this part of Siberia. The descriptions of the expedition participants also contained information about the economy of Siberia, ethnography, and others.
The first Kamchatka expedition, which began in 1725 with the instructions of Peter I, returned to St. Petersburg on March 1, 1730. V. Bering presented to the Senate and the Admiralty Board a report on the progress and results of the expedition, a petition for promotion in rank and rewarding officers and privates.
Sources:
1. Alekseev A.I. Russian Columbuses. – Magadan: Magadan Book Publishing House, 1966.
2. Alekseev A.I. Brave sons of Russia. – Magadan: Magadan Book Publishing House, 1970.
3. Berg A. S. Discovery of Kamchatka and Bering’s expedition 1725-1742. – M.: Academy Publishing House
Sciences USSR, 1946.
4. Kamchatka XVII-XX centuries: historical and geographical atlas / Ed. ed. N. D. Zhdanov, B. P. Polevoy. – M.: Federal Service of Geodesy and Cartography of Russia, 1997.
5. Pasetsky V. M. Vitus Bering. M., 1982.
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