Travelers of the 18th and 19th centuries and their discoveries. Forgotten Russian travelers of the 18th century. Plan for a round-the-world expedition

>>Russian discoverers and travelers

§ 16. Russian discoverers and travelers

The 19th century was the time of the greatest geographical discoveries committed by Russian researchers. Continuing the traditions of their predecessors - explorers and travelers of the 17th-18th centuries, they enriched Russians' ideas about the world around them and contributed to the development of new territories that became part of the empire. Russia carried out for the first time old dream: her ships entered the World Ocean.

I. F. Krusenstern and Yu. F. Lisyansky.

Without Russian discoverers, the world map would be completely different. Our compatriots - travelers and seafarers - made discoveries that enriched world science. About the eight most noticeable ones - in our material.

Bellingshausen's first Antarctic expedition

In 1819, the navigator, captain of the 2nd rank, Thaddeus Bellingshausen led the first round-the-world Antarctic expedition. The purpose of the voyage was to explore the waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans, as well as proof or refutation of the existence of the sixth continent - Antarctica. Having equipped two sloops - "Mirny" and "Vostok" (under the command), Bellingshausen's detachment went to sea.

The expedition lasted 751 days and wrote many bright pages in the history of geographical discoveries. The main one was made on January 28, 1820.

By the way, attempts to open the white continent had been made before, but did not bring the desired success: a little luck was missing, and perhaps Russian perseverance.

Thus, the navigator James Cook, summing up his second circumnavigation, wrote: “I walked around the ocean of the southern hemisphere in high latitudes and rejected the possibility of the existence of a continent, which, if it could be discovered, would only be near the pole in places inaccessible to navigation.”

During Bellingshausen's Antarctic expedition, more than 20 islands were discovered and mapped, sketches of Antarctic species and the animals living there were made, and the navigator himself went down in history as a great discoverer.

“The name of Bellingshausen can be directly placed alongside the names of Columbus and Magellan, with the names of those people who did not retreat in the face of difficulties and imaginary impossibilities created by their predecessors, with the names of people who followed their own independent path, and therefore were destroyers of barriers to discovery, which designate epochs,” wrote the German geographer August Petermann.

Discoveries of Semenov Tien-Shansky

Central Asia at the beginning of the 19th century was one of the least studied areas of the globe. An undeniable contribution to the study of the “unknown land” - as they called it Central Asia geographers - contributed by Pyotr Semenov.

In 1856, the researcher’s main dream came true - he went on an expedition to the Tien Shan.

“My work on Asian geography led me to a thorough acquaintance with everything that was known about inner Asia. I was especially attracted to the most central of the Asian mountain ranges - the Tien Shan, on which I had not yet set foot. European traveler and which was known only from scanty Chinese sources.”

Semenov's research in Central Asia lasted two years. During this time, the sources of the Chu, Syr Darya and Sary-Jaz rivers, the peaks of Khan Tengri and others were mapped.

The traveler established the location of the Tien Shan ridges, the height of the snow line in this area and discovered the huge Tien Shan glaciers.

In 1906, by decree of the emperor, for the merits of the discoverer, the prefix began to be added to his surname - Tien Shan.

Asia Przhevalsky

In the 70−80s. XIX century Nikolai Przhevalsky led four expeditions to Central Asia. This little-studied area has always attracted the researcher, and traveling to Central Asia has been his long-time dream.

Over the years of research have been studied mountain systems Kun-Lun , ridges of Northern Tibet, sources of the Yellow River and Yangtze, basins Kuku-nora and Lob-nora.

Przhevalsky was the second person after Marco Polo to reach lakes-swamps Lob-nora!

In addition, the traveler discovered dozens of species of plants and animals that are named after him.

“Happy fate made it possible to make a feasible exploration of the least known and most inaccessible countries of inner Asia,” Nikolai Przhevalsky wrote in his diary.

Kruzenshtern's circumnavigation

The names of Ivan Kruzenshtern and Yuri Lisyansky became known after the first Russian round-the-world expedition.

For three years, from 1803 to 1806. - that’s how long the first circumnavigation of the world lasted - the ships “Nadezhda” and “Neva”, having passed through Atlantic Ocean, rounded Cape Horn, and then reached Kamchatka by the waters of the Pacific Ocean, Kuril Islands and Sakhalin. The expedition clarified the map of the Pacific Ocean and collected information about the nature and inhabitants of Kamchatka and the Kuril Islands.

During the voyage, Russian sailors crossed the equator for the first time. This event was celebrated, according to tradition, with the participation of Neptune.

The sailor, dressed as the lord of the seas, asked Krusenstern why he had come here with his ships, because the Russian flag had not been seen in these places before. To which the expedition commander replied: “For the glory of science and our fatherland!”

Nevelsky Expedition

Admiral Gennady Nevelskoy is rightfully considered one of the outstanding navigators of the 19th century. In 1849, on the transport ship “Baikal”, he went on an expedition to the Far East.

The Amur expedition lasted until 1855, during which time Nevelskoy made several major discoveries in the lower reaches of the Amur and northern shores Sea of ​​Japan, annexed the vast expanses of the Amur and Primorye regions to Russia.

Thanks to the navigator, it became known that Sakhalin is an island that is separated by the navigable Tatar Strait, and the mouth of the Amur is accessible for ships to enter from the sea.

In 1850, Nevelsky’s detachment founded the Nikolaev post, which today is known as Nikolaevsk-on-Amur.

“The discoveries made by Nevelsky are invaluable for Russia,” wrote Count Nikolai Muravyov-Amursky “Many previous expeditions to these regions could have achieved European glory, but none of them achieved domestic benefit, at least to the extent that Nevelskoy accomplished it.”

North of Vilkitsky

The purpose of the hydrographic expedition of the Arctic Ocean in 1910-1915. was the development of the Northern Sea Route. By chance, captain 2nd rank Boris Vilkitsky took over the duties of the voyage leader. Icebreaking steamships "Taimyr" and "Vaigach" went to sea.

Vilkitsky moved through the northern waters from east to west, and during his voyage he was able to compile a true description north coast Eastern Siberia and many islands, received essential information about currents and climate, and also became the first to make a through voyage from Vladivostok to Arkhangelsk.

The expedition members discovered the Land of Emperor Nicholas I., known today as New Earth- this discovery is considered the last of the significant ones on the globe.

In addition, thanks to Vilkitsky, the islands of Maly Taimyr, Starokadomsky and Zhokhov were put on the map.

At the end of the expedition the First World War. The traveler Roald Amundsen, having learned about the success of Vilkitsky’s voyage, could not resist exclaiming to him:

"IN Peaceful time this expedition would excite the whole world!”

Kamchatka campaign of Bering and Chirikov

The second quarter of the 18th century was rich in geographical discoveries. All of them were made during the First and Second Kamchatka expeditions, which immortalized the names of Vitus Bering and Alexei Chirikov.

During the First Kamchatka campaign Bering, the leader of the expedition, and his assistant Chirikov explored and mapped the Pacific coast of Kamchatka and Northeast Asia. Two peninsulas were discovered - Kamchatsky and Ozerny, Kamchatka Bay, Karaginsky Bay, Cross Bay, Providence Bay and St. Lawrence Island, as well as the strait, which today bears the name of Vitus Bering.

Companions - Bering and Chirikov - also led the Second Kamchatka expedition. The goal of the campaign was to find a route to North America and explore the Pacific Islands.

IN Avacha Bay The expedition members founded the Petropavlovsk fort - in honor of the ships "St. Peter" and "St. Paul" - which was later renamed Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.

When the ships set sail to the shores of America, by the will of an evil fate, Bering and Chirikov began to act alone - because of the fog, their ships lost each other.

"St. Peter" under Bering reached west coast America.

And on the way back, the expedition members, who had to endure many difficulties, were thrown onto a small island by a storm. Here the life of Vitus Bering ended, and the island on which the expedition members stopped for the winter was named in honor of Bering.
Chirikov’s “Saint Paul” also reached the shores of America, but for him the voyage ended more happily - on the way back he discovered a number of islands of the Aleutian ridge and safely returned to the Peter and Paul prison.

“Unclear Earthlings” by Ivan Moskvitin

Little is known about the life of Ivan Moskvitin, but this man nevertheless went down in history, and the reason for this was the new lands he discovered.

In 1639, Moskvitin, leading a detachment of Cossacks, set sail to the Far East. The main goal of the travelers was to “find new unknown lands” and collect furs and fish. The Cossacks crossed the Aldan, Mayu and Yudoma rivers, discovered the Dzhugdzhur ridge, separating the rivers of the Lena basin from the rivers flowing into the sea, and along the Ulya River they reached the “Lamskoye”, or Sea of ​​Okhotsk. Having explored the coast, the Cossacks discovered the Taui Bay and entered the Sakhalin Bay, rounding the Shantar Islands.

One of the Cossacks reported that the rivers in open lands“sable, there are a lot of all kinds of animals, and fish, and the fish are big, there is no such thing in Siberia... there are so many of them - just throw a net and you can’t drag it out with the fish...”.

Geographic data collected by Ivan Moskvitin formed the basis of the first map of the Far East.

Russian discoverers and travelers of the 19th century made a number of outstanding discoveries that became the property of not only Russian, but also foreign and world science. In addition, they made a significant contribution to the development of domestic knowledge and did a lot to contribute to the training of new personnel for the development of marine research.

Prerequisites

Russian discoverers and travelers of the 19th century made their discoveries largely because this century saw the need to search for new trade routes and opportunities to support Russia’s connections with other countries. At the end of the 18th - beginning of the 19th centuries, our country finally strengthened its status in the international arena as a world power. Naturally, this new position expanded its geopolitical space, which required new exploration of the seas, islands and ocean coasts for the construction of ports, ships and the development of trade with foreign countries.

Russian discoverers and travelers of the 19th century emerged as talented navigators just at the same time when our country achieved access to two seas: the Baltic and the Black. And this is no coincidence. This opened up new prospects for maritime research and gave impetus to the construction and development of fleets and maritime affairs in general. Therefore, it is not surprising that already in the first decades of the century under review, Russian discoverers and travelers of the 19th century carried out a number of outstanding studies that significantly enriched Russian geographical science.

Plan for a round-the-world expedition

Such a project became possible largely thanks to the successful military actions of our country at the end of the 18th century. At this time, Russia received the opportunity to build its fleet on the Black Sea, which, of course, was supposed to stimulate maritime affairs. Russian navigators at this time were seriously thinking about creating convenient trade routes. This was further facilitated by the fact that our country owned the territory North America Alaska. It was also necessary to maintain constant contacts with her and develop economic cooperation.

I.F. At the end of the 18th century, Kruzenshtern presented a plan for a round-the-world expedition. However, he was rejected then. But just a few years later, after the accession of Alexander I, the Russian government showed interest in the presented plan. He received approval.

Preparation

I.F. Krusenstern came from a noble family. He studied at the Kronstadt Naval Corps and, as its student, took part in the war against Sweden, showing himself well then. After this, he was sent for an internship to England, where he received an excellent education. Upon returning to Russia, he presented a plan for a round-the-world expedition. Having received approval, he carefully prepared for it, purchased the best instruments and equipped the ships.

His closest assistant in this matter was his comrade Yuri Fedorovich Lisyansky. He became friends with him in the cadet corps. The friend also proved himself to be a talented naval officer during the Russian-Swedish War of 1788-1790. Soon two ships named “Neva” and “Nadezhda” were equipped. The latter was led by Count Nikolai Rezanov, who became famous thanks to the famous rock opera. The expedition set sail in 1803. Its goal was to explore and explore the possibility of opening new trade routes from Russia to China and the coast of North American territory.

Swimming

Russian navigators rounded Cape Horn and, reaching Pacific Ocean, divided. Yuri Fedorovich Lisyansky led his ship to the North American shores, where he recaptured the Russian trading city of Novo-Arkhangelsk, captured by the Indians. During this voyage he also spent the first time in the history of navigation sailing ship around South Africa.

The ship "Nadezhda" under the leadership of Kruzenshtern set off for the Sea of ​​Japan. The merit of this researcher is that he carefully examined the shores of Sakhalin Island and made significant changes to the map. The main thing was to investigate what the management had long been interested in Pacific Fleet. Kruzenshtern entered the Amur Estuary, after which, having explored the shores of Kamchatka, he returned to his homeland.

Krusenstern's contribution to science

Russian travelers significantly advanced Russian geographical science, bringing it to the world level of development. attracted the attention of the general public. After the end of the trip, both wrote books that presented the results of their research. Kruzenshtern published “A Journey Around the World,” but the atlas he published with hydrographic applications is of particular importance. He filled in many blank spots on the map and conducted valuable research on the seas and oceans. So, he studied water pressure and temperature, sea currents, ebbs and flows.

Social activity

His further career was closely connected with the naval corps, where he was first assigned as an inspector. Subsequently, he began teaching there, and then headed it altogether. On his initiative, the Higher Officer Classes were created. Later they were transformed into the Maritime Academy. Kruzenshtern introduced new disciplines in educational process. This has significantly improved the quality of maritime teaching.

In addition, he helped in organizing other expeditions, in particular, he contributed to the plans of another prominent explorer O. Kotzebue. Kruzenshtern took part in the creation of the famous Russian Geographical Society, which was destined to occupy one of the leading places not only in Russian, but also in world science. The “Atlas of the South Sea” he published was of particular importance for the development of geography.

Preparation of a new expedition

Several years after his trip, Kruzenshtern insisted on a thorough study of the southern latitudes. He proposed to equip two expeditions to the Northern and South poles two ships each. Before this, the navigator came almost close to Antarctica, but ice prevented him from going further. Then he assumed that the sixth continent either did not exist or was impossible to get to.

In 1819, the Russian leadership decided to equip a new squadron for sailing. Thaddeus Faddeevich Bellingshausen, after a number of delays, was appointed its leader. It was decided to build two ships: Mirny and Vostok. The first one was designed according to the plan of Russian scientists. It was durable and waterproof. However, the second one, built in Great Britain, was less stable, so it had to be rebuilt, rebuilt and repaired more than once. The preparation and construction was supervised by Mikhail Lazarev, who complained about such a discrepancy between the two ships.

Journey to the South

A new expedition set off in 1819. She reached Brazil and, rounding the mainland, reached the Sandwich Islands. In January 1820, a Russian expedition discovered the sixth continent - Antarctica. During maneuvers around it, many islands were discovered and described. Among the most significant discoveries are the island of Peter I, the coast of Alexander I. Having made required description coast, as well as sketches of animals seen on the new continent, Thaddeus Faddeevich Bellingshausen sailed back.

During the expedition, in addition to the discovery of Antarctica, other discoveries were made. For example, participants discovered that Sandwich Land is an entire archipelago. In addition, the island of South Georgia was described. Descriptions of the new continent are of particular importance. From his ship, Mikhail Lazarev had the opportunity to better observe the earth, so his conclusions are of particular value for science.

The meaning of discoveries

The expedition of 1819-1821 was of great importance for domestic and world geographical science. The discovery of a new, sixth continent changed the understanding of the geography of the Earth. Both travelers published the results of their research in two volumes with an atlas and necessary instructions. During the trip, about thirty islands were described, magnificent sketches of the views of Antarctica and its fauna were made. In addition, the expedition participants collected a unique ethnographic collection, which is stored at Kazan University.

Further activities

Bellingshausen subsequently continued his naval career. He took part in the Russian-Turkish War of 1828-1829, commanded the Baltic Fleet, and then was appointed governor of Kronstadt. An indicator of recognition of his merits is the fact that a number of geographical objects. First of all, the sea in the Pacific Ocean should be mentioned.

Lazarev also distinguished himself after his famous journey to Antarctica. He was appointed commander of an expedition to protect the shores of Russian America from smugglers, which he successfully accomplished. Subsequently, he commanded the Black Sea Fleet and participated in it, for which he received several awards. So, the great discoverers from Russia also made their outstanding contribution to the development of geography.

The work of the famous French writer Jules Verne (1828-1905) - “The History of Great Travels” - is dedicated to the history of geographical discoveries from ancient times to the early forties of the 19th century.

Book Three - " Travelers XIX century." This book includes descriptions of the travels of Krusenstern, Kotzebue, Litke, Dumont d'Urville, Bellingshausen, Parry, Franklin and other outstanding explorers. In addition, Jules Verne covers the history of lesser-known expeditions.

PART I

Chapter first. At the dawn of the century of discovery

I

Decrease in the number of geographical discoveries during the Napoleonic wars. – Seetzen's travels in Syria and Palestine. – Hauran and the journey around Dead Sea. - Decapolis. – Travel through Arabia. – Burckhardt in Syria. – Travels to Nubia along the banks of the Nile. – Pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina. - The British in India. - Webb at the Sources of the Ganges. – Description of the trip to Punjab. – Christie and Pottinger in Sindh. – Travel of the same researchers through Balochistan and Persia. - Elphinstone in Afghanistan. – Moorcroft and Hersey's trip to Lake Manasarovar. - Hodgson at the Sources of the Ganges. – Persia according to Gardan’s descriptions, Hell. Dupre, Morier, MacDonald Kinnear, Price and Ouseley. – Güldenstedt and Klaproth in the Caucasus. – Lewis and Clark Rocky Mountains. – Raffles in Sumatra and Java.

At the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th centuries, the number of great geographical discoveries noticeably decreased.

We know that the French Republic organized an expedition to search for La Perouse and sent Captain Boden on a voyage to the shores of Australia, which yielded important results. This was the extent of the manifestation of interest in geography that, amid raging passions and wars, the government could allow itself.

Later in Egypt, Bonaparte surrounds himself with a whole staff of outstanding scientists and artists. It was then that materials were collected for a magnificent work, which for the first time gave a correct, although incomplete, idea of ancient civilization in the Land of the Pharaohs. However, when Napoleon finally emerged in Bonaparte, the egoistic ruler, subordinating everything to his disgusting passion for war, no longer wanted to hear about research, travel and discoveries. After all, they would take both his money and people. And he himself spent both in such quantities that he could not afford such useless extravagance. That's why he ceded the last remnants of French colonial possessions in America to the United States for just a few million.

Fortunately, there were peoples in the world who were not subject to his iron hand. Although these countries waged a constant struggle with France, there were people in them who, of their own free will, increased geographical knowledge, created archeology on a truly scientific foundation, and began the first linguistic and ethnographic research.

In France, the learned geographer Maltbrun, in an article he published in 1817 in the first issue of the journal “Nouvelles Annales des Voyages” (“New Annals of Travel”), painstakingly and extremely accurately depicts the state of geographical science at the beginning of the 19th century and lists its further tasks. He especially dwells on the successes achieved in the fields of navigation, astronomy and linguistics. Among the British, the East India Company not only does not hide its discoveries, as the Hudson's Bay Company did for fear of competition, but creates scientific societies, publishes travel journals and encourages travelers. Even war contributes to science; we have already said that the French army was collecting materials for a huge scientific work in Egypt. Soon the impulse of noble competition covers all nations.

At the beginning of the 19th century, one country took first place in the number of great geographical discoveries. This country is Germany. German researchers are so diligent, their will is so persistent, and their instinct is so true that subsequent travelers can only check and supplement their discoveries.

The first in time was Ulrich Jasper Seetzen. He was born in 1767 in East Friesland, graduated from the University of Göttingen and published several works on statistics and the natural sciences, for which he had a natural inclination. These articles brought him to the attention of the government.

Seetzen's dream - as Burckhardt's later - was to travel to Central Africa. But first he wanted to explore Palestine and Syria, countries to which the Palestine Society, founded in London in 1805, later attracted everyone's attention. Seetzen scored more letters of recommendation and in 1802 he left for Constantinople.

Although many pilgrims and travelers flocked to the Holy Land and Syria, information about these countries was extremely vague. Questions physical geography have not been studied sufficiently fully. The information collected was scant, and some areas, such as Lebanon and the Dead Sea, had not yet been explored at all. A comparative geographical study of these countries has not actually begun. To lay its foundations, it took the zealous work of the English “Palestine Society” and the scientific experience of many travelers. But Seetzen, who had diversified knowledge, turned out to be perfectly prepared for the exploration of this country, which so far, no matter how many people visited it, remained in fact unknown.

Seetzen crossed all of Anatolia and arrived in Aleppo in May 1804. There he lived for almost a year, engaged in practical study of the Arabic language, making extracts from the works of eastern geographers and historians and clarifying the astronomical position of Aleppo. In addition, he carried out natural history research, collected ancient manuscripts and translated many folk songs and legends, which are important for a close acquaintance with the life of the people.

In April 1805, Seetzen left Aleppo for Damascus. First he had to cross the Hauran and Jolan districts, located to the southeast of this city. Before him, no traveler had ever visited these two provinces, which played a rather important role in the history of the Jews during Roman rule and were then called Auranitis and Gaulonitis. Seetzen was the first to give us their geographical description.

The brave traveler also explored Lebanon and Baalbek. From Damascus he headed south, reaching Judea and exploring the eastern part of Hermon, Jordan and the Dead Sea. Tribes that were well known in Jewish history once lived here - the Ammonites, Moabites, Galadites, Bataneans and others. South part the country during the era of Roman rule was called Perea, and it was there that the famous Decapolis, that is, the “Union of Ten Cities,” was located. In modern times, not a single traveler visited Perea. For Seetzen, this circumstance was the reason to begin his research from there.