February 12, 1908 in New York launched the first in the world round-the-world rally- a very bold and risky event in the spirit of that era of great technical discoveries and achievements. But adventurers have always existed - they lived before 1908, they were after it, they feel great in our time. And today we will talk about history of travel around the world, ranging from Magellan to modern brave knights of the compass and map.

Magellan's circumnavigation of the world (1519-1522)

Already at the very beginning of the sixteenth century, it became clear that the lands discovered by Christopher Columbus were neither India nor China. But it was assumed that Asia, with all its many riches, was not so far from America. The point is small - to find the strait, swim across the "South Sea" (the so-called reservoir in those days, which became known as the Pacific Ocean) and get to the desired lands full of spices and silks. The Portuguese and Spanish navigator Ferdinand Magellan took up this business.

On October 20, 1519, five ships under his command left the Spanish port of Sanlúcar de Barrameda. On board the ships there were a crew of more than two hundred people. The expedition led by Magellan, indeed, managed to go around the American continent from the south, overcome the Pacific Ocean, get to the Moluccas (Spice Islands) and return on September 6, 1522 to Seville.

But during the round-the-world voyage, the expedition lost four ships, and out of 235 personnel, only thirty-six returned to Spain (18 on the last remaining ship and the same number in different ways over the following months and even years). Magellan himself and most of the commanders died in skirmishes with the natives. And the expedition was completed by Captain Juan Sebastian Elcano, the only surviving officer.

Round the world by bicycle (1884-1886)

Thomas Stevens became the first person to circumnavigate the world by bicycle. And it should be understood that it was not a bike in the modern sense - light, sporty, ergonomic, but the standard "penny and farthing" for those times (when the front wheel is eight times larger than the rear). And the situation with the roads was much more complicated.

Starting his journey in San Francisco, Stevens crossed all of America from west to east to New York. Then he traveled extensively in his native England, traveled through Europe, the Ottoman Empire, wintered in Tehran as a personal guest of the Shah, traveled to Afghanistan, returned to Istanbul, sailed by sea to India, noted in China and Japan, and then returned to his starting point. travel, having spent more than two and a half years on the trip.

Round the world trip on a yacht (1895-1898)

Joshua Slocum's legendary world tour began on April 25, 1895 in Boston. The 10-meter yacht Sprey, on which the Canadian-American traveler and adventurer sailed alone, first crossed the Atlantic Ocean, approaching the Iberian Peninsula, then passed along the west coast of Africa, again crossed the Atlantic, passed through the Strait of Magellan, reached Australia, visited New Guinea, rounded the Cape of Good Hope, and on June 27, 1898 finished in Newport, Rhode Island.

But the traveler did not wait for magnificent honors upon his return to the USA. The American-Spanish War, which was raging at that time, drew all the attention of the press and the public. So the achievement of Slocum was talked about only after the conclusion of peace. And in 1900 he published the book "Sailing Alone Around the World", which became a worldwide bestseller and is still being reprinted.

Joshua Slocum went missing while sailing on a yacht in Bermuda in 1909, which was one of the reasons for the legend of the Bermuda Triangle.

First circumnavigation of the world (1908)

On February 12, 1908, the first round-the-world rally started, organized by the American newspaper The New York Times and the French Matin. This event was timed to coincide with the 99th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln. It was planned that 13 crews would take part in it, but seven of them withdrew at the very last moment, before the start of the trip.

The main problem of the first weeks of the run was the cold. Cars of those times were not equipped with heaters, and some had no roof at all. At the same time, it was originally planned that the crews would move from the United States to Russia through the frozen Bering Strait. But the terrible weather conditions in the North forced us to change the route - the cars were loaded onto a ship in Seattle and transported to Vladivostok.

The participants of the rally crossed the whole of Eurasia. The first to reach the finish line in Paris was a German crew in a Protos car. It happened on July 11, 169 days after the start. But it turned out that the Germans violated the conditions of the competition, for which they received a fine of 15 days. So the winners were the Americans in a Thomas Flyer car, who arrived at the last point exactly on July 26th. For the American participants, the race became round the world - after the triumph in Paris, they returned to New York, thus closing the circle.

Airplane trip around the world (1924, 1957)

It is now possible to fly around the globe on an airliner in just over a day. And in 1924, it took four Douglas World Cruisers almost half a year. Rather, four aircraft took off from Seattle on April 6, and only two returned on September 28 - the rest crashed along the road.

And the first non-stop round-the-world flight was made in January 1957, spending 45 hours and 19 minutes on it. Along the way, they replenished their fuel supplies from a refueling aircraft three times.

Walking around the world (1970-1974)

On June 20, 1970, brothers David and John Kunst left their home in Waseka, Minnesota and set out on a hiking trip around the world. They reached New York, where they boarded a ship to Lisbon. Then they crossed all of Europe on foot and reached Afghanistan. But there they were attacked by bandits, John was killed, and David ended up in the hospital for four months.

Having recovered, Kunst continued his campaign exactly from the place where his relative died. But now their third brother, Peter, has joined him. However, he traveled for "only" a year - he had to return home to work.

David Kunst returned to his native Minnesota on October 5, 1974, having traveled about 25 thousand kilometers on the way, becoming a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, breaking down 21 pairs of shoes and meeting Australian teacher Jenny Samuel, who first became his travel companion, and then in life .

Non-stop round-the-world balloon flight (1999)

At the end of the twentieth century, balloons practically ceased to exist. Only those that were used for advertising, tourism, sports and scientific (stratospheric) purposes remained. But there were also balloons created specifically for setting records. For example, the Breitling Orbiter 3, on which in March 1999 Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones made a non-stop round-the-world flight with a length of 45,755 kilometers and a duration of 19 days, 21 hours and 47 minutes.

But this record is not enough for Picard! An adventurer worthy of his grandfather, father and uncle is going to make the first-ever round-the-world flight in 2015 in an aircraft powered solely by solar panels installed on it.

About his stay on one of the Koralin Islands, Litke wrote: “... Our three-week stay on Yualan not only did not cost a single drop of human blood, but ... we could leave the good islanders with the same incomplete information about the operation of our firearms, which they consider to be intended only for killing birds ... I don’t know if there is a similar example in the annals of early travels to the South Sea ”(F.P. Litke. Traveling around the world on the Senyavin military sloop in 1826-1829).

In the first half of the XIX century. Russian navigators made more than 20 round-the-world voyages, which significantly exceeded the number of such expeditions undertaken by the British and French combined. And some Russian navigators circumnavigated the world twice and thrice. In the first Russian circumnavigation of the world, Bellingshausen was the midshipman on Krusenstern's sloop Nadezhda, who after some time would be the first to approach the shores of Antarctica. On the same ship, O. Kotzebue made his first voyage, who later led two round-the-world trips: in 1815-1818 and in 1823-1826.

In 1817, Vasily Mikhailovich Golovnin, who had already completed his legendary circumnavigation on the sloop Diana, set out on his second circumnavigation. To get into the team of the famous navigator was considered a great honor. On the recommendation of the captain of the 2nd rank I. S. Sulmenev, later admiral, Golovnin took on board his pupil, 19-year-old midshipman Fyodor Litke, who had already managed to take part in naval battles with the French and earn an order as head of the hydrographic service.

On the sloop "Kamchatka", which was preparing to sail around the world, a wonderful company gathered - the future of the Russian fleet. Litke met here with volunteer Fyodor Matyushkin, a former lyceum student and classmate of Pushkin, a future admiral and senator, and with junior watch officer Ferdinand Wrangel, later a famous explorer of the Arctic, admiral. The team also included a very young midshipman Feopempt Lutkovsky, who at first would be carried away by the ideas of the Decembrists, and then become a rear admiral and a naval writer. In the course of a two-year voyage, the Kamchatka passed the Atlantic from north to south, rounded Cape Horn, reached Kamchatka across the Pacific Ocean, visited Russian America, Hawaii, the Marianas and the Moluccas, then crossed the Indian Ocean and, bypassing Africa, on September 5, 1819. returned to Kronstadt.

In 1821, on the recommendation of Golovnin, Litke, who had already become a lieutenant, was appointed head of the Arctic expedition on the Novaya Zemlya brig. The expedition explored the Murmansk coast, the western coast of Novaya Zemlya, the Matochkin Shar Strait, and the northern coast of Kolguev Island. Astronomical observations were made. Having processed the expedition materials, Litke published the book "Four-fold trip to the Arctic Ocean on the military brig Novaya Zemlya in 1821-1824." This work was translated into several languages ​​and brought the author well-deserved recognition in the scientific world. The maps compiled by the expedition served sailors for a century.

In 1826, Lieutenant Commander Litke, who at that time was not even 29 years old, took command of the Senyavin sloop, built specifically for the new circumnavigation. In August of the same year, the ship left Kronstadt, accompanied by the second sloop Moller, commanded by M. N. Stanyukovich (father of the famous writer). According to the instructions, the expedition was to make an inventory of the shores of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk and the Bering Sea, as well as the Shantar Islands, and carry out research in Russian America. In winter, she had to conduct scientific research in the tropics.

Stanyukovich's sloop turned out to be much faster than the Senyavin (for some reason, in most Russian round-the-world expeditions, pairs were made up of ships with significantly different driving characteristics), and the second had to catch up with the first all the time, mainly in ports. Almost immediately, the ships separated and then sailed mostly separately.

After stops in Copenhagen, Portsmouth and Tenerife, the Senyavin crossed the Atlantic and arrived in Rio de Janeiro at the end of December, where the Moller was already moored. In January 1827, the sloops headed for Cape Horn together. Rounding it, they fell into a fierce storm - one of those that seem to be specially waiting for ships entering the Pacific Ocean - and again lost each other. In search of the Moller, Litke went to Concepción Bay, and then to Valparaiso. Here the ships met, but Stanyukovich was already leaving for Kamchatka, in transit through the Hawaiian Islands.

Litke stopped at Valparaiso. There he carried out magnetic and astronomical observations, and the naturalists of the expedition made excursions in the surroundings and collected collections. In early April, the Senyavin went to Alaska. We reached Novoarkhangelsk on June 11 and stayed there for more than a month, repairing the sloop, collecting collections, and doing ethnographic research. Then the expedition explored the Pribylov Islands and surveyed the island of St. Matthew. In mid-September, "Senyavin" came to Kamchatka, where the expedition, waiting for mail, remained until October 29, studying the surroundings.

Moving south, Litke reached the Caroline Islands at the end of November. At the very beginning of 1828, the expedition discovered a hitherto unknown part of this vast archipelago, naming it the Senyavin Islands after their ship. Then the sloop went to Guam and other Mariana Islands. Hydrographic work was constantly carried out; Litke, moreover, performed astronomical, magnetic and gravimetric measurements. On the islands, naturalists continued to add to their collections. At the end of March, the sloop went north to the Bonin Islands (Ogasawara). The sailors examined them and picked up two Englishmen who had been wrecked. In early May, Litke headed for Kamchatka.

They stood in Petropavlovsk for three weeks, and in mid-June, Litke's second northern campaign began. "Senyavin" carried out hydrographic surveys in the Bering Sea. Moving north, the expedition determined the coordinates of points on the Kamchatka coast, described Karaginsky Island, then headed for the Bering Strait and determined the coordinates of Cape Vostochny (now Cape Dezhnev). Work on the inventory of the southern coast of Chukotka had to be interrupted due to unfavorable weather. At the end of September, the Senyavin returned to Kamchatka, and a month later, together with the Moller, they entered the Pacific Ocean.

In early November, the ships were again separated by a storm. The agreed meeting place was in Manila. Before moving to the Philippines, Litke decided to once again go to the Caroline Islands. And again, successfully: he managed to discover several coral atolls. After that, he headed west and approached Manila on 31 December. Moller was already there. In mid-January 1829, the sloops moved home, passed through the Sunda Strait, and on February 11 ended up in the Indian Ocean. Then their paths parted again: "Moller" went to South Africa, and "Senyavin" to the island of St. Helena. There, at the end of April, the sloops were reunited, and on June 30 they reached Le Havre together. From here, Stanyukovich headed straight for Kronstadt, and Litke also went to England to check the instruments at the Greenwich Observatory.

Finally, on August 25, 1829, the Senyavin arrived at the Kronstadt raid. He was greeted with a cannon salute. Immediately after returning, Litke was promoted to captain of the 1st rank.

This expedition, which lasted three years, became one of the most fruitful in the history of navigation, and not only in Russia. 12 islands were discovered, the Asian coast of the Bering Sea and a number of islands were explored for a considerable extent, the richest materials on oceanography, biology, ethnography were collected, an atlas was compiled from several dozen maps and plans. Of great interest to physicists were Litke's experiments with a permanent pendulum, as a result of which the magnitude of the polar compression of the Earth was determined, and measurements of magnetic declination at various points in the world's oceans. In 1835-1836. Litke published a three-volume "Journey around the world on the sloop-of-war "Senyavin" in 1826-1829", translated into several languages. It was awarded the academic Demidov Prize, and Litke was elected a corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences.

However, Litke's journey on the Senyavin was his last - against his own will. In 1832, Emperor Nicholas I appointed an officer and scientist as the educator of his second son Konstantin. Litke remained at court as an educator for 16 years. He was not happy with this highest mercy, but he did not dare to disobey. It was during these years that Fyodor Petrovich Litke became one of the founders of the Russian Geographical Society (along with the sailor Wrangel and academicians Arseniev and Baer) and was elected its vice-chairman, while Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich, a pupil of Litke, became the honorary chairman. By the way, he was an intelligent naval officer and rose to the rank of admiral, played a prominent role in carrying out liberal reforms in Russia, and in 1861 became chairman of the State Council. Good upbringing.

In 1850-1857. there was a break in Litke's geographical activities. At this time, he was the commander of the Revel port, and then of Kronstadt. On his shoulders lay the organization of the defense of the Gulf of Finland from the British and French during the Crimean War (1854-1855). For the brilliant performance of this task, Litke received the rank of admiral and was appointed a member of the State Council, and in 1866 received the title of count. In 1857, Litke was again elected vice-chairman of the Society; Petr Petrovich Semyonov-Tyan-Shansky became his deputy. The achievements of national geography are largely connected with the activities of the Society, and not least with the ability of Litke and his successors to attract talented young people to their enterprises. In 1864, Litke took over as president of the Academy of Sciences and continued to lead the Geographical Society until 1873.

NUMBERS AND FACTS

Main character

Fedor Petrovich Litke, Russian navigator, geographer

Other actors

Sailors V. M. Golovnin, M. N. Stanyukovich, F. P. Wrangel; Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich; geographers K. I. Arseniev, K. M. Baer, ​​P. P. Semyonov-Tyan-Shansky

Time of action

Route

Around the world from east to west

Goals

Description of the Far Eastern coast of Russia, research in Russian America and in the tropical region of the Pacific Ocean

Meaning

The Asian coast of the Bering Sea was explored, the richest scientific materials were collected, the magnitude of the polar compression of the Earth was determined, 12 islands were discovered

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June 26th, 2015

It was a time when ships were built of wood,
and the people who controlled them were forged from steel

Ask anyone, and he will tell you that the first person to circumnavigate the world was the Portuguese navigator and explorer Ferdinand Magellan, who died on Mactan Island (Philippines) during an armed skirmish with the natives (1521). The same is written in history books. Actually, this is a myth. After all, it turns out that one excludes the other. Magellan managed to go only half way.

Primus circumdedisti me (you were the first to bypass me)- reads the Latin inscription on the emblem of Juan Sebastian Elcano crowned with a globe. Indeed, Elcano was the first person to commit circumnavigation.

Let's find out more about how it happened...

The San Telmo Museum in San Sebastian houses Salaverria's painting "The Return of the Victoria". Eighteen emaciated people in white shrouds, with lighted candles in their hands, staggering down the ladder from the ship to the embankment of Seville. These are sailors from the only ship that returned to Spain from the entire flotilla of Magellan. In front is their captain, Juan Sebastian Elcano.

Much in the biography of Elcano has not yet been clarified. Oddly enough, the man who circumnavigated the globe for the first time did not attract the attention of artists and historians of his time. There is not even a reliable portrait of him, and of the documents written by him, only letters to the king, petitions and a will have survived.

Juan Sebastian Elcano was born in 1486 in Getaria, a small port town in the Basque Country, not far from San Sebastian. He early connected his own fate with the sea, making a “career” that was not uncommon for an enterprising person of that time - first changing his job as a fisherman to a smuggler, and later enrolling in the navy to avoid punishment for his too free attitude to laws and trade duties. Elcano took part in the Italian Wars and the Spanish military campaign in Algeria in 1509. Bask had mastered maritime business quite well in practice when he was a smuggler, but it was in the navy that Elcano received the “correct” education in the field of navigation and astronomy.

In 1510, Elcano, the owner and captain of a ship, took part in the siege of Tripoli. But the Spanish Treasury refused to pay Elcano the amount due for settlements with the crew. After leaving the military service, which never seriously attracted the young adventurer with low wages and the need to maintain discipline, Elcano decides to start a new life in Seville. It seems to Basque that a bright future awaits him - in a new city for him, no one knows about his not entirely impeccable past, the navigator atoned for his guilt before the law in battles with the enemies of Spain, he has official papers that allow him to work as a captain on a merchant ship … But the trade enterprises, in which Elcano becomes a participant, turn out to be unprofitable as one.

In 1517, in payment of debts, he sold the ship under his command to the Genoese bankers - and this trading operation determined his entire fate. The fact is that the owner of the sold ship was not Elcano himself, but the Spanish crown, and the Basque is expected to again have difficulties with the law, this time threatening him with the death penalty. At that time it was considered a serious crime. Knowing that the court would not take into account any excuses, Elcano fled to Seville, where it was easy to get lost, and then take refuge on any ship: in those days, the captains were least interested in the biographies of their people. In addition, there were many Elcano fellow countrymen in Seville, and one of them, Ibarolla, was well acquainted with Magellan. He helped Elcano to enlist in Magellan's flotilla. Having passed the exams and received beans as a sign of a good grade (those who did not pass received peas from the examination board), Elcano became helmsman on the third largest ship in the flotilla, the Concepcione.

Ships of Magellan's flotilla

On September 20, 1519, Magellan's flotilla left the mouth of the Guadalquivir and headed for the coast of Brazil. In April 1520, when the ships settled down for the winter in the frosty and deserted bay of San Julian, the captains, dissatisfied with Magellan, mutinied. Elcano was drawn into it, not daring to disobey his commander, the captain of the Concepción Quesada.

Magellan vigorously and brutally suppressed the rebellion: Quesada and another of the leaders of the conspiracy were cut off their heads, the corpses were quartered and the mutilated remains were stumbled on poles. Captain Cartagena and one priest, also the instigator of the rebellion, Magellan ordered to be landed on the deserted shore of the bay, where they subsequently died. The remaining forty rebels, including Elcano, Magellan spared.

1. The first ever circumnavigation of the world

On November 28, 1520, the remaining three ships left the strait and in March 1521, after an unprecedentedly difficult passage through the Pacific Ocean, they approached the islands, which later became known as the Marianas. In the same month, Magellan discovered the Philippine Islands, and on April 27, 1521, he died in a skirmish with local residents on the island of Matan. Elcano, stricken with scurvy, did not participate in this skirmish. After the death of Magellan, Duarte Barbosa and Juan Serrano were elected captains of the flotilla. At the head of a small detachment, they went ashore to the Raja of Cebu and were treacherously killed. Fate again - for the umpteenth time - spared Elcano. Karvalyo became the head of the flotilla. But there were only 115 men left on the three ships; many of them are sick. Therefore, the Concepcion was burned in the strait between the islands of Cebu and Bohol; and his team moved to the other two ships - "Victoria" and "Trinidad". Both ships wandered between the islands for a long time, until, finally, on November 8, 1521, they anchored off the island of Tidore, one of the "Spice Islands" - the Moluccas. Then, in general, it was decided to continue sailing on one ship - the Victoria, of which Elcano had become the captain shortly before, and leave the Trinidad on the Moluccas. And Elcano managed to navigate his worm-eaten ship with a starving crew through the Indian Ocean and along the coast of Africa. A third of the team died, about a third was detained by the Portuguese, but still, on September 8, 1522, the Victoria entered the mouth of the Guadalquivir.

It was an unprecedented, unheard-of passage in the history of navigation. Contemporaries wrote that Elcano surpassed King Solomon, the Argonauts and the cunning Odysseus. The first ever circumnavigation of the world has been completed! The king granted the navigator an annual pension of 500 gold ducats and knighted Elcano. The coat of arms assigned to Elcano (since then del Cano) commemorated his voyage. The coat of arms depicted two cinnamon sticks framed with nutmeg and cloves, a golden padlock surmounted by a helmet. Above the helmet is a globe with a Latin inscription: "You were the first to circle me." And finally, by special decree, the king announced forgiveness to Elcano for selling the ship to a foreigner. But if it was quite simple to reward and forgive the brave captain, then it turned out to be more difficult to resolve all the controversial issues related to the fate of the Moluccas. The Spanish-Portuguese congress sat for a long time, but was never able to “divide” the islands located on the other side of the “earthly apple” between the two powerful powers. And the Spanish government decided not to delay sending a second expedition to the Moluccas.

2. Goodbye A Coruña

A Coruna was considered the safest port in Spain, which "could accommodate all the fleets of the world." The importance of the city increased even more when the Chamber of Indies was temporarily transferred here from Seville. This chamber developed plans for a new expedition to the Moluccas in order to finally establish Spanish domination on these islands. Elcano arrived in A Coruña full of bright hopes - he already saw himself as an admiral of the armada - and set about equipping the flotilla. However, Charles I did not appoint Elcano as commander, but a certain Jofre de Loais, a participant in many naval battles, but completely unfamiliar with navigation. Elcano's pride was deeply wounded. In addition, the “highest refusal” came from the royal office to Elcano’s request for the payment of an annual pension granted to him of 500 gold ducats: the king ordered that this amount be paid only after returning from the expedition. So Elcano experienced the traditional ingratitude of the Spanish crown to the famous navigators.

Before sailing, Elcano visited his native Getaria, where he, an illustrious sailor, easily managed to recruit many volunteers to his ships: with a man who has bypassed the “earthly apple”, you will not be lost even in the jaws of the devil, the port brethren argued. At the beginning of the summer of 1525, Elcano brought his four ships to A Coruña and was appointed helmsman and deputy commander of the flotilla. In total, the flotilla consisted of seven ships and 450 crew members. There were no Portuguese on this expedition. The last night before the sailing of the flotilla in A Coruña was very lively and solemn. At midnight on Mount Hercules, on the site of the ruins of a Roman lighthouse, a huge fire was lit. The city said goodbye to the sailors. The cries of the townspeople, who treated the sailors with wine from leather bottles, the sobs of women and the hymns of the pilgrims mixed with the sounds of the cheerful dance “La Muneira”. The sailors of the flotilla remembered this night for a long time. They went to another hemisphere, and now they faced a life full of dangers and hardships. For the last time, Elcano walked under the narrow archway of Puerto de San Miguel and descended the sixteen pink steps to the beach. These steps, already completely worn out, have survived to this day.

Death of Magellan

3. Misfortunes of the chief helmsman

The powerful, well-armed flotilla of Loaysa put to sea on July 24, 1525. According to the royal instructions, and Loaisa had fifty-three in total, the flotilla was to follow the path of Magellan, but avoid his mistakes. But neither Elcano, the king's chief adviser, nor the king himself foresaw that this would be the last expedition sent through the Strait of Magellan. It was the Loaisa expedition that was destined to prove that this was not the most profitable way. And all subsequent expeditions to Asia departed from the Pacific ports of New Spain (Mexico).

July 26 vessels rounded Cape Finisterre. On August 18, the ships were caught in a severe storm. On the admiral's ship, the mainmast was broken, but two carpenters sent by Elcano, risking their lives, nevertheless got there in a small boat. While the mast was being repaired, the flagship collided with the Parral, breaking its mizzen mast. Swimming was very difficult. There was a lack of fresh water and provisions. Who knows what the fate of the expedition would have been if on October 20 the lookout had not seen the island of Annobón in the Gulf of Guinea on the horizon. The island was deserted - only a few skeletons lay under a tree on which a strange inscription was carved: "Here lies the unfortunate Juan Ruiz, killed because he deserved it." Superstitious sailors saw this as a formidable omen. The ships hastily filled with water, stocked up with provisions. On this occasion, the captains and officers of the flotilla were summoned to a festive dinner with the admiral, which almost ended tragically.

A huge fish of an unknown breed was served on the table. According to Urdaneta, Elcano's page and chronicler of the expedition, some sailors, "who tasted the meat of this fish, which had teeth like a big dog, had such stomach pains that they thought they would not survive." Soon the whole flotilla left the shores of the inhospitable Annobon. From here, Loaysa decided to sail to the coast of Brazil. And from that moment on, the Sancti Espiritus, Elcano's ship, began a streak of misfortune. Without having time to set the sails, the Sancti Espiritus almost collided with the admiral's ship, and then generally lagged behind the flotilla for some time. At latitude 31º, after a strong storm, the admiral's ship disappeared from sight. Elcano assumed command of the remaining vessels. Then the San Gabriel separated from the flotilla. The remaining five ships searched for the admiral's ship for three days. The search was unsuccessful, and Elcano ordered to move on to the Strait of Magellan.

On January 12, the ships stopped at the mouth of the Santa Cruz River, and since neither the admiral's ship nor the San Gabriel came here, Elcano convened a council. Knowing from the experience of the previous voyage that this was an excellent anchorage, he suggested waiting for both ships, as was the instructions. However, the officers, who were eager to enter the strait as soon as possible, advised leaving only the Santiago pinnace at the mouth of the river, burying in a jar under a cross on an island a message that the ships were headed for the Strait of Magellan. On the morning of January 14, the flotilla weighed anchor. But what Elcano took for a strait turned out to be the mouth of the Gallegos River, five or six miles from the strait. Urdaneta, who despite his admiration for Elcano. retained the ability to be critical of his decisions, writes that such a mistake by Elcano struck him very much. On the same day they approached the real entrance to the strait and anchored at the Cape of the Eleven Thousand Holy Virgins.

An exact copy of the ship "Victoria"

At night, a terrible storm hit the flotilla. Raging waves flooded the ship to the middle of the masts, and it barely kept on four anchors. Elcano realized that all was lost. His only thought now was to save the team. He ordered the ship to be grounded. Panic broke out on the Sancti Espiritus. Several soldiers and sailors rushed into the water in horror; all drowned except one who managed to make it to shore. Then the rest crossed to the shore. Managed to save some of the provisions. However, at night the storm broke out with the same force and finally smashed the Sancti Espiritus. For Elcano - the captain, the first circumnavigator and the main helmsman of the expedition - the crash, especially through his fault, was a big blow. Never before has Elcano been in such a difficult position. When the storm finally subsided, the captains of other ships sent a boat for Elcano, offering him to lead them through the Strait of Magellan, since he had been here before. Elcano agreed, but took only Urdaneta with him. He left the rest of the sailors on the shore ...

But failures did not leave the exhausted flotilla. From the very beginning, one of the ships almost ran into the rocks, and only the determination of Elcano saved the ship. After some time, Elcano sent Urdaneta with a group of sailors for the sailors left on the shore. Soon, Urdaneta's group ran out of provisions. It was very cold at night, and people were forced to burrow up to their necks in the sand, which also did not warm much. On the fourth day, Urdaneta and his companions approached the sailors dying on the shore from hunger and cold, and on the same day, the Loaysa ship, the San Gabriel, and the Santiago pinnass entered the mouth of the strait. On January 20, they joined the rest of the ships of the flotilla.

JUAN SEBASTIAN ELCANO

On February 5, a severe storm broke out again. The Elcano ship took refuge in the strait, and the San Lesmes was driven further south by the storm, to 54 ° 50 ′ south latitude, that is, it approached the very tip of Tierra del Fuego. Not a single ship went south in those days. A little more, and the expedition would be able to open the way around Cape Horn. After the storm, it turned out that the admiral's ship was aground, and Loaysa and the crew left the ship. Elcano immediately sent a group of the best sailors to help the admiral. On the same day, the Anunsiada deserted. The captain of the ship de Vera decided to independently get to the Moluccas past the Cape of Good Hope. The Anunciad has gone missing. A few days later, the San Gabriel also deserted. The remaining ships returned to the mouth of the Santa Cruz River, where the sailors began to repair the admiral's ship, which was badly battered by storms. Under other conditions, it would have had to be abandoned altogether, but now that the flotilla had lost three of its largest ships, this could no longer be afforded. Elcano, who, on his return to Spain, criticized Magellan for having lingered at the mouth of this river for seven weeks, now he himself was forced to spend five weeks here. At the end of March, somehow patched up ships again headed for the Strait of Magellan. The expedition now included only the admiral's ship, two caravels and a pinnace.

On April 5, the ships entered the Strait of Magellan. Between the islands of Santa Maria and Santa Magdalena, another misfortune befell the admiral's ship. A cauldron of boiling tar caught fire, a fire broke out on the ship.

Panic broke out, many sailors rushed to the boat, ignoring Loaysa, who showered them with curses. The fire was still put out. The flotilla moved on through the strait, along the banks of which, on high mountain peaks, “so high that they seemed to stretch to the very sky,” lay eternal bluish snow. At night, the fires of the Patagonians burned on both sides of the strait. Elcano already knew these lights from the first voyage. On April 25, the ships weighed anchor from the San Jorge anchorage, where they replenished their water and firewood supplies, and again set off on a difficult voyage.

And where the waves of both oceans meet with a deafening roar, the storm again hit Loaisa's flotilla. The ships anchored in the bay of San Juan de Portalina. Mountains several thousand feet high rose on the shore of the bay. It was terribly cold, and “no clothes could warm us,” writes Urdaneta. Elcano was on the flagship all the time: Loaysa, having no relevant experience, completely relied on Elcano. The passage through the strait lasted forty-eight days - ten days more than Magellan's. On May 31, a strong northeast wind blew. The whole sky was covered with clouds. On the night of June 1-2, a storm broke out, the most terrible of the former so far, scattering all ships. Although the weather later improved, they were never to meet again. Elcano, with most of the crew of the Sancti Espiritus, was now on the admiral's ship, which had one hundred and twenty men. Two pumps did not have time to pump out water, they feared that the ship could sink at any moment. In general, the ocean was Great, but by no means Pacific.

4 Pilot Dies Admiral

The ship was sailing alone, neither sail nor island could be seen on the vast horizon. “Every day,” writes Urdaneta, “we waited for the end. Due to the fact that people from the wrecked ship moved to us, we are forced to reduce rations. We worked hard and ate little. We had to endure great hardships and some of us died.” On July 30, Loaysa died. According to one of the expedition members, the cause of his death was a breakdown in spirit; he was so upset by the loss of the rest of the ships that he "became weaker and died." Loays did not forget to mention in the will of his chief helmsman: “I ask that Elcano be returned four barrels of white wine, which I owe him. The biscuits and other provisions that lie on my ship, the Santa Maria de la Victoria, shall be given to my nephew Alvaro de Loays, who must share them with Elcano. They say that by this time only rats remained on the ship. On the ship, many were ill with scurvy. Everywhere Elcano looked, everywhere he saw swollen pale faces and heard the groans of sailors.

Thirty people have died from scurvy since they left the channel. “They all died,” writes Urdaneta, “due to the fact that their gums were swollen and they could not eat anything. I saw a man whose gums were so swollen that he tore off pieces of meat as thick as a finger. The sailors had one hope - Elcano. They, in spite of everything, believed in his lucky star, although he was so ill that four days before the death of Loaysa he himself made a will. In honor of Elcano's assumption of the position of admiral - a position which he unsuccessfully sought two years ago - a cannon salute was given. But Elcano's strength was drying up. The day came when the admiral could no longer get up from his bunk. His relatives and faithful Urdaneta gathered in the cabin. By the flickering light of the candle, one could see how thin they were and how much they had suffered. Urdaneta kneels and touches the body of her dying master with one hand. The priest watches him closely. Finally, he raises his hand, and everyone present slowly falls to their knees. Elcano's wanderings are over...

“Monday, 6 August. The valiant lord Juan Sebastian de Elcano has died." So Urdaneta noted in his diary the death of the great navigator.

Four people lift the body of Juan Sebastian, wrapped in a shroud and tied to a plank. At a sign from the new admiral, they throw him into the sea. There was a splash, drowning out the priest's prayers.

MONUMENT IN HONOR OF ELCANO IN GETARIA

Epilogue

Exhausted by worms, tormented by storms and storms, the lone ship continued on its way. The team, according to Urdaneta, “was terribly exhausted and exhausted. Not a day went by that one of us didn't die.

Therefore, we decided that the best thing for us is to go to the Moluccas.” Thus, they abandoned the bold plan of Elcano, who was going to fulfill the dream of Columbus - to reach the east coast of Asia, following the shortest route from the west. “I am sure that if Elcano had not died, we would not have reached the Ladrone (Marian) Islands so soon, because his always intention was to search for Chipansu (Japan),” writes Urdaneta. He clearly considered Elcano's plan too risky. But the man who for the first time circumnavigated the "earthly apple" did not know what fear was. But he also did not know that in three years Charles I would cede his “rights” to the Moluccas to Portugal for 350 thousand gold ducats. Of the entire Loaysa expedition, only two ships survived: the San Gabriel, which reached Spain after a two-year voyage, and the Santiago pinasse under the command of Guevara, which passed along the Pacific coast of South America to Mexico. Although Guevara saw only once the coast of South America, his voyage proved that the coast does not protrude far to the west anywhere and that South America has the shape of a triangle. This was the most important geographical discovery of Loaisa's expedition.

Getaria, in the homeland of Elcano, at the entrance to the church there is a stone slab, a half-erased inscription on which reads: “... the glorious captain Juan Sebastian del Cano, a native and resident of the noble and faithful city of Getaria, the first to circumnavigate the globe on the ship Victoria. In memory of the hero, this slab was erected in 1661 by Don Pedro de Etave y Asi, Knight of the Order of Calatrava. Pray for the repose of the soul of the one who first traveled around the world. And on the globe in the San Telmo Museum, the place where Elcano died is indicated - 157 degrees west and 9 degrees north latitude.

In the history books, Juan Sebastian Elcano undeservedly found himself in the shadow of the glory of Ferdinand Magellan, but he is remembered and revered in his homeland. The name Elcano is a training sailboat in the Spanish Navy. In the wheelhouse of the ship, you can see the coat of arms of Elcano, and the sailboat itself has already managed to carry out a dozen round-the-world expeditions.

The original article is on the website InfoGlaz.rf Link to the article from which this copy is made -

On January 7, 1887, Thomas Stevens of San Francisco completed the first bicycle trip around the world. In three years, the traveler managed to overcome 13,500 miles and open a new page in the history of world travel. Today about the most unusual circumnavigations.

Thomas Stevens' cycling around the world

In 1884, "a man of medium height, dressed in a worn blue flannel shirt and blue overalls ... tanned as a nut ... with a protruding mustache", this is how the journalists of that time described Thomas Stevens, bought a penny-farthing bicycle, grabbed a minimum supply of things and Smith & Wesson .38 caliber and hit the road. Stevens crossed the entire North American continent, covering 3,700 miles, and ended up in Boston. There he came up with the idea of ​​traveling around the world. He sailed to Liverpool on a steamboat, passed through England, crossed by ferry to French Dieppe, crossed Germany, Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey. Further, his path ran through Armenia, Iraq and Iran, where he spent the winter as a guest of the Shah. He was refused passage through Siberia. The traveler crossed the Caspian Sea to Baku, reached Batumi by rail, and then sailed on a steamer to Constantinople and India. Then Hong Kong and China. And the end point of the route was where Stevens, by his own admission, was finally able to relax.

Around the world in an amphibious jeep

In 1950, Australian Ben Carlin decided to travel around the world in his modernized amphibious jeep. Three-quarters of the route with him was his wife. In India, she went ashore, and Ben Carlin himself completed his journey in 1958, having covered 17,000 km by water and 62,000 km by land.

Hot air balloon trip around the world

In 2002, American Steve Fossett, co-owner of Scaled Composites, who by that time had already earned the fame of an adventure pilot, flew around the Earth in a hot air balloon. He tried to do this for more than one year and achieved the goal on the sixth attempt. Fossett's flight was the first solo round-the-world flight without refueling or stopping.

Round the world taxi ride

Somehow, the British John Ellison, Paul Archer and Lee Purnell calculated the costs associated with drinking the morning after drinking and found out that a taxi home would cost them much more than the drink itself. Probably, someone would have decided to drink at home, but the British acted radically - they bought a 1992 London cab and set off on a round-the-world trip. As a result, in 15 months they covered 70 thousand km and went down in history as participants in the longest taxi ride. History is silent, however, about their activity in the pubs along the way.

Travel around the world on an ancient Egyptian reed boat

Norwegian Thor Heyerdahl made the transatlantic crossing in a light reed boat built on the model of the ancient Egyptians. On his boat "Ra" he managed to reach the coast of Barbados, proving that ancient navigators could make transatlantic crossings. It is worth noting that this was Heyerdahl's second attempt. The year before, he and his crew nearly drowned when the ship, due to design flaws, began to bend and break apart a few days after launch. The Norwegian team also included the well-known Soviet TV journalist and traveler Yuri Senkevich.

Travel around the world on a pink yacht

Today, the title of the youngest navigator who managed to complete a solo circumnavigation of the world belongs to Australian Jessica Watson. She was only 16 years old when, on May 15, 2010, she completed her circumnavigation of the world, which lasted 7 months. The girl's pink yacht crossed the Southern Ocean, crossed the equator, rounded Cape Horn, overcame the Atlantic Ocean, approached the shores of South America, and then returned to Australia through the Indian Ocean.

Cycling around the world for a millionaire

75-year-old millionaire, former producer of pop stars and football teams Janusz River repeated the experience of Thomas Stevens. He changed his life dramatically when he bought a $50 mountain bike in 2000 and hit the road. Since that time, River, who, by the way, being Russian by mother, speaks excellent Russian, has traveled to 135 countries and traveled more than 145 thousand km. He learned a dozen foreign languages ​​and managed to be captured by militants 20 times. Not life, but a continuous adventure.

Jogging around the world

Briton Robert Garside bears the title "Running Man". He is the first person to circumnavigate the world by running. His record was included in the Guinness Book of Records. Robert had several unsuccessful attempts to make a round-the-world race. And on October 20, 1997, he successfully started from New Delhi (India) and finished his race, the length of which was 56 thousand km, at the same place on June 13, 2003, almost 5 years later. Representatives of the Book of Records meticulously and for a long time checked his record, and Robert was able to receive a certificate only a few years later. On the way, he described everything that happened to him using his pocket computer, and all those who were not indifferent could get acquainted with the information on his personal website.

Motorcycle trip around the world

In March 2013, two Britons - Belfast Telegraph travel expert Geoff Hill and former racing driver Gary Walker - left London to recreate the world tour that American Carl Clancy made 100 years ago on a Henderson motorcycle. In October 1912, Clancy left Dublin with a companion, whom he left in Paris, and he continued his journey south of Spain, through North Africa, Asia, and at the end of the tour he traveled through all of America. The journey of Charles Clancy lasted 10 months and contemporaries called this circumnavigation of the world "the longest, most difficult and most dangerous journey on a motorcycle."

Non-stop solo circumnavigation

Fedor Konyukhov is the man who made the first solo circumnavigation of the world non-stop in the history of Russia. On the 36-pound Karaana yacht, he sailed along the route Sydney - Cape Horn - Equator - Sydney. It took him 224 days to do this. Konyukhov's round-the-world trip began in the fall of 1990 and ended in the spring of 1991.

Fedor Filippovich Konyukhov is a Russian traveler, artist, writer, priest of the Russian Orthodox Church, Honored Master of Sports of the USSR in sports tourism. He became the first person in the world to visit the five poles of our planet: the North geographic (three times), the South geographic, the Pole of relative inaccessibility in the Arctic Ocean, Everest (pole of altitude) and Cape Horn (pole of yachtsmen).

A Russian crosses the Pacific Ocean in a rowboat
Russian traveler Fedor Konyukhov, who has five round-the-world voyages behind him, is currently crossing the Pacific Ocean on the Turgoyak rowboat. This time he decided to make the transition from Chile to Australia. As of September 3, Konyukhov has already managed to overcome 1148 km, there are still more than 12 thousand kilometers of the way across the ocean to Australia.

An excellent example for aspiring travelers is the experience of Nina and Gramp, a married couple who have been married for 61 years. They packed their bags and created .

The modern world seems so small. Just think, because today it is possible to get from one corner of the planet to a completely different one even in a day. Every day, millions of passengers travel by plane over distances that even 200 years ago could hardly have been dreamed of. And all this became possible thanks to the brave and purposeful people who once made a sea trip around the world. Who was the first to take such a bold step? How did everything happen? What results did it bring? Read about this and more in our article.

background

Of course, people did not immediately cross the globe. It all started with small trips on ships that were less reliable and faster than modern ones. In Europe of the 16th century, the production of goods and trade reached such a level that there was an objective need to search for new markets. But first of all - the search for new sources of useful and affordable resources. In addition to the economic aspects, there was also a suitable political environment.

In the 15th century, trade in the Mediterranean fell sharply due to the fall of Constantinople (now Istanbul). The ruling dynasties of the most developed countries set their subjects the task of finding the shortest route to Asia, Africa and India. The last country at that time was considered truly a country of treasures. Travelers of those times described India as a country where gold and precious stones cost nothing, and the number of spices so expensive in Europe was unlimited.

By the 16th century, the technical component was also at the required level. New ships could carry more cargo, and the use of instruments such as the compass and barometer made it possible to move farther from the coast. Of course, these were not pleasure yachts, so the military equipment of the ships was important.

By the end of the 15th century, Portugal was the leader among the countries of Western Europe. Its scientists have mastered the knowledge of sea tides, currents and the influence of the wind. Cartography developed at a rapid pace.

It is possible to divide the era of great sea voyages around the world into two stages:

• Stage 1: Late 15th - mid 16th century Spanish-Portuguese voyages.

It was at this stage that such great events took place as the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus and the first round-the-world trip of Ferdinand Magellan.

• Stage #2: Mid-16th - mid-17th century - Russian-Dutch period

These include the development of North Asia by the Russians, discoveries in North America and the discovery of Australia. Among those who committed were scientists, soldiers, pirates and even representatives of the ruling dynasties. All of them were outstanding and outstanding personalities.

Ferdinand Magellan and the first trip around the world

If we talk about who made the first trip around the world, then the story should begin with Ferdinand Magellan. This sea voyage initially did not bode well. Indeed, even immediately before the departure, most of the team refused to obey. But still it happened and played a huge role in history.

Journey start

At the end of the summer of 1519, five ships left the port of Seville on a journey without a specific goal, as they then believed. The idea that the earth could be round was, to put it mildly, distrusted by most people. Therefore, Magellan's idea seemed nothing more than an attempt to curry favor with the crown. Accordingly, people filled with fear periodically made attempts to disrupt the trip.

Due to the fact that on board one of the ships there was a person who carefully entered all the events into the diary, the details of this first round-the-world trip reached contemporaries. The first serious skirmish took place near the Canary Islands. Magellan decided to change course, but did not warn or inform the other captains about this. A riot broke out, which was quickly extinguished. The instigator was thrown into the hold in shackles. Discontent grew, and soon another riot was organized demanding a return. Magellan proved to be a very tough captain. The instigator of a new rebellion was immediately executed. On the second day, two other ships attempted to return without permission. The captains of both ships were shot.

Achievements

One of Magellan's goals was to prove that a strait existed in South America. In autumn, the ships reached the modern shores of Argentina, Cape Virgines, which opened the way for ships to the strait. The fleet passed through it in 22 days. This time was used by the captain of another ship. He turned his ship back home. Having crossed the strait, Magellan's ships fell into the ocean, which they decided to call the Pacific. Surprisingly, during the four months of the team's journey across the Pacific Ocean, the weather never deteriorated. It was pure luck, because in most cases it can not be called the Quiet.

After the opening of the Strait of Magellan, the team faced a four-month test. All this time they wandered the ocean, not meeting a single inhabited island or piece of land. Only in the spring of 1521 did the ships finally land on the shores of the Philippine Islands. So Ferdinand Magellan and his team crossed the Pacific Ocean for the first time.

Relations with the local population did not work out right away. Magellan's team received an unexpectedly hospitable welcome on the island of Mactan (Cebu), but was involved in tribal feuds. As a result of clashes on April 27, 1521, Captain Ferdinand Magellan was killed. The Spaniards overestimated their capabilities and opposed an enemy that outnumbered them many times over. In addition, the team was severely exhausted by the journey. The body of Ferdinand Magellan was not returned to the team. Now there is a monument to the great traveler.

Out of a team of 260 people, only 18 returned to Spain. Five ships left the Philippines, of which only the Victoria ship reached Spain. It was the first ship in history to circumnavigate the world.

Pirate Captain Francis Drake

No matter how strange it may sound, but one of the most prominent roles in the history of navigation was played by a pirate. In addition, this navigator, who made the second trip around the world in history, was also in the official service of the Queen of England. His fleet defeated the Invincible Armada. The man who was the second to circumnavigate the world, the navigator Francis Drake, went down in history as a pirate captain and fully confirmed his status.

History of formation

In those days when the slave trade was not yet prosecuted by Britain under the law, Captain Francis Drake began his activity. He transported "black gold" from Africa to the countries of the New World. But in 1567, the Spaniards attacked his ships. Drake came out alive from that story, but the thirst for revenge seized him for the rest of his life. A new stage in his life begins when he single-handedly attacks coastal cities and sinks dozens of ships of the Spanish crown to the bottom.

In 1575, the pirate was introduced to the Queen. Elizabeth the First offered the pirate a service to the crown in exchange for financing his expedition. The only official document stating that Drake represents the interests of the queen was never issued to him. The main reason for this was that, despite the official purpose of the trip, England pursued completely different interests. Initially, losing to Spain in the development of lands across the ocean, the queen made cunning plans. Its goal was to slow down the progress of Spanish expansion as much as possible. Drake went to rob.

The results of the Drake expedition exceeded all expectations. In addition to the fact that the confidence of the Spaniards in their superiority at sea was badly undermined, Drake made a whole series of important discoveries. First, it became clear that Tierra del Fuego (Tierra Del Fuego) is not part of Antarctica. Secondly, he discovered the ocean separating Antarctica and the Pacific Ocean. He was the second in history to travel around the world, but was able to return from it alive. And also very wealthy.

Upon the return of Captain Francis Drake, a knighthood awaited. So the pirate, the robber became the queen's knight. He became a national hero of England, who was able to put in place the fleet of an arrogant Spain.

Invincible armada

Whatever it was, but Drake only slightly besieged the ardor of the Spaniards. In general, they still dominated the sea. To fight the British, the Spaniards created the so-called Invincible Armada. It was a fleet of 130 ships, the main purpose of which was to invade England and eliminate the pirates. The irony is that the Invincible Armada actually received a resounding defeat. And largely thanks to Drake, who at that time had already become an admiral. He always had a flexible mind, used tactics and cunning, more than once putting the enemy in a difficult position with his actions. Then, taking advantage of the confusion, strike with lightning speed.

Became the last glorious fact in the biography of the pirate. After he failed the task of the crown to capture Lisbon, for which he fell out of favor and was sent to the New World at the age of 55. Drake did not survive this trip. Not far from the coast of Panama, a pirate fell ill with dysentery, where he was buried at the bottom of the sea, dressed in battle armor, in a lead coffin.

James Cook

The man who made himself. He went from cabin boy to captain and made a number of important geographical discoveries, having made three round-the-world sea voyages.

Born in 1728 in Yorkshire, England. Already at the age of 18 he became a cabin boy. I have always been very passionate about self-education. He was interested in cartography, mathematics and geography. From 1755 he was in the service of the Royal Navy. He took part in the Seven Years' War and, as a reward for years of work, received the rank of captain on the Newfoundland ship. This navigator circumnavigated the world three times. Their results were reflected in the further history of the development of mankind.

Circumnavigation of the world between 1768 and 1771:

• He proved the assumption that New Zealand (NZ) is not one island, but two separate ones. In 1770 he discovered the strait between the North and South Islands. The strait was named after him.
• He was the first to pay attention to the study of the natural resources of NZ, as a result of which he came to the conclusion about the high potential of using it as a dependent territory of Great Britain.
• Carefully mapped the eastern coast of mainland Australia. In 1770, his ship went around. On the eastern side, a bay was discovered, where the largest city of Australia, Sydney, is now located.

Circumnavigation of the world between 1772 and 1775:

• The first person to cross the Antarctic Circle was in 1773.
• He was the first to observe and mention in the reports about such a phenomenon as the aurora.
• In 1774-1775 he discovered many islands off the coast of Australia.
• Cook was the first to demonstrate the Southern Ocean.
• He suggested the existence of Antarctica, as well as the low potential for its use.

Sailing from 1776 to 1779:

• Rediscovery in 1778 of the Hawaiian Islands.
• Cook was the first to explore the Bering Strait and the Chukchi Sea.

The voyage ended in Hawaii with the death of Captain Cook himself. The attitude of local residents was unfriendly, which, in principle, given the purpose of the visit of the Cook's team, is quite logical. As a result of another conflict in 1779, Captain Cook was killed.

It is interesting! From Cook's on-board notes, the concepts of "kangaroo" and "taboo" for the first time reached the inhabitants of the Old World.

Charles Robert Darwin

Charles Robert Darwin was not so much a traveler as a great scientist who became the founder of the theory of natural selection. For constant research, he traveled around the world, including a sea trip around the world.

In 1831, he was invited to take part in a voyage around the world on the Beagle. The team needed naturalists. The circumnavigation lasted five years. This journey in history is on a par with the discoveries of Columbus and Magellan.

South America

South America turned out to be the first part of the world on the way of the expedition. In January 1831, the ships reached the coast of Chile, where Darwin conducted a series of studies on the coastal rocks. Based on the results of these studies, it turned out that the hypothesis of changes occurring gradually in the world, distributed over very long time periods (the theory of geological changes), is correct. At the time, this was a completely new theory.

Having visited Brazil, near the city of Salvador, Darwin spoke of her as "the land of fulfillment of desires." What could not be said about the Argentine Patagonia, where the explorer headed, moving further south. Let the desert landscapes not fascinate him, but it was in Patagonia that the fossilized remains of huge mammals similar to sloths and anteaters were discovered. It was then that Darwin suggested that the change in the size of animals depends on changes in their living conditions.

While exploring Chile, the great scientist Charles Darwin repeatedly crossed the Andes Mountains. After examining them, he was extremely surprised that they consisted of streams of petrified lava. In addition, the scientist focused on the differences in the composition of flora and fauna in different climatic zones.

Probably the most important event of the entire sea voyage around the world was Darwin's visit to the Galapagos Islands in 1835. Here Darwin first saw many unique species that do not live anywhere else on the planet. Of course, the giant tortoises made the strongest impression on him. The scientist noted such a feature: related, but not identical, species of plants and animals lived on neighboring islands.

Pacific Ocean Exploration

Having explored the fauna of New Zealand, Charles Darwin was left with an indelible impression. The scientist was surprised by such flightless birds as kiwi or an owl parrot. The remains of moa, the largest birds that lived on our planet, were also found here. Unfortunately, moa completely disappeared from the face of the earth in the 18th century.

In 1836, this navigator, who made a trip around the world, landed in Sydney. Apart from the English architecture of the city, nothing attracted the explorer's special attention, as the vegetation was very monotonous. At the same time, Darwin could not fail to note such unique animals as kangaroos and platypuses.

In 1836, the voyage around the world was over. The great scientist Charles Darwin set about systematizing the collected material, and in 1839 the Naturalist's Diary of Research was published, which was later continued by the famous book on the origin of species.

The first Russian round-the-world trip 1803-1806 by Ivan Kruzenshtern

In the 19th century, the Russian Empire also entered the arena of maritime research. The round-the-world voyages of Russian sailors began precisely with the voyage of Ivan Ivanovich Kruzenshtern. He was one of the founders of Russian oceanology, served as an admiral. Largely thanks to him, the formation of the Russian Geographical Society took place.

How it all began

The first sea voyage around the world took place in 1803-1806. The Russian navigator who circumnavigated the world with him, but did not receive the same fame, was Yuri Lisyansky, who took command of one of the two ships of the circumnavigation. Kruzenshtern repeatedly submitted petitions to finance a trip to the Admiralty, but they never received approval. And most likely, the round-the-world trip of Russian sailors would not have taken place if it were not for the financial benefit of the highest ranks.

At this time, trade relations with Alaska are developing. The business is super profitable. But the problem lies in the road, which takes five years. A private Russian-American company sponsored Krusenstern's expedition. Approval was received from the emperor Alexander the First himself, who was also a shareholder. The emperor approved the request in 1802, adding to the purpose of the trip the assignment of the embassy of the Russian Empire to Japan.

They sailed on two ships. Kruzenshtern himself and Yuri Lisyansky, his closest comrade, led the ships.

Travel itinerary and results

From Kronstadt the ships were heading for Copenhagen. During the trip, the expedition visited England, Tenerife, Brazil, Chile (Easter Island), Hawaii. Further, the ships went to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Japan, Alaska and China. The latest destinations were Portugal, the Azores and the United Kingdom.

Exactly three years and twelve days later, the sailors entered the port of Kronstadt.

Sea trip results:

• For the first time the Russians crossed the equator.
• The shores of Sakhalin Island were mapped.
• Kruzenshtern published the Atlas of the Southern Sea.
• Updated maps of the Pacific Ocean.
• In the science of Russia, knowledge about intertrade countercurrents has been formed.
• For the first time, water measurements were taken at a depth of up to 400 meters.
• There was data on atmospheric pressure, tides and tides.

The great navigator made a round-the-world trip, and later became the director of the Naval Cadet Corps.

Konstantin Konstantinovich Romanov

Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich was born in 1858. His father was Nikolaevich, who recreated the Russian fleet after the Crimean campaign. Since childhood, his mission was naval service. Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich's round-the-world trip took place in 1874. At that time he was a midshipman.

Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich set himself the goal of traveling around the world, as he was one of the most educated people of that era. He was interested in seeing the whole world. The prince was fond of art in all its manifestations. He wrote poetry, many of which were set to music by the greatest classics of our time. His favorite friend and mentor was the poet A. A. Fat.

In total, the Grand Duke devoted fifteen years to serving in the navy, remaining at the same time a true admirer of art. Even on a trip around the world, Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich took with him the painting “Moonlight Night on the Dnieper”, acting on him in a magical way, despite the threat to its safety.

Grand Duke Konstantin died in 1915, unable to withstand the trials of fate. By that time, one of his sons had been killed in the war, and he never recovered from the blow he received.

Instead of an afterword

The era of great discoveries lasted more than 300 years. During this time, the world has changed rapidly. New knowledge, new skills appeared, which contributed to the rapid development of all branches of science. Thus, more advanced vessels and instruments appeared. At the same time, "white spots" disappeared from the maps. And all this thanks to the exploits of desperate sailors, outstanding people of their time, brave and desperate. It is easy to answer the question of which navigator was the first to circumnavigate the world, but the whole point of the discoveries is that each of the voyages is important in its own way. Each of the travelers has contributed to the world that surrounds us today. The opportunity to travel today, and if desired, repeat the interesting and fascinating path of any of them, but in more comfortable conditions, is their merit.