Soon, Bering presented a draft of a new expedition to search for the shores of America, which was supposed to sail from Kamchatka not to the north (as indicated in Peter's instructions of 1725), but to the southeast, east, and submitted his proposals.
This expedition is called the Great Northern, and the Siberian-Pacific, even just the Siberian expedition. In the documents of the Admiralty Board from 1732 to 1743, it is called the Second Kamchatka Expedition. Already in the spring of 1732, the Senate ordered the Admiralty Board "to build ships and go to explore new lands lying between America and Kamchatka." Subsequently, the Admiralty Board gave V. Bering detailed instructions on equipping the expedition, building ships in Okhotsk and Kamchatka, and exploring the coast of America.
The second Kamchatka expedition was entrusted with the following research:
1. Conduct expeditions in the Arctic Ocean: a) from Arkhangelsk to the Ob, b) from the mouth of the Ob to the mouth of the Yenisei, c) from the mouth of the Lena to the west to the mouth of the Yenisei and d) from the mouth of the Lena to the east to Kamchatka (if there is a strait between Asia and America). At the same time, the first detachment was directly subordinate to the Admiralty Boards.
2. In the Pacific: a) reach the shores of America from Kamchatka and, if possible, explore them, b) find a way to Japan and explore the Kuril Islands, c) explore the shores of the Sea of Okhotsk from Okhotsk to Amur and the Shantar Islands.
3. Describe and study the nature and peoples of Siberia and the newly discovered countries by the forces of the Academic detachment.
4. Describe the rivers east of Lake Baikal in order to find a shorter route to the “Kamchatsky Sea” (Sea of Okhotsk), bypassing Yakutsk.
The second Kamchatka expedition lasted about ten years. To carry out various research works, the expedition was divided into detachments, each of which performed its own tasks. In total, several thousand people of various specialties took part in the work of the main and auxiliary detachments of the expedition, more than 550 people were directly involved in scientific research. Having covered almost half of the globe with great difficulty, the members of the expedition gathered in Okhotsk. Here the construction of the packet boats "St. Peter" and "St. Paul" was going on. Finally, in June 1740, both packet boats were launched - “St. Peter", headed by the leader of the expedition Vitus Jonassen Bering and "St. Pavel", where the captain was Alexei Ilyich Chirikov. On September 8, 1740, the ships put to sea and in the middle of the same month reached Bolsheretsk in Kamchatka. Leaving in it G. Steller and L. Delisle de la Kroyer, researchers of the academic detachment, the ships headed for Avacha Bay, bypassing Kamchatka.
Peter and Paul Harbor
The "Harbor of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul" arose in 1740 as a base for the upcoming voyages to the American coast. 6 (17) October 1740 in
Bering's packet boats St. Peter and St. Paul entered Nyakin (Avacha) Bay. This date is considered the official day of foundation of the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The first builder of Petropavlovsk was the navigator I.F. Elagin. He made maps of the southern
extremities of Kamchatka and Avacha Bay, as well as the plan of the "Harbor of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul". It indicates buildings, including “shops”, that is, warehouses, a powder magazine, “housing for officers and for written affairs”, barracks, a bathhouse, a camp church and other buildings.
Results of the II expedition
As a result of the work carried out by the Second Kamchatka Expedition, valuable hydrographic observations were collected, information was obtained on the history and economy of Siberia and Kamchatka, on the peoples inhabiting them, on the climate, flora and fauna, and the geological structure of these territories, as well as on the peoples, flora and fauna of the lands open during sailings.
Of exceptional importance were the cartographic materials of the expedition, whose participants compiled 62 maps of Siberia and Kamchatka, the correct image of these regions that were difficult to access and almost unexplored at that time.
Despite the secrecy of the materials of the expedition, reports about it appeared abroad, first in the form of newspaper notes, and then in the form of articles and maps. Along with correct information, a lot of fragmentary and incorrect news was printed, and it was not easy to distinguish truth from fiction. Buffon, for example, referred in 1749 to a note in an Amsterdam newspaper dated January 24, 1747, that G. Steller discovered one of the islands of North America beyond Kamchatka and indicated that the path there was not far from Russian possessions.
The expeditions of Vitus Bering made a significant contribution to geographical science, ethnography, biology and botany, paved the way to the Northwest of America, discovered the Aleutian Islands rich in fur resources, which subsequently made it possible, in 1799, to found the Russian-American Company - the only colonial possession of Russia, located on another continent.
Sources:
1. Alekseev A.I. Russian Columbuses. - Magadan: Magadan book publishing house, 1966.
2. Alekseev A. I. Brave Sons of Russia. - Magadan: Magadan book publishing house, 1970.
3. Berg A. S. Discovery of Kamchatka and Bering's expedition 1725-1742. - M .: Publishing house of the Academy
Sciences of the USSR, 1946.
4. Vaksel S. The second Kamchatka expedition of Vitus Bering / Translation of the manuscript into German. Yu. I. Bronshtein; ed. and with preface. A. I. Andreeva. - Leningrad-Moscow: Publishing house
Glavsevmorput, 1940.
5. Kamchatka XVII-XX centuries: historical and geographical atlas / Ed. ed. N. D. Zhdanova, B. P. Polevoy. – M.: Federal service of geodesy and cartography of Russia, 1997.
6. Krasheninnikov S.P. Description of the land of Kamchatka / as presented according to the original and ed. N. V. Dumitrashko and L. G. Kamanina. - M .: OGIZ State publishing house of geographical literature, 1948.
7. Orlov O. To unknown shores. M., 1987.
8. Pasetsky V. M. Vitus Bering. M., 1982.
9. Field B. P. Russian Columbuses. - In the book: Nord-Ost. Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, 1980.
10. Russian Pacific epic. Khabarovsk, 1979.
11. Sergeev VD Pages of the history of Kamchatka (pre-revolutionary period): teaching aid. - Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky: Far Eastern Book Publishing House, Kamchatka Branch, 1992.
December 23, 1724 (January 3, 1725) - Peter I issued a decree on organizing the First Kamchatka Expedition. This was an important step in the development of Siberia and the establishment of trade relations with the countries of the East. Its key aspect was the question of the possibility of sailing by the northern route from Arkhangelsk to India. In this regard, the expedition was instructed to explore the northern regions of the Pacific Ocean and find out the location of America. In fact, the strait between Chukotka and North America was not discovered, but passed, back in 1648 by Dezhnev, but the scientific community found out about this only in 1758.
Interestingly, the nature of this document and the interpretation of the expedition's tasks still cause lively debate among scientists. Some call it just a note or a reference, but most historians still believe that the document is a full-fledged decree of Peter I. There is even more diversity in the interpretation of tasks. Many understand them much broader than the search for the strait. The expedition, in their opinion, was supposed to explore the path to America, which in any case was in close proximity to our shores, and find out who is the closest neighbor of Russia.
The Urgent Need for Research
In 1721, the Northern War was successfully completed, and it became possible to move on to solving the most important state tasks of peaceful development, including the study of the eastern borders of Russia and the northern part of the Pacific Ocean. In this regard, a decree was issued on the preparation of the First Kamchatka Expedition. In addition to the decree, Peter I personally wrote instructions to its commander, in which he clearly defined the goals, ways to achieve them and the desired result.
Thus, the expedition faced not only the most urgent scientific, but also the most important state tasks - clarifying the boundaries of the Russian Empire and joining it with newly discovered lands. At the same time, the most affectionate treatment was prescribed for the peoples and tribes entering the citizenship of Russia. The expedition lasted five years, but the sea voyage lasted only a month and a half. The rest of the time was spent on moving from St. Petersburg to Kamchatka and back, building ships, procuring provisions and building materials.
By this time, a lot of unreliable information about this region had accumulated in the world literature. On Western European maps, the strait between Chukotka and Alaska has existed since 1566. It also existed on many Russian maps, but they did not have an evidence base, since they were compiled on the basis of old drawings and questions from local residents. To obtain reliable data, it was necessary to conduct a thorough study of the northern part of the Pacific Ocean.
The plans of Peter I
In the instructions, Peter I indicated that the ship of the expedition should follow from Kamchatka along the land that goes to the north, and according to his assumption, it was already part of America. Further to the nearest European possessions in America, land on the shore, take written evidence and put this place on a map or go until a meeting with some European ship that could give information about the lands reached by the expedition. The instructions did not mention finding a route to India or a strait between Asia and America.
The head of the expedition was the Dane captain of the fleet (captain of the 1st rank) Vitus Bering (1681 - 1741). In 1704 he was accepted into the Russian service and soon became one of the best commanders of battleships. Bering took an active part in military operations against the Swedes and repeatedly carried out responsible assignments. On the whole, he was an intelligent and courageous officer. However, he did not show the necessary firmness in difficult moments. It is interesting that he himself signed in documents as Vitez Bering, ours officially called him Vitez, and in everyday life simply Ivan Ivanovich.
Drawing by V.N. Efimova
Bering's assistants were Dane lieutenants Martyn Spanberg and Alexei Chirikov. Spanberg was characterized as an experienced sailor and an active officer, but he had no education, was often rude and prone to money-grubbing. In contrast, Chirikov had a deep knowledge of navigation and was an excellent sailor. He understood the enormous scientific and state significance of the expedition and worked selflessly to achieve success. A great contribution to the work of the expedition was made by midshipman P.A. Chaplin, navigator K. Moshkov, shipbuilders and sailors.
Difficulties of the land section of the route
The first detachment of the expedition under the command of Chirikov set out on January 24, 1725. Cannons, cannonballs, anchors, sails and ropes, a large number of tools and various equipment were brought directly from St. Petersburg. On the way, the convoy constantly increased. From Yakutsk, for example, only 6,000 poods of food were brought. The land route of the expedition to Okhotsk ran through Vologda, Tobolsk, Ilimsk and Yakutsk, a total of 9 thousand kilometers.
It was especially difficult to overcome the section over 1000 km between Yakutsk and Okhotsk. Heavy loads were sent on ships under the command of Spanberg. On the rivers we reached only the middle of the way, and then frosts broke out. Further, the goods were carried on sleds by people. But the sleds got stuck and had to be abandoned. Bering sent people from Okhotsk to help the detachment. They had to overcome mountains, swamps and completely wild places. On the way, they ate dead horses, rawhide bags and other leather things, and only at the beginning of January 1727 did they arrive in Okhotsk. Abandoned sleds with cargo were already collected in May.
Route of the First Kamchatka Expedition
The transition of the main detachment was not easier either. Of the 663 horses taken in Yakutsk, about 270 fell or froze on the way. Up to 80 kg of cargo was put on a horse, and people carried up to 80-100 kg on sleds in winter. Many drivers ran away, and some died. In the Okhotsk prison, which at that time consisted of only 10 households, it was necessary to build huts and barns, build and equip ships.
On August 22, 1727, the expedition left Okhotsk on the small ship "Fortuna" built here and the repaired boat. Two weeks later the ships arrived in Bolsheretsk. Then it was necessary to continue the journey to Nizhne-Kamchatsk, but Bering did not dare to go there by sea. Heavy loads were again sent along the rivers on ships under the command of Spanberg. But he again failed to reach the goal. The rivers froze over, and it was possible to continue the journey only in winter on dogs. Bering, with the rest of the expedition and the convoy, made this transition in January 1728 in conditions of severe frost and snow storms.
Here, as well as at the crossing from Yakutsk to Okhotsk, many local residents were involved in the transportation of goods. At the same time, Bering strictly demanded that they be treated kindly and fairly paid for their work. But everyone understood that by helping the expedition, the men were deprived of the opportunity to prepare food and exposed their families to mortal danger. Such was the price of great geographical discoveries at that time.
Bering arrived in Nizhne-Kamchatsk on March 11, 1728, and immediately laid the boat "St. Gabriel". The vessel had a length of 18.3, a width of 6.1 and a draft of 2.3 m. It was equipped and equipped in strict accordance with the regulations so that it would adequately represent the Russian Navy. Such a demanding and respectful attitude to the observance of all the rules and traditions in the construction of a warship has always been observed with us, starting from the first ship "Eagle" (read details). The crew of St. Gabriel" consisted of 44 people. Bering's decision to go to Nizhne-Kamchatsk not by sea, but by dogs, excluded the possibility of laying the ship in the fall and significantly pushed back the exit to the sea. Such a delay reduced the sailing time off the northern shores and reduced the effectiveness of the expedition.
Hike around Chukotka
"St. Gabriel" went to sea on July 14, 1728. In fact, this was the beginning of the First Kamchatka expedition. On the morning of July 17 - the first geographical discovery: the island of Karaginsky. This was followed by several more important discoveries, and here Bering violated the instructions of Peter I, which ordered to sail "near the land." He twice moved away from the coast, ordering to sail to the northeast. The post office was foggy all the time. The land was not visible, the sailors passed the strait between the continents, and entered the Chukchi Sea. Keeping a course to the north, we reached 67°18'48" N. sh., but the land was never found. Swimming continued for 34 days.
Boat "St. Gabriel" in the sea
From a painting by E.V. Voishvillo
It's time to decide where to go next. Chirikov suggested heading west, to the mouth of the Kolyma. However, Bering was sure that he had already given an answer to the second paragraph of the instruction of Peter I (since it became clear that America did not converge with Asia). In this regard, the third paragraph of the instruction (to reach the nearest European possessions in America) has also disappeared, since it is not known at what distance America is located. Therefore, Bering considered his task completed and on August 15 ordered to return.
On the way back, the sailors discovered the island of St. Diomede and on September 2 anchored at the mouth of the Kamchatka River. The following year, Bering put to sea on June 5, 1729, and went east to search for America. Encountering great difficulties, and not finding land, he turned south and, having entered Bolsheretsk, on July 23, 1729, arrived in Okhotsk. The first Kamchatka expedition was successfully completed. Later, extensive research in the North Pacific Ocean was carried out by an expedition led by .
Expedition results
In Petersburg, Bering presented a report on the expedition and attached a map to it. The strait between Asia and America was marked on it, but at the same time a note was made that the northern coast of the Asian continent to the east of Kolyma was plotted according to old maps. Based on this, the Admiralty Board and the Senate doubted the opening of the strait between the continents. By refusing Chirikov's proposal to reach the Kolyma, Bering deserved the reproaches of his contemporaries and descendants that he had not coped with the tasks assigned to him.
The first Kamchatka expedition became an important stage in the history of Russia's exploration of the Far East and the North Pacific. She demonstrated the capabilities of Russia as a great maritime power. For the first time in the Pacific, the St. Andrew's flag was raised. Bering's voyage was of exceptional importance for the further establishment of borders between Russia and the United States.
When writing the article, the following materials were used:
- Grekov V.I. Essays from the history of Russian geographical research in 1725-1765. 1960
- Military encyclopedia. St. Petersburg. 1912
- Eastern Literature. Medieval historical sources of the East and West. Internet portal http://vostlit.info/
- Brockhaus and Efron. Encyclopedic Dictionary. St. Petersburg. 1890-1907
Assessing now the actions of Bering and his companions, one can probably agree with the opinion of their contemporaries that they could have done more. But we must also keep in mind that this was the first scientific marine expedition. Russia was just beginning to study and develop its vast possessions. What do you, dear reader, think about this?
Share your opinion in the comments to this article. It will be interesting for everyone!
The first Kamchatka expedition 1725-1730 occupies a special place in the history of science. She is
was the first major scientific expedition in the history of the Russian Empire, undertaken by decision of the government. In organizing and conducting the expedition, a great role and merit belongs to the navy. The starting point of the First Kamchatka Expedition was the personal decree of Peter I on the organization of the "First Kamchatka Expedition" under the command of Vitus Bering, December 23, 1724. Peter I personally wrote instructions to Bering.
The sea route from Okhotsk to Kamchatka was discovered by the expedition of K. Sokolov and N. Treska in 1717, but the sea route from the Sea of Okhotsk to the Pacific Ocean had not yet been discovered. It was necessary to walk across the mainland to Okhotsk, and from there to Kamchatka. There, all supplies were delivered from Bolsheretsk to the Nizhnekamchatsky jail. This created great difficulties in the delivery of materials and provisions. It is difficult for us to even imagine all the incredible burden of the journey through the deserted thousand-mile tundra for travelers who do not yet have organizational skills. It is interesting to see how the journey proceeded, and in what form people and animals arrived at their destination. Here, for example, is a report from Okhotsk dated October 28: “Provisions sent from Yakutsk by land arrived in Okhotsk on October 25 on 396 horses. On the way, 267 horses disappeared and died for lack of fodder. During the journey to Okhotsk, people suffered a great famine, they ate belts from a lack of provisions,
leather and leather pants and soles. And the horses that arrived fed on grass, getting it out from under the snow, since they did not have time to prepare hay due to their late arrival in Okhotsk, but it was not possible; all froze from deep snow and frost. And the rest of the servants arrived by sledges on dogs in Okhotsk. From here the cargoes were transported to Kamchatka. Here, in the Nizhnekamchatsky prison, on April 4, 1728, under the leadership of Bering, a boat was laid, which in June of the same year was launched and named "St. Archangel Gabriel."
On this ship, Bering and his companions in 1728 sailed through the strait, which was later named after the head of the expedition. However, due to dense fog, it was not possible to see the American coast. Therefore, many decided that the expedition was unsuccessful.
Results of the I Kamchatka expedition
Meanwhile, the expedition determined the extent of Siberia; the first sea vessel in the Pacific Ocean was built - "Saint Gabriel"; open and mapped 220 geographical features; the presence of a strait between the continents Asia and America was confirmed; the geographical position of the Kamchatka Peninsula was determined. The map of V. Bering's discoveries became known in Western Europe and immediately entered the latest geographical atlases. After the expedition of V. Bering, the outlines of the Chukotka Peninsula, as well as the entire coast from Chukotka to Kamchatka, take on maps a look close to their modern images. Thus, the northeastern tip of Asia was mapped, and now there was no doubt about the existence of a strait between the continents. In the first printed report on the expedition, published in the St. Petersburg Vedomosti on March 16, 1730, it was noted that Bering reached 67 degrees 19 minutes north latitude and confirmed that “there is a truly northeastern passage, so that from Lena ... by water to Kamchatka and further to Japan, Khina
(China) and the East Indies, it would be possible to get there.
Of great interest to science were geographical observations and travel records of the expedition members: A.I. Chirikova, P.A. Chaplin and others. Their descriptions of coasts, relief,
flora and fauna, observations of lunar eclipses, currents in the oceans, weather conditions, observations about earthquakes, etc. were the first scientific data on the physical geography of this part of Siberia. The descriptions of the expedition members also contained information about the economy of Siberia, ethnography, and others.
The first Kamchatka expedition, which began in 1725 on the instructions of Peter I, returned to St. Petersburg on March 1, 1730. V. Bering presented to the Senate and the Admiralty Board a report on the progress and results of the expedition, a petition for promotion and awarding officers and privates.
Sources:
1. Alekseev A.I. Russian Columbuses. - Magadan: Magadan book publishing house, 1966.
2. Alekseev A. I. Brave Sons of Russia. - Magadan: Magadan book publishing house, 1970.
3. Berg A. S. Discovery of Kamchatka and Bering's expedition 1725-1742. - M .: Publishing house of the Academy
Sciences of the USSR, 1946.
4. Kamchatka XVII-XX centuries: historical and geographical atlas / Ed. ed. N. D. Zhdanova, B. P. Polevoy. – M.: Federal service of geodesy and cartography of Russia, 1997.
5. Pasetsky V. M. Vitus Bering. M., 1982.
6. Field B. P. Russian Columbuses. - In the book: Nord-Ost. Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, 1980.
7. Russian Pacific epic. Khabarovsk, 1979.
8. Sergeev VD Pages of the history of Kamchatka (pre-revolutionary period): teaching aid. - Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky: Far Eastern Book Publishing House, Kamchatka Branch, 1992.
Domestic navigators - explorers of the seas and oceans Zubov Nikolai Nikolaevich
2. First Kamchatka expedition (1725–1730)
2. First Kamchatka expedition
Peter the Great did not forget the Far Eastern outskirts of Russia, about which more and more information was received in his time.
It is quite certain that Kamchatka was first visited in 1696 by a serviceman Morozko (Staritsyn). The first, moreover, exceptionally complete, geographical description of Kamchatka was made by Vladimir Atlasov, who made a remarkable journey along the whole of Kamchatka, almost to Cape Lopatka (1697-1699). At the same time, Atlasov “saw as if there was an island” (Kuril Islands.-N. 3.).
In 1700, Ivan Shamaev reported that “there is an island in the sea opposite the Karaga River, and on that island Ivan Golygin and his comrades, three people in canoes went to visit foreigners, and rowing to that island in canoes for a day ... And after it , Ivan, Russian people have never been on that island ... "
Based on this report, D. M. Lebedev believes that the Karaginsky Island was not only known, but also visited by Russians no later than 1700–1701.
In 1702, the navigator Mikhail Nasedkin was sent to Kamchatka.
In his message, Nasedkin, by the way, said that “there is an island opposite the Kamchatka mouth, and what kind of people there are on that island, he, Mikhailo, does not know ...”
Based on this report, D. M. Lebedev believes that the Russians received the first, albeit vague, information about the Commander Islands as early as 1700, and these rumors reached Yakutsk no later than 1710.
In addition to information about Kamchatka, Nasedkin, no later than 1706, quite definitely spoke about the Kuril Islands, which he saw from Cape Lopatka: “there is land in the sea beyond the overflows, but there is nothing to visit the children of that land.”
The fact that in the Far East at that time they knew about the existence of the Bering Strait is evidenced by the testimony of Atlasov, given by him in Moscow in 1701, namely: “between the Kolyma and Anadyr rivers there is a necessary nose that fell into the sea, and on the left side that nose (i.e., in the Chukchi Sea. - N. 3.) there are ice on the sea in summer, and in winter that sea is frozen, and on the other side of this bow (i.e., in the Bering Sea. - N. 3. ) there is ice in spring, but not in summer. And he, Volodymyr, had never been on this necessary nose. And the local foreigners of the Chukchi, who live near that nose and at the mouth of the Anadyr River, said that there is an island opposite that necessary nose, and from that island in winter, when the sea freezes, foreigners come ... "
It cannot be emphasized that Atlasov had knowledge not only about the geography of Cape Dezhnev, but also about the ice regime of the Chukchi and Bering Seas.
There were other information as well.
In 1711, the Yakut Cossack Pyotr Ilyich Popov and the industrialist Yegor Vasilyevich Toldin went to the Anadyr Nose (Cape Dezhnev.-N. 3.) and learned that there was a strait between Asia and America, that there were islands in this strait, on which live "toothed people" and that the Russians used to pass this strait on the cochs.
In 1711, Danila Yakovlevich Antsyferov and Ivan Petrovich Kozyrevsky moved to the northern Kuril Islands (Shumsha and Paramushir (?). In 1713, Kozyrevsky, at the head of a detachment of Cossacks, again visited the first three Kuril Islands and compiled their schematic maps and descriptions. In addition , he collected information about Japan and sea routes to it.In 1713, the Cossacks Semyon Anabara and Ivan Bykov visited the Shantar Islands in the Sea of Okhotsk.
Travel to Kamchatka was made at that time only by land. Peter promised a big reward for opening a sea route to it.
In 1716, the Cossack Pentecostal Kuzma Sokolov and the sailors Yakov Vlasov Neveitsyn and Nikifor Moiseev Treska on the 54-foot-long boat “Hunting” built in Okhotsk, sailed to Kamchatka, spent the winter on it and returned to Okhotsk. Sokolov made a map of his voyage.
Up to this time, the charts made by navigators were by eye and therefore very inaccurate. In 1719, Peter sent two surveyors to the Far East - Ivan Mikhailovich Evreinov and Fyodor Fedorovich Luzhin, who had been released ahead of schedule from the Naval Academy founded in 1715 in St. Petersburg. Evreinov was sent “... to Kamchatka and beyond, where you are indicated, and describe the local places where America and Asia converged, which must be carefully done, not only south and north, but also east and west, and put everything on the map properly” .
A. V. Efimov notes that Evreinov and Luzhin were assigned other tasks, namely: an inventory of the Kuril Islands and the collection of information about Japan.
In the autumn of 1720, on a boat built in Okhotsk, Evreinov and Luzhin arrived in Kamchatka, where they spent the winter, and in 1721 set off from Kamchatka to the southwest and described fourteen Kuril Islands up to and including Simushir Island. A report on the voyage, maps of Siberia, Kamchatka and the Kuril Islands Evreinov presented to Peter in 1722.
The results of the work of Evreinov and Luzhin did not satisfy Peter. He dreamed of finding maritime trade routes to China, Japan and India. The Northern Sea Route was the shortest and completely passed through domestic waters.
In vain did some historians further strive to show that Peter's interest in the North was awakened by the letters of the famous philosopher and mathematician Leibniz or the requests of the Paris Academy of Sciences. The Russian people own both the very idea of the Northern Sea Route and the projects for its practical development. The state benefit of this path was recognized by the closest associates of Peter. Back in 1713, one of the most educated people of that time, Fyodor Stepanovich Saltykov, presented to Peter his famous “prepositions” on the measures necessary for the development of the northern outskirts of Russia.
A year and a half later, Saltykov presented more detailed considerations, in which there was a special chapter "On finding a free sea route from the Dvina River even to the Omur Estuary and to China."
It should be noted that in his second preposition, “Statements Profitable to the State”, sent to Peter on August 1, 1714, Saltykov proposed to explore the Northern Sea Route “to build ships in the lower reaches of the Northern Dvina, the Ob, on the Lena near Yakutsk, near Svyatoy Nos, and also on the Amur Estuary, if only this river is subject to Russia.
Further, Saltykov advised “to describe along the other bank from the course of the sea, from the Dvina mouth to the Ob mouth, and from the Ob to the Yenisei, and from the Yenisei to the Lena and to the last river mouth, which is searched conveniently near the Amur river, and along the mouth of the Amur and along between Yepon and Chinas" and wrote detailed instructions for all kinds of scientific research. As we will see later, many of Saltykov's proposals were included in the work plan of the Great Northern Expedition. The explorer of the Caspian Sea F. I. Soimonov reported to Peter the Great about the need to study the Northern Sea Route.
The study of the Northern Sea Route was really necessary. Much of what was done by Russian sailors in the 17th century was very inaccurate, and much has been forgotten. Suffice it to recall that the reports of Semyon Dezhnev were discovered in the Yakutsk archive only 90 years after his great geographical discovery.
However, Peter failed to carry out his plans. Three weeks before his death, in January 1725, Peter said to Admiral General Fyodor Matveyevich Apraksin: “Poor health (mine) made me sit at home; I remembered the other day what I had been thinking about for a long time and that other things prevented me from doing it, that is, about the road through the Arctic Sea to China and India. On this chart of the sea, the path laid out, called Anian, is not laid out in vain. During my last journey, in conversations, I heard from learned people that such an acquisition is possible. Protecting the fatherland with security from the enemy, one should try to find the glory of the state through art and science. Shall we not be happier in exploring such a path than the Dutch and the British, who have repeatedly attempted to search the American shores?
These words of Peter, like many of his other testaments, were long remembered by his successors. A. S. Pushkin wrote: “The insignificant heirs of the northern giant, amazed by the brilliance of his greatness, imitated him with superstitious accuracy in everything that did not require new inspiration.”
In fulfillment of his plan, Peter personally wrote the instructions for the proposed expedition at the same time. This instruction said:
"one. It is necessary in Kamchatka, or in another place there, to make one or two boats with decks.
2. On these boats (sail.-N. 3.) near the land that goes to the north, and by hope (they don’t know the end of it) it seems that that land is part of America.
3. And in order to look for where it met with America, and in order to get to which city of European possessions, or if they see a European ship, visit from it, as this kust (shore) is called, and take it on a letter and visit the shore themselves , and take a genuine statement and put it on the map, come here.
Peter himself appointed the leaders of the expedition: a Dane in the Russian service, Captain 1st Rank Ivan Ivanovich (Vitus Jonssen) Bering, a Dane, Lieutenant of the Russian Service Martyn Petrovich Shpanberg, and a pupil of the Naval Academy, Lieutenant Alexei Ilyich Chirikov. The midshipman (later midshipman) Pyotr Avraamovich Chaplin also took part in the expedition.
Peter was distinguished by his ability to choose people, but this time he was wrong. Bering was an excellent and diligent naval officer, but as the head of a large enterprise he was not up to par - he was lost, getting into unusual conditions, and was afraid to take responsibility in difficult times.
The last party of the expedition left Petersburg on February 5, 1725 and arrived in Yakutsk in early June 1726.
Most of the provisions and light cargo were sent from Yakutsk in packs by horses. With great difficulty, having lost more than half of the horses (out of 600) on the way, this party reached Okhotsk in October. Heavier cargo - guns, anchors, sails, part of the provisions - were sent on fifteen ships built in Yakutsk along the Lena, Aldan, May and Yudoma rivers to the Yudoma cross. They expected to deliver these goods by dry route to Okhotsk, or drag them through the portage to the Urak River, which flows into the Sea of Okhotsk near Okhotsk. Then they were going to transfer the cargo by sea to Okhotsk. However, this detachment under the command of Spanberg was caught on the way in winter and only reached a point slightly above the mouth of the Yudoma. Spanberg, an extremely active man, but also extremely cruel, in order not to waste time, decided to transport heavy loads, "in the winter way on sleds, harnessing them with people."
The frosts were severe, the team was exhausted to the extreme, all the provisions came out, they ate “belts, shoes, carrion and their dogs ... Many died, including ... navigator Morison and surveyor Luzhin; others ran off the road to Yakutsk.” Part of the cargo had to be left on the way; they were delivered to Okhotsk only in the middle of the summer of 1727.
At that time, in Okhotsk, specially sent from Yakutsk in 1725, artisans completed the construction of a shitik called "Fortuna". In addition, in Okhotsk there was a “lodia”, on which in 1716 the first voyage across the Sea of Okhotsk was made, but this ship was in poor condition. Another lodia, built in 1720, was soon to return to Okhotsk from Kamchatka.
Map of Ivan Lvov, brought to St. Petersburg in 1726 by A. F. Shestakov (many names and inscriptions omitted).
On July 1, 1727, Shpanberg on the "Fortune" with part of the expedition's cargo, which was later supposed to be transferred by land to Nizhne-Kamchatsk, went to Bolsheretsk and returned very quickly on August 11. On June 10, the Lodia of 1720 returned to Okhotsk and it was immediately repaired.
On August 21, the Fortuna Shitik, on board of which were Bering and Shpanberg, and the Lodia of 1720, commanded by Chirikov, went to sea and arrived in Bolsheretsk on September 4.
With great difficulty, people with loads on philistine dogs moved to Nizhne-Kamchatsk. Here, in April 1728, a boat was laid down and launched on June 8 (60 feet long, 20 feet wide, with a draft of 7? feet), called “St. Gabriel." On June 6, Kondratam Moshkov, a navigator from the Arkhangelsk coast-dwellers, brought the “Fortune” shitik from Bolsheretsk to Nizhne-Kamchatsk. It was supposed to take the shitik with you, but it required major repairs and, in order not to lose precious navigational time, this had to be abandoned. The Lodia of 1720 was sent from Bolsheretsk to Okhotsk.
Staying in Nizhne-Kamchatsk was difficult. Provisions were in short supply, they had to buy deer, fish with nets made from nettles, make wine from the local sweet grass, evaporate salt from sea water.
A. Polonsky emphasizes that, being in St. Petersburg, Bering could not have known about the strait between America and Asia. The capital learned about this only after the discovery by Academician Miller in 1736 during the Second Kamchatka Expedition of Dezhnev's original documents. But in Siberia, both the authorities and local residents remembered this well. So, back in Yeniseisk, Bering wrote:
“If it was determined to go from the mouth of the Kolyma to Anadyr, where it is possible to pass in every possible way, what new Asian maps testify, and the inhabitants say that before this, walked this way, that could have been done with a smaller cost.”
Finally, in Siberia, it was known that “the navigator Procopius Nagibin, having learned in Anadyrsk about the proximity of America to Cape Anadyr (as Cape Dezhnev was sometimes called in those days.-N. 3.), Back in 1720, he asked to give him 200 people for research teams and yarn for nets for the manufacture of fish for marine provisions, which was not respected ... ". Nagibin, not having received the requested funds, built a ship for an expedition to America at his own expense. But in 1725, the Chukchi attacked this ship on the Anadyr River and Nagibin was killed.
Undoubtedly, during his long stay in Yakutsk, Okhotsk and Nizhne-Kamchatsk, Bering could collect a lot of information about the areas of the upcoming voyage, in particular that Asia is not connected with America. Naturally, Bering should have at least supplemented the information already available, but, as we will see later, he did not.
Finally, on July 13, 1728, almost three and a half years after leaving Petersburg, Bering on St. Gabriel" went to sea. On the way to the north, he entered the Gulf of Anadyr, on August 1 he visited the bay of the Holy Cross, and on August 6 he entered the bay of Transfiguration, in which he stocked up on water.
Swimming Bering and Chirikov on "St. Gabriel" (1728 and 1729) (according to V. Berkh, the map is simplified, many names have been removed).
Thus, Bering received from the Chukchi a new confirmation of the existence of a strait between Asia and America.
On August 9-11, during a detour of the Chukchi Nose, we saw the island of St. Lawrence, about which the Chukchi told Bering and which, as we will see later, had already been shown on the map of Lvov in 1726.
August 13 at 65°30? with. sh. Bering convened a meeting of officers on the further voyage. Spanberg proposed to go north until August 16 and, if an isthmus between Asia and America is not found, then at 66 ° N. sh. turn back.
A. I. Chirikov, on the contrary, suggested:
“Before, there is no news up to which degree of width from the North Sea, near the eastern coast of Asia, from known peoples, European residents have been; and therefore we cannot reliably know about the separation of Asia and America by the sea, if we do not reach the mouth of the Kolyma River, or to the ice - it is known that ice always moves in the North Sea - for this we must certainly, by the power of the decree given to your nobility, go near the land, if the ice does not interfere, or the coast does not move to the west, to the mouth of the Kolyma River, to the places shown in the indicated e.i.v. decree, and if the land still leans to N, then it is necessary, on the twenty-fifth day of this present month, to look for places in these places where it would be possible to spend the winter, and especially against the Chukchi nose, on the land on which, according to the tale received from Chukchee, through Peter Tatarinov, there is a forest. And if there are opposite winds before the indicated date, then always look for a winter harbor at that time. In this proposal, the modest Chirikov showed himself to be an intelligent and courageous sailor.
August 15, 1728 at 67°18? with. sh., i.e. already in the Chukchi Sea, Bering decided to turn south due to fear of wintering. It is appropriate here once again to recall the instructions of Peter the Great, in which surveyors Luzhin and Evreinov were ordered to find out whether America agreed with Asia, which should be very carefully done, not only south and north, but also east and west ... "But Bering limited himself to swimming only on "north and south".
On August 17, on the way back, an island was seen, named after the saint of that day, the island of St. Diomede, also already shown on the map of Lviv in 1726.
The following year, 1729, Bering, having sent "Fortune" to Bolsheretsk, to "St. Gabriel went east to search for land, which, according to the stories of local residents, in clear weather can be seen from the shores of Kamchatka. Having traveled about 200 miles and not seeing any land, Bering turned back, and, having rounded Kamchatka, on July 23 he arrived in Okhotsk. In 1730 Bering returned to St. Petersburg.
Thus ended Bering's First Kamchatka Expedition, which had cost enormous amounts of money. Counting from leaving St. Petersburg to returning back, she lasted about five years, and during this time she worked at sea for only about three months.
It is curious that in 1728, as A. V. Efimov emphasizes, “two expeditions went to America - Bering and Melnikov, and not just Bering’s expedition, as is commonly thought.”
Afanasy Melnikov in 1728, apparently on a Shitik, went to the Bering Strait to describe the islands and the route to the Great American Land. On the way, his ship was broken by ice, and with difficulty, only in 1729, he reached Anadyrsk. In 1729 Melnikov made another unsuccessful attempt. Finally, in 1730, Melnikov reached Cape Dezhnev. Here he met two "toothed" Chukchi (the inhabitants of Diomede Island were called toothed Chukchi, according to their custom of inserting pieces of bone into the slots in their lips), who told him that it was possible to reach America along the Bering Strait by canoes in two days. However, the Chukchi refused to transfer him to America.
Melnikov's perseverance especially wins in comparison with Bering's indecisiveness. Involuntarily, perplexed questions arise: Why didn't Bering go east in the Chukchi Sea, at least to the ice edge? Why didn't Bering, seeing one of the Diomede Islands, try to explore it? Why did Bering go back to Kamchatka in an almost direct course and, thus, did not use the opportunity to explore areas unknown at that time? Why in 1729 did he not repeat the voyage to the Bering Strait and so hesitantly searched east of the mouth of Kamchatka for the land that the locals had told him about? Indeed, from Cape Kamchatsky to the northwestern cape of Bering Island, on which he was destined to die in thirteen years, only about 180 kilometers. And the discovery of the Commander Islands in 1729 could radically change subsequent events.
Lomonosov also wrote: “It is a pity that, going back (Bering.-N. 3.), He followed the same road and did not move further to the east, which, of course, could have marked the shores of North-West America.”
Upon his return to St. Petersburg, Bering presented a map of the voyage and a brief report. This report was first published in 1735 in the work of the French Jesuit du Alda "Description ... of China and Chinese Tartary." It was published in Russian only in 1847.
From the book of Paul I author Peskov Alexey Mikhailovich1725 On January 28, 1725, Peter the Great died. The formidable voice fell silent, the terrible look closed. He died, leaving his all-pervading name to his faithful subjects, but without bequeathing any orders about the heir to the throne, except for the decree of 1722, which decreed “so that this is always in the will
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From the author's book From the author's bookTHE FIRST KAMCHATKA EXPEDITION (1725-1729) Vasily Berkh. The first sea voyage of the Russians, undertaken to solve the geographical problem: is Asia connected to America and completed in 1727-1729. under the command of Vitus Bering About the first journey made
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From the author's bookSven Waxel. The second Kamchatka expedition of Vitus Bering
What is more important for an active and ambitious person? Wealth, fame, a dream come true, a name on the map? The geographical names "Bering Sea", "Bering Island" and "Bering Strait" - is it a lot or a little for a life spent in a foreign country, and a grave lost on an island blown by piercing winds? Judge for yourself. Vitus Jonassen Bering (1681-1741) - a Dane who gained fame as a Russian navigator, a 22-year-old graduate of the Amsterdam Cadet Corps, entered the Russian fleet as a lieutenant. Participated in both wars of Peter I - with Turkey and with Sweden. He rose to the rank of captain-commander. Already before his death, Peter the Great sent an expedition to the Far East, headed by Bering. According to the emperor's secret instructions, Bering was instructed to find an isthmus or strait between Asia and North America. During this, the First Kamchatka expedition (1725-1730), Bering completed the discovery of the northeastern coast of Asia. Three years later, he was assigned to lead the Second Kamchatka Expedition, during which Bering and Chirikov were to cross Siberia and head from Kamchatka to North America to explore its coast. In total, together with the preparation, the expedition took 8 years (1734-1742). In the course of it, after many difficult trials and dangerous adventures, Bering reached America and on the way back, during a forced wintering on the island that now bears his name, he died on December 8, 1741. Alas, Bering did not have time to describe the expedition - this is for him made by his surviving assistant Sven Waxel. But the maps of the two Russian expeditions were subsequently used by all European cartographers. The first navigator who confirmed the accuracy of Bering's research, the famous James Cook, paying tribute to the Russian commander, proposed to name the strait between Chukotka and Alaska after Bering - which was done. Is it a lot or a little - a name on the map? The book contains documents and reports of participants in the First (1725-1730) and Second (1734-1742) Kamchatka expeditions, detailing the progress of research in difficult, sometimes deadly conditions of campaigns in little-known regions of Siberia and the Far East. The publication, in addition to the documents of the expedition and the writings of its participants: S. Waxel, G. Miller and S. P. Krasheninnikov, also included survey works by the historian of the Russian fleet and marine geographical discoveries V. N. Berch and the German geographer F. Gelwald. The electronic publication includes all the texts of the paper book and basic illustrative material. But for true connoisseurs of exclusive editions, we recommend a gift classic book. It has hundreds of maps, black-and-white and color old paintings and drawings that complement the narrative, allowing the reader to vividly imagine the setting in which the events of these heroic expeditions took place. The edition is printed on fine offset paper and elegantly designed. This edition, like all books in the Great Journeys series, will be an adornment to any, even the most sophisticated library, and will be a wonderful gift for both young readers and discerning bibliophiles.
A series: Great Journeys
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The following excerpt from the book Kamchatka expeditions (Vitus Bering) provided by our book partner - the company LitRes.
THE FIRST KAMCHATKA EXPEDITION (1725–1729)
Vasily Berkh. The first sea voyage of the Russians, undertaken to solve the geographical problem: is Asia connected to America and completed in 1727-1729. under the command of Vitus Bering
O On the first voyage made by the famous Captain Bering, we had very insufficient information. The venerable historiographer our Miller placed in the monthly works of the Academy of Sciences, 1758, a brief and unsatisfactory description of the Bering voyage. There is no doubt that he got this information from Bering's own journal, for there is little disagreement about the main events.
Around 1750, when the Naval Expedition still existed at the Academy of Sciences, all marine journals were requested from the Admiralty. Later, some of them were returned. It was believed that Bering's journal was also among those not returned, because according to the description sent, it did not appear.
Having received, at the request of His Excellency Mr. Vice-Admiral Gavriil Andreevich Sarychev, permission to inspect the archives of the State Admiralty Department, I set about it with enthusiasm and hope to open many curious manuscripts and was not deceived in my expectation.
While sorting through various old papers with the manager of the drawing room, A. E. Kolodkin, we came across a notebook under the following title: “Journal of the stay of the Kamchatka expedition of midshipman Pyotr Chaplin from 1726 to 1731.” At first glance, we concluded that Chaplin sailed, probably with the surveyor Gvozdev, the first Russian who saw the shores of America.
But, having examined it more carefully, we saw that this is the most complete and detailed journal of the first Bering expedition. Attached to it was an incomplete journal kept by Lieutenant Chirikov, who almost completely agrees with the above.
Pleased with such an important discovery, I compiled from Chaplin's journal, Miller's news and various notes of the famous hydrograph of our Admiral Alexei Ivanovich Nagaev, the proposed narrative about the voyage of Captain Bering.
The journey of the first and famous navigator of our Bering is worthy of special respect. Although this venerable man sailed 236 years after Columbus, he has an equal right with him to the gratitude of those who used him in the service. Bering subsequently opened up to them a new country, which provided a rich source of industry and spread Russian trade and navigation.
Vasily Berkh
Journey of Captain Bering
W our eminent historiographer Miller says that Emperor Peter I, wanting to decide whether Asia is united with America, ordered a special expedition to be equipped for this, and shortly before his death he wrote with his own hand instructions for Captain Bering appointed to it.
The execution of this work, continues Miller, was entrusted to General-Admiral Count Apraksin, and already after the death of the emperor, officials appointed from St. Petersburg went on this expedition.
Midshipman Chaplin's journal does not agree with the latter conclusion.
Fulfilling the order of Emperor Peter I to send an expedition under the command of V. I. Bering, the emperor’s associate, Admiral General, President of the Admiralty Board Count Fyodor Matveyevich Apraksin (1661–1728) asked the Governor of Kazan and Siberia, Prince Mikhail, to assist this undertaking Vladimirovich Dolgorukov (1667–1750).
Letter from F. M. Apraksin to M. V. Dolgorukov on assistance to the expedition of Vitus Bering:
1725, February 4. St. Petersburg.
My sovereign, Prince Mikhailo Volodimirovich.
In the hope of you, like my benefactor, I ask you: Captain Bering (with the entrusted team) went from here to Siberia of the navy, who, upon arrival in Yakutsk, was ordered to make boats and follow them to fulfill the entrusted expedition, as the instruction given to him commands, whom you please accept favorable. And in his needs for that expedition, order him to repair every support so that it can be put into action without a hitch, since a considerable matter is closed in it, which I diligently ask for, please apply your labor to it and do it with care. However, I remain forever
your obedient servant Admiral Apraksin.
January 24, 1725, says Chaplin, we set off from the Admiralty; there were 26 of us in total: lieutenant Chirikov, a doctor, 2 surveyors, midshipman, quartermaster, clerk, 10 sailors, 2 students of mast and boat work, a foreman with 3 carpenters, 2 caulkers, 2 sailboats and a blacksmith. When separating this, there were 25 carts with materials.
The composition of the expedition
Captain 1st rank
Vitus Bering
Lieutenants:
Alexey Chirikov
Martyn Spanberg
Peter Chaplin
Semyon Turchaninov
Surveyors:
Fedor Luzhin
Navigators:
Richard Engel
Georges Morison
Hieromonk
Hilarion
Ignatius Kozyrevsky
commissioner
Ivan Shestakov
boyar son
lateral: Kozlov
mastmaker: Endogurov
Sailors:
The above-named officials were appointed to this expedition, of which a part was sent from St. Petersburg, and the other was attached to Tobolsk and Okhotsk.
February 8, he continues, we arrived in Vologda, and after us, Lieutenant General Chekin received the news of the death of the Emperor. On February 14, our commander of the navy, Captain Bering, arrived, and with him Lieutenant Spanberg, two navigators and 3 sailors.
The instruction given to Captain Bering was written by Emperor Peter I on December 23, 1724 and consisted of the following three points.
It is necessary to make one or two boats with decks in Kamchatka or elsewhere.
On these boats [to sail] near the land that goes to the north by expectation, because they don’t know the end of it, it seems that that land is part of America.
And in order to look for where it converged with America, and in order to get to which city of European possessions, or if they see a European ship, visit from it, as it is called, and take it on a letter, and visit the shore themselves, and take a genuine statement, and putting it on the map, come here.
Historiographer Miller says that the reason for the departure of this expedition was the desire of the Paris Academy to find out whether America is connected with Asia - the Academy, regarding this to the emperor as its fellow member, asked His Majesty to order to investigate this geographical problem.
In the decree from the Senate of September 13, 1732, on the second departure of Captain Bering to Kamchatka, it is said about the first expedition: according to the requirements and desire of both St. shores, whether the shores of America converge with the shores of Asia.
On March 16, everything arrived safely in Tobolsk, and midshipman Chaplin says that, according to his observation, it turned out that the latitude of the place is 58 ° 05 "N, the compass declination is 3 ° 18", east. According to the observation of the astronomer Delisle de la Crower in 1734, the latitude of Tobolsk turned out to be 58 ° 12 ", and in 1740 his brother Nikolai - 58 ° 12" 30 ˝.
On May 15, everyone set off on a further journey on 4 boards and 7 boats. During their entire voyage along the Irtysh and other rivers, they kept a real nautical reckoning.
The added distance is an ancient, now no longer used precision; since the sailing or the distance traveled is taken from the meridian, it was calculated in order to shoot from the equator in the same way. Chirikov says in his journal: this is being done to check the Mercator map and find out if it was written correctly.
On May 22, Captain Bering ordered to make rudders for the boats, which are called sops; and ordered midshipman Chaplin to go forward to Yakutsk with 10 team members and accept 10 rubles of money from Commissar Durasov for travel expenses.
On September 6, Chaplin arrived in Yakutsk and appeared at the local voivode Poluektov and collector Prince Kirill Golitsyn. In this city, he says, there are 300 houses. From here, Chaplin sent several people to Okhotsk, so that they prepared timber for the construction of the ship.
On May 9, Chaplin received an order from Captain Bering to prepare a thousand pairs of leather bags for flour.
On June 1, the commander arrived in Yakutsk on boards, and with him lieutenant Shpanberg, a doctor, two navigators, two surveyors, and other servants. On the 16th, Lieutenant Chirikov also arrived here, also on 7 boards. On this date, he continues, the captain sent a message to the governor, so that he, having prepared 600 horses for flour, would send them to Okhotsk, dividing into 3 parties. At the same time, Captain Bering demanded from the governor that he sent the monk Kozyrevsky to him.
Monk Kozyrevsky was a very important person in the conquest of the eastern countries of Siberia. He was the first to visit in 1712 and in 1713 the neighboring Kuril Islands and brought information about the others. After serving for many years in Kamchatka, Okhotsk and Anadyrsk, in 1717 he took the vows as a monk and founded a monastery in Nizhnekamchatsk.
In 1720 he arrived in Yakutsk, and, as Miller says, his reports, made in Kamchatka to the clerks there, and then to the Yakutsk Voivodship Office, also to Captain Bering, are worthy of note.
It is not known whether Kozyrevsky, who was called Ignatius in monasticism, sailed with Bering, but Miller's notes show that he was in Moscow in 1730 and that in the "St. fatherland; and therefore it is highly probable that he left Siberia with him.
On June 7, Lieutenant Shpanberg set off from Yakutsk on 13 ships, the entire crew was with him 204 people. From the arrival of Captain Bering in Yakutsk, the nobleman Ivan Shestakov was assigned to him for special assignments, who later went to war against the Chukchi, with his uncle, the Cossack head Afanasy Shestakov.
On July 15, Chaplin says: the nobleman Ivan bought 11 bulls, for which he paid 44 rubles.
Having sent part of the materials and provisions from Yakutsk to Okhotsk, Captain Bering himself went there on August 16, with Chaplin and various ministers.
Lieutenant Chirikov remained in place in order to observe the speedy departure of the rest of the things.
Lieutenant Chirikov says in his journal that there are 300 Russian households in the city of Yakutsk, and 30,000 Yakuts roam in the vicinity of the city. Over the city there was darkness from fires, which was due to lack of rain; for in the city of Yakutsk there is always little rain, and for this little grass grows; like this summer, there was no grass, except for those places where the river understood [flooded the floodplain].
Also, there is little snow, and the frosts are severe. And the cause of the few rains and snows requires reasoning; because it seems contrary to the climate of this place. Observation latitude of Yakutsk is 62°08". The compass declination is 1°57" to the west.
Report of Vitus Bering to the Yakutsk Voivodship Office on the preparation of guides and horses to advance the expedition from Yakutsk to Okhotsk
As we intend to set off from Yakutsk by land, we demand that in the next week of May, on the 20th day, 200 horses be made with saddles, sweatshirts and other things that are necessary, and moreover, as usual, five horses have one person guides and reins, two people for departure artisans, and that they go along with the clerk, setting off for Kamchatka, Yakov Mokhnachevsky, with whom he himself intends to go with artisans from Lama to Kamchatka, and so that this clerk does not leave until our arrival from Lama. So de navigator Kondraty Moshkov, so that he was sent with us. And on the next June 27, so that 200 horses were collected with everything belonging against the above described, with which he intends to go from here himself, and on July 4, so that 200 horses were collected with everything belonging, with which Lieutenant Chirikov will go.
And on the date described above, we demand the reins to the Osogon volost of Barkhai, Byt with the brother of Sugul Mapiyev spring, Bechur Sor, the shaman's son, who lives at the mouth of Nator. And so that at the current meeting of the horses, it was announced to the Yakut owners that they themselves or whom they believe should come to take the money and to return the horses from Lama, and with every ten horses, so that there should be one spare horse or as much as they themselves want for any occasion. And which horses along the road near Aldan from Buturuska and Meginsky volosts, by July 1, to collect horses on the Notora River, if hired or inter-yard carts are given from here, for which it will be paid against proper hiring, and so that it was announced to the foreigners described above, because they will paid to them, according to the custom of local hires, so that they would have spare horses. And if it happens on the way that the horse sticks or limps, so that there is no stop, but the payment of money, if they demand in advance that there be bail for them, so that they will bring this luggage.
Litter: Sent with midshipman Chaplin.
Vitus Bering's report to the Admiralty Board on his arrival in Okhotsk and forced wintering here
Last September, on the 2nd of this year, 1726, he reported to the State Admiralty Board, being on his way from the Aldan crossing, which he sent a report to Yakutsk to Lieutenant Chirikov for sending to St. Petersburg. Now I dutifully inform: I arrived in the Okhotsk prison on October 1, and I drove around the rest with provisions on the road and I hope that they will arrive in the Okhotsk prison in the near future. And with what difficulty I traveled along this road, I truly cannot write, and if God had not given frost and little snow, then not a single horse would have reached it. And how many horses fell and stuck from the whole team is still unknown. And I have no news from Lieutenant Shpanberg how far they reached along the Yudoma River by ships, but tomorrow I am sending a Tungus on a deer from here to inquire. And the old ship from Kamchatka has not been here this year, and the new ship has not yet been completed, and therefore is forced to spend the winter here.
The lowest servant of the State Admiralty Board. Litter: Sent from Okhotsk to Yakutsk with Stepan Trifonov's man - with Vasily Stepanov.
In the last days of March (1726), a disease called measles appeared on the inhabitants of Yakutsk-city, and in mid-April it greatly multiplied, because everyone who had not been in it before was sick.
And this disease in Yakutsk, according to the local residents, has not happened for more than 40 years: which is confirmed by real grief; for the inhabitants did not have it at the age of 50; and who are 45 years old or less, at all was. And they lay for two weeks, and others and more. April 29 sent to Okhotsk 58 bulls, 4 cows and two poros [boars].
Although Captain Bering traveled from Yakutsk to Okhotsk for 45 days, he traveled around many who had left before him. He made this path without any special adventures, not to mention those obstacles and displeasures that he had to inevitably endure, riding a thousand miles on horseback along a very bad, swampy and mountainous road.
Okhotsk prison, says Chaplin, stands on the banks of the Okhota River; housing in it 11 yards; Russian inhabitants, who have more food from fish than from bread. There are quite a few yasak foreigners under the authority of the prison. In Lamut, the Sea of Okhotsk is called Lamo.
October 1, arriving in Okhotsk, Captain Bering found that the newly built ship was already sheathed to the deck; and work stopped only for lack of resin. Seeing that the barns that were here were extremely dilapidated, he occupied his servants with the construction of new ones.
Since the expedition of Captain Bering is the first sea voyage undertaken by the Russians, all the slightest details of it should be pleasant for lovers of Russian antiquities. If many of them now seem strange, they are nevertheless worthy of respect, for they show the gradual course of things, from the first beginning to the present perfection.
Here is a brief extract from Captain Bering's reports to the Admiralty Board: from Tobolsk they traveled on 4 boardwalks along the Irtysh and Ob rivers to Narym. From Narym they followed the river Ketya up to Makovsky prison, where they arrived on July 19th. There are no peoples on these rivers from the Narym.
From Makovsky prison they had a route by land and arrived with all the ministers and materials in Yeniseisk on August 21. Having moved 70 versts from Yeniseisk, they went up the Yenisei and Tunguska rivers on four boards, and arrived in Ilimsk on September 29.
There are many large and small rapids on the Tunguska River; it is very fast and stony, and it is impossible to go without pilots. The width of the Tunguska River is about 4 versts, occasionally there are Russian villages along it, the banks are very high. Lieutenant Shpanberg, and soldiers and artisans taken from Yeniseisk, were sent from Ilimsk to the mouth of the Kuta River, which flows into the Lena, to prepare timber for the construction of ships, which should go to Yakutsk and from there to the Yudoma Cross.
At Ust-Kut, 15 ships were built and launched, with a length of 39 to 49 feet, a width of 8 to 14 feet, a depth with a full load of 14 to 17 inches, and 14 more boats. They set off from Ust-Kut on May 8, 1726 with 8 ships, and left 7 ships with lieutenant Chirikov.
They arrived in Yakutsk on June 1, and the remaining ships arrived on June 16. On July 7, the day sent 13 vessels with materials by water on the proper path with Lieutenant Spanberg; August 16 I set off on 200 horses to Okhotsk.
Report from Okhotsk dated October 28: provisions were sent from Yakutsk by land, the latter arrived in Okhotsk on October 25 on 396 horses. On the way, 267 horses disappeared and died for lack of fodder. During the journey to Okhotsk, people suffered a great famine due to a lack of provisions.
Ate belts, leathers, and leather pants, and soles. And the horses that arrived fed on grass, getting it out from under the snow, because they didn’t have time to prepare hay after a late arrival in Okhotsk, and it was impossible: everyone froze from deep snow and frost. And the rest of the ministers arrived by sledges on dogs in Okhotsk.
So, out of 600 horses sent from Yakutsk, less than half reached Okhotsk. Lieutenant Shpanberg, who set off by water, also did not reach the Kolyma Cross, but was caught by frost on the Yudoma River, near the mouth of the Gorbeya River. During the journey, 24 horses fell from Kozlov's student, and he left the bags at the Yudoma Cross. The doctor lost 12 horses, out of 11 bulls only one survived. The horses left in Okhotsk also suffered a not the best fate. Chaplin says: by this date (November 11) 121 of the remaining horses have died.
Throughout November, the team was occupied with logging, for building a house, barns and for other needs. On the 19th there was an extremely great water that caused harm to the city. It is remarkable that during the whole month the wind blew from the north.
On December 2, says Chaplin, Mr. Captain moved to live in a newly built house.
The position of Lieutenant Spanberg was also very unpleasant: winter caught him in a deserted and harsh place, where he could not receive the slightest allowance. In this distressful situation, he decided to walk to the Yudoma Cross, and on this way, as Miller says, he was so hungry that he ate with the whole team bags, belts and even boots.
From the journal of midshipman Chaplin, it can be seen that on December 21 (1725) a report was received from him, in which he announced that he was going to the Yudomsky Cross on 90 sleds, and left the navigator and 6 soldiers at the ships. The next day, various provisions were sent to meet him on 10 sledges, and then a day later another 39 people on 37 sleds. All December the wind also blew from the north and NNO.
Report of Lieutenant M.P. Shpanberg to V.Y. Bering on the difficult conditions of the journey from Yakutsk to Okhotsk
past July 6, 1726 according to the instructions given to me, signed by Mr. Captain Bering, 13 plank ships loaded with materials and provisions were entrusted, on which there were 203 servants and Yakut service people. And according to this instruction, it was shown to me to have a tract by the rivers Lena down, Aldan, Maey and Yudoma up as possible, and to unload ships, where it would be impossible to go for shallow water or frost, 300 horses would be sent and it would be written to me upon his arrival, g -to the captain, to Aldan, where there is a crossing. And in the transfer of materials and provisions, repair according to my position with zeal.
Of certain leaders, Fyodor Kolmakov, he asked about the way by rivers, and he said, not only the way by rivers, but take care of all these rivers, he knows everything about stone and other places.
July 7 the numbers at noon on the aforementioned ships went from Yakutsk along the Lena River, which they sailed to the mouth of the Aldan River until July 10, 6 o'clock in the morning and made poles, rudders, and so on. And on the same day at 8 o'clock in the evening they went up Aldan, pulled the courts with a tow line, arrived at the crossing on the 15th of August. And, consider the crossing of the land road, along which provisions are moving on horseback, which is very difficult without ships through Aldan, ordered to unload one small plank ship and leave two large and one small trays for transportation. And according to the instructions, having accepted 10 cattle from the apprentice Kozlov for food, he ordered the commissar to divide the people, leaving the Yakut service people behind the illness.
On the 16th of August, I reported to Mr. Captain about the arrival at this crossing and about 10 runaway servicemen who fled on the Aldan River in different numbers. And on the same date at 11 o’clock they set off and one of the Yakut servicemen ran against the mouth of the Yunakan River.
On the 17th, 2 people fled.
On the 18th, at the mouth of the Yuna River, a servant fled alone, but I released the leader, who was unfit for illness, and gave him one small tray; with him he sent a report to Mr. Captain about the fugitive 4 people.
On the 19th, the leader of one man escaped.
On the 21st, at the eighth hour of the evening, they arrived at the mouth of the Mai River and walked along this river until the 2nd of September, on which there are shivers [rocky shallow rapids] and the ascents are much difficult and fast.
On the 2nd of September, they entered the mouth of the Yudoma River, which is very shallow, fast and shivery, along which it is impossible to pull one ship for people who find it in places; they sent one, and in such places they went one verst a day, and so the ships were raised. On this river they went until the 13th of September and great shallows came, and small ice began to flow along this river, which is called sludge in the local area, and it is impossible to go further beyond the shallows. For this reason, I found a place where you can stand with the ships, on the right side of the Kurya or the bay, and in the evening at 7 o'clock with all the ships safely.
From the aforementioned September 2 to September 13, during the course of it, 10 servicemen fled in different numbers, released for French and other illnesses.
On the 14th of September, I reviewed the Yakut service people, of which, according to my review, and, moreover, according to the testimony and signing of fairy tales at the hands of non-commissioned officers for various illnesses, servicemen 14 people, who, having given posports and one small boat, let go to Yakutsk.
On the 15th, 4 servicemen fled at night. On the same date, he ordered to make 2 ships, on which to load anchors, ropes, sails, cannons and other appropriate things that are necessary, which it is not possible to carry with packs by land, and loaded, and 5 more boats were loaded with small materials with which he intended go as far as possible. And he entrusted the remaining 10 ships with provisions at that place to the navigator Dzhars Morisen and ordered the construction of a barn 7 fathoms long, 5 fathoms wide for unloading and luggage of provisions and materials, and for wintering people. And I myself went on the same date on the 2 ships described above, taking with me all the Yakut servicemen, and through great work behind the shallows and shivers and frost, arrived on the 21st of September to the Gorbeya River, and it is impossible to go higher than it in any way. And seeing a convenient place near that river, the island of Gorbey, he ordered to unload materials from the ships and build the same barn and two winter huts. And on the way from 2 ships from the first winter hut to Gorbeya, 6 service people fled.
On the 22nd of September, he ordered one ship to be lowered down to the first winter quarter to load government wine, church things, money treasury, etc., as well as servants of belongings, and ordered all the servants to be at the Gorbei winter quarter, and at the first winter quarter he ordered to leave 5 soldiers for guard at the provisions and supplies.
On the 28th day of September, one navigator, 18 carpenters, arrived from that ship, and this navigator reported to me that it was impossible to go far for ice and frost on this ship. And from the above-described 22, they made a barn and a winter hut and prepared a birch forest for sleds.
On October 1, Ivan Belaya reported to me for the skipper that the Yakut service people did not want to go to work, whom he ordered to be sent for the most necessary work under guard, and those who were breeders of this evil, he ordered to put in stocks and be at the same work.
On the 4th, for the aforementioned contradictions, so that no more evil would happen, he ordered them to read the regulations and inflict a fine, 5 people should be whipped moderately with cats, so that henceforth others would have a sample, and ordered the blocks to be removed from 5 people. On the same date, 24 servicemen were sent on three sleighs and with them one sailor, 2 carpenters, to guard the aforementioned ship to collect materials from that ship.
On the 5th of October, the navigator Enzel came to me from the first winter hut by land and with him 7 people, to whom he reported that the courts had unloaded into the barn.
On the 7th, the navigator Morisen arrived and brought with him luggage on 33 sleds from the above-described vessel of materials.
On the 8th he sent a navigator and 24 people with him to the aforementioned ship for the remaining materials, on the same date they made a barn and a winter hut near Gorbeya.
On the 11th, the navigator arrived with the remaining materials and reported that the ship had unloaded and secured. And before the 4th of November, 100 sledges were made.
And I asked the leader, or pilot, Fyodor Kolmakov, determined from Yakutsk, about the way to the Cross, how many days it takes, and he said: it takes 4 days to go from our winter hut to Scheks, from Scheks to the Turning River 5 days, from Turning to the threshold 9 days, from the threshold to the Cross 4 days, and from the Cross to the Lama, although it is quiet, 10 days. Moreover, non-commissioned officers and all the teams of our servants testify to this, he, Kalmakov, told me that he knows all the places and tracts, and rivers along the Yudoma River to the Cross and from the Cross to Okhotsk. And on the sledges described above they put the most necessary things: artillery, medicines, church things, rigging, money treasury, ammunition. And he ordered the servants to give food for the months of November and December, according to the instructions given to me, one and a half poods per person, and according to the instructions, the Yakut servants were ordered to give only a pood per person for the month of October, and not shown for other months. And I, seeing their need, so as not to starve to death, ordered to give out for this journey for November and December the months of half a pood per person and ordered the blocks to be removed from three people. At winter huts he left for the guard: one navigator, six soldiers, one cooper for making small wine and oil vessels.
And they went on their way at midnight at 9 o'clock by the Yudoma river. There is a lot of snow on this river.
On the 5th of November, one carpenter from the Yenisei returned from the road to the winter hut without our knowledge.
On the 19th, one serviceman died.
And until the 25th of November they went to the Povorotnaya River and, having passed the Povorotnaya River, they became higher for one day, and from the aforementioned 4th number there were great frosts and blizzards on the way, 5 servicemen fled, and many others were sick, for that they left 40 sledges and volume for the guard: one soldier, one carpenter, one blacksmith, servicemen 2, who are so sick and cannot walk, and ordered these sleds to be brought ashore and ordered to make booths for guarding.
On the same date I received an order [order, German] from Mr. Captain, in which he orders me to go with heavy materials that cannot be carried in packs, as well as for the distribution of provisions to servants and service people at the discretion of their needs, and I heard that 70 sums of flour were left at the Cross. On the same date he sent a message to Mr. Captain, a serviceman, alone to help and meet us on the road, and we set off.
On the 1st of December, at night, at the Talovka River, 6 servants fled and there was little food for people, so every day there were 20 or more people who were sick, and for this they left anchors, cannons and large ropes - 20 sleds in total - and ordered them to be pulled ashore and make a farce. From the 1st to the 12th of December described above, they went to Kriva Luka, where they had a great need for provisions, so that people had nothing, and which I had my own provisions: wheat flour, cereals, meat, peas - I distributed everything to people and equally with they had such a need. And seeing a considerable famine, I went ahead from Krivoy Luka to the Cross in order to send provisions to meet the people. There are distances to the Cross, for example, from 60 vert, which at 10 o’clock, except for the night, he crossed and at the same time sent 2 soldiers who were on guard, on 2 sledges of flour 4 pounds and ordered to hurry as possible. And before the arrival of provisions, people ate from sled belts, bags, pants, shoes, leather beds and dogs. And in those numbers, 2 people remained and died from Talovka to the Cross in different numbers, Yenisei carpenters 2, Yakut servicemen 2 people.
On the 17th of December, people arrived at the Cross, and I met the last 10 versts from the Cross and brought the last with me at 5 o'clock in the afternoon.
On the 19th, he reviewed all the servants and servants, of whom the sick appeared, 11 servants, 15 Yakut servants, and 59 healthy servants and servants, were ill with other illnesses, and ordered the commissar to give everyone a pood of flour, and the Yakut servants, at the request, let them go and gave them passports.
On the 20th, at 2 o'clock in the afternoon, I set off on a journey to Okhotsk fort from the Cross on 40 sleds and with us a cash treasury, a pharmacy and other small things.
And until the 29th, they went with no small need, severe frosts and provisions were not enough, and they ate dead horses and all sorts of leather things on the road. For this reason, I went ahead to the Okhotsk prison, one of the people who could be beaten, there is no such thing, everyone was emaciated, and I walked day and night.
On the 31st of December, after dinner at 3 o’clock, I met from Okhotsk Corporal Anashkin sent to me from Mr. Captain to meet with 10 sleds with provisions, on which meat and fish, and on the same date sent 2 sleds and himself returned with them on dogs to people , who ordered to give meat and fish immediately. And toe of the night ordered people to sleep and rest, and I myself went ahead.
On the 1st of January, I met 40 sledges with meat and fish and ordered the commissar to give people half a pood of meat, 6 kachamas of fish, and 2 1∕2 pounds of millet.
And the last of all the ministers of this January 16 gathered in the Okhotsk jail, and how many ministers of the sick and healthy, where they are found and died and fled, for this I am enclosing a register of names and a report card, as well as materials where they are left, register 3 and about provisions expense according to a message from Commissar Durasov. And all the proper departure and all sorts of cases in this campaign appear in the journal.
And the aforementioned leader Kolmakov knew nothing of the road from the winter quarters to the Cross and from the Cross to Okhotsk, and what he told me, he kept lying, and when there was no trace and no road, then we wandered a lot and then, for lack of a road, we went a lot not on the unnecessary path.
Lieutenant Spanberkh.
On January 6, Lieutenant Shpanberg arrived in Okhotsk on 7 sleds and reported to Captain Bering that his team was following him. Although in January, as can be seen from Chaplin's journal, the frost was much more moderate, the number of patients reached 18. It is remarkable that this month, too, the wind blew without any exception from N and NHO.
Until February 14, the wind also blew from the north, and on this day Lieutenant Shpanberg set off with midshipman Chaplin on 76 sleds to collect the materials left behind. On the 28th they arrived there and were informed by the surveyor Luzhin that the navigator Morison had died on February 2nd.
April 6 they arrived safely in Okhotsk. It is a pity that Chaplin was sent on this expedition; for through his absence, we lost information about what was happening at that time in Okhotsk.
At the end of April, the clerk Turchaninov announced that he knew something important about Captain Bering, or something terrible then: word and deed. Captain Bering ordered to put him immediately under a strong guard, and after 5 days sent him to Yakutsk, to be escorted to St. Petersburg.
Although from the first days of May the weather was very clear and warm, but, as the log shows, there were 16 sick people. At this time, some of the materials and provisions were brought; all month this south wind blew.
The whole month of June passed in preparations for sailing to Kamchatka. On the 8th, a newly built ship called "Fortuna" was launched; and on the 11th, the surveyor Luzhin arrived from the Yudoma Cross with all the other supplies and flour. Of the 100 horses that were with him, he brought only 11, the rest fled, died and were eaten by wolves.
At the end of the month, the ship was armed with Galiot [galiot] equipment, and loaded into it all the supplies and materials that were assigned to be transported to Kamchatka. Throughout June the winds also blew from the south. According to Chaplin's observation, the latitude of Okhotsk turned out to be 59 ° 13 ".
On July 1, Lieutenant Shpanberg went to sea on a newly built ship and directed the way to Bolsheretsk, on which 13 Yenisei and Irkutsk merchants also went to bargain in Kamchatka. Two days later, after his departure, Lieutenant Chirikov arrived in Okhotsk, with the rest of the attendants and supplies; and after him the quartermaster Borisov, on 110 horses, brought 200 sums of flour.
On the 10th, a boat arrived from Bolsheretsk with a yasak treasury, and two commissars arrived on it, sent in 1726 to collect yasak from all over Kamchatka. This boat was the one on which the first voyage from Okhotsk to Kamchatka was made in 1716. The commissars reported to Captain Bering that this ship could no longer be used without repair. A week after this, a Pentecostal arrived from Yakutsk on 63 horses and brought 207 sums of flour.
On the 30th, a Vedrov soldier arrived on 80 horses and brought 162 sums of flour. On this day, a sergeant was sent with a report to the State Admiralty College. On the 23rd, another 18 sums of flour were brought. On the 24th, a serviceman arrived on 146 horses and brought 192 sums of flour. On the 30th, Sergeant Shirokov arrived on 20 horses and brought 50 bulls. Throughout June the winds were from the south and east.
On August 4, the said boat was launched, re-corrected. It is strange that neither Miller, below [and] Chaplin, do not say what he was called. On the 7th, a great multitude of ducks arrived at the seaside; on this occasion, the whole team was sent there and brought them 3000; and 5,000, says Chaplin, flew back into the sea. On the 11th Lieutenant Shpanberg arrived back from Bolsheretsk.
On August 19, the whole team moved to the ships: Captain Bering and Lieutenant Shpanberg boarded the new one, and Lieutenant Chirikov, midshipman Chaplin, 4 sailors and 15 servants boarded the old one. It must be assumed that by the name of sailors Chaplin means the navigators of the Okhotsk and navigational students.
August 22, 1727, both ships set sail. Since Chaplin was on Lieutenant Chirikov's ship, we do not have a journal of the Bering voyage; however, the reader will see that they were not far from each other.
Leaving the roadstead, with a moderate north wind, we went to SOtO and, following without any adventure, arrived on the 29th in sight of the Kamchatka coast, at a latitude of 55 ° 15 ". Before reaching it for 1 1∕2, we anchored and sent for water to the river, which, as the sailors told them, is called Krutogoroska.In a 5-day voyage, they conducted this in the most strict way, and observed, when time allowed, the height of the sun and the declination of the compass.The map attached shows their path.
On September 1, in the afternoon, we weighed anchor and went near the shore to the south. Soon they saw Captain Bering's ship at StO at a distance of 20 miles. Following with quiet winds, they caught up with it the next day and on the 4th arrived at the mouth of the Bolshaya River. Chaplin writes: we entered the Bolshaya River with our ship at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and Captain Bering at 6 o'clock.
There was full water at half past 8 o'clock before the moon arrived at the midnight meridian at 4 hours and 54 minutes. The latitude of this place is 52°42".
Chaplin writes in his journal: the difference in width between the mouths of the Okhota and Bolshaya rivers is 6°31", RMB SO 4°38" to the east. Swimming distance 603 miles; and Russian versts 1051.27, departures 460 miles. According to his own journal, it is clear that the difference in longitude between Bolsheretsk and Okhotsk is 13 ° 43 ", which is almost completely true.
At noon on September 6, Captain Bering, Lieutenant Shpanberg and a doctor left the ship, and went to prison with the entire crew on 20 boats.
On the 9th, Lieutenant Chirikov also went there. In Bolsheretsky prison, according to Chaplin's observation, the latitude of the place is 52 ° 45 "and the compass declination is 10 ° 28" east.
For the whole month of September, they were engaged in transporting various things from ships to prison, for which they used 40 Bolsheretsky, or, better, Kamchatka, boats. One can easily judge how difficult this transportation was, for Chaplin says: on each boat there were two people of other faiths, who with poles carried them up the river.
In the middle of the month, Lieutenant Shpanberg was sent with several boats up the Bolshaya and Bystraya rivers to the Nizhnekamchatsky prison.
Lieutenant Chirikov says: there are 17 courtyards in the Bolsheretsky prison of Russian housing and a chapel for prayer. Location latitude 52°45", compass declination 10°28" east. The manager was a certain Slobodchikov.
On October 6, the mentioned boats arrived from Nizhnekamchatsk, and the navigator who arrived on them reported to Captain Bering that, while walking along the Bystraya River, they lost two anchors and 3 bags of flour. On the 26th, says Chaplin, the captain ordered me to be declared a midshipman on command, through which I was declared. It should be noted that at that time midshipmen did not have officer ranks. The junior naval officer was a non-commissioned lieutenant of the 12th class.
The climate in Bolsheretsk was very good, although it sometimes snowed from October 7, but the river did not rise, and on the 30th there was thunder. Throughout November it snowed very often; but it also rained at times. In the middle of the month the local steward died; and on the 24th, says Chaplin, for the day of the namesake of Her Imperial Majesty, cannons were fired. On clear days sailors and soldiers were taught how to use a gun and shoot at a target.
In December there were already constant frosts. At this time, a dead whale was brought to the mouth of the Bolshaya River, and several sledges were sent from the prison for fat, which on different trips brought up to 200 pounds of it. Nothing can be said about the winds in Bolsheretsky prison: they were variable all the time.
On January 4, various supplies and captain's luggage were sent on 78 sledges to Nizhnekamchatsk; and on the 14th Captain Bering himself set off with the whole team.
January 25 arrived safely in Verkhnekamchatsk, 486 miles from Bolsheretsk. This prison, says Chaplin, stands on the left bank of the Kamchatka River, housing 17 households in it; but service people and yasak foreigners live, whose dialect differs from Bolsheretsky.
Captain Bering spent seven weeks in this prison, watching the departure of various things to Nizhnekamchatsk, where he himself and the rest of the team left on March 2. On the 11th, everyone arrived there safely, and Chaplin says: the prison stands on the right side of the Kamchatka River, there are 40 households in it; and spreads along the coast about a verst.
At 7 versts from it on SOTO there are hot (sulphurous) springs, where there is a church and 15 yards; lieutenant Spanberg lived here: for he was not very healthy. From Verkhnekamchatsk to Nizhnekamchatsk 397 versts; consequently, all the burdens and sea provisions unloaded in Bolsheretsk had to be carried 833 versts.
The Upper Kamchatka prison, says Lieutenant Chirikov, was built on the left bank of the Kamchatka River, there were 15 households and a chapel, there were 40 Russian servants, a certain Chuprov was the steward. Latitude 54°28". Compass declination 11°34" East. Krasheninnikov, who wintered here in 1738, says: there are 22 philistine houses, and 56 servicemen and Cossack children.
April 4 at the meeting of the whole team laid the bot. Chaplin says: on this occasion, the captain complained of everyone quite enough with wine. According to the observation, the latitude of the place turned out to be 56 ° 10 ". On May 30, Lieutenant Chirikov arrived here with the rest of the team. In March, April and May, the winds blew here mostly from the south.
On June 9, after the Divine Liturgy was celebrated, the newly built boat was called "Saint Gabriel" and was safely launched into the water. The team that was in this business was given two and a half buckets of wine as a reward.
It will seem strange to many readers why Captain Bering did not sail from Okhotsk directly to Avacha or Nizhnekamchatsk. If he had done so, then two years of time would have been won, and the poor Kamchadals would not have to carry all the burdens across the whole of Kamchatka, from Bolsheretsk to Nizhnekamchatsk.
One cannot think that Bering did not have information about the Kuril Islands and the southern tip of the Kamchatka Peninsula. We saw above that he demanded the monk Kozyrevsky, who, sailing through those places, could provide him with detailed information about the countries there. The proof that this conclusion is solid is the fact that in 1729 Captain Bering sailed from Nizhnekamchatsk straight to Okhotsk.
In an extract from the first Bering voyage, compiled by our famous hydrograph, Admiral Nagaev, it is said: although Captain Bering intended to go around the Kamchatka land to the mouth of the Kamchatka River, only severe winds hindered, and moreover, late autumn time and unknown places.
If autumn were really the reason for Captain Bering's wintering in Bolsheretsk, then he could make this journey very easily next year. It must be assumed that this immortal navigator had special reasons that are not at all known to us.
On July 9, everyone moved to the boat, and on the 13th, setting all the sails, they sailed from the mouth of the Kamchatka River to the sea. All the servants were on board: the captain, and 2 lieutenants, midshipman, and doctor, and quartermaster 1, navigator 1, sailors 8, foreman 1, student 1, drummer 1, sailboat 1, soldier 9, cable car 1, carpenters 5, Cossacks 2 , interpreters 2, officer servants 6 - a total of 44 people.
They remained at the prison due to illness: the surveyor Luzhin, who was sent by Emperor Peter I in 1719 to the 6th Kuril Island to find golden sand, and 4 soldiers to guard the treasury and provisions.
Lieutenant Chirikov says: after all, this is a place near the mouth of the Kamchatka River, on the seashore, from which they intend, according to the perception of the path, to calculate the length as from the first meridian, for the sake of decently calculating the difference in length from St. Petersburg here. Relying on the observed lunar eclipse in Ilimsk on October 10, 1725, the entire difference in length to this place is 126 ° 01 "49".
The venerable Chirikov, having established himself on the aforementioned observation of the moon in Ilimsk, made an important mistake. His ship reckoning is much more accurate: the log of his river voyage from Tobolsk to Ilimsk shows a difference in longitude of 36 ° 44 ", but according to observation, it turned out to be 30 ° 13", which he took for the real one.
According to the most accurate observations, or according to the map of Captain Cook, who determined the position of the Kamchatka Cape, the difference in longitude between St. Petersburg and Nizhnekamchatsky is 132 ° 31.
Chirikov considers it only 126°1".
But if you add 6°31 to this,
then exactly the same will come out - 132 ° 32 ".
These 6 ° 31 "is the difference between the ship's reckoning against the observation of the eclipse of the moon in Ilimsk. Who knows how difficult it is to observe this phenomenon, he, without blaming the famous navigator, our captain Chirikov, will marvel at the accuracy with which he kept the ship's reckoning.
July 14. Captain Bering sailed these days to the south in order to bypass the Kamchatsky Nose, which protruded far into the sea. He began to count from the Nizhnekamchatka meridian, the latitude of which he indicated in his journal as 56 ° 03 ", and the declination of the compass 13 ° 10" east.
It is remarkable that the immortal Cook, approaching in 1779 very close to the Kamchatka Cape, also found its latitude 56 ° 03 "and the compass declination 10 ° 00" east. On that day, only 11 Italian miles were sailed, which were used during the entire journey along the sea and rivers. On the map attached to this, sailing every day is indicated.
July 15. Clear weather, but the wind was so quiet that only 18 miles were sailed until midnight. At 3 o'clock in the morning the entire coast, near which they sailed, was covered with fog; when the sun rose, it was found out, and then the compass declination of 14 ° 45 "to the east was calculated from the amplitude. The total voyage was 35 miles on ONO that day.
July 16. From noon, from which navigators usually count a day, a fresh wind blew from the SSW, and the course was 6 ½ knots, or Italian miles per hour. At sunset, the compass declination was calculated as 16 ° 59 "East. In the evening the wind died down, the horizon was covered with fog, and, as Chaplin says, there was moisture, that is, frost.
Report of Vitus Bering to the Admiralty Board on the construction of the boat "Saint Gabriel" and the preparation of the expedition for sailing
State Admiralty Board report
Last May 11, I dutifully reported to the State Admiralty Board from the Lower Kamchadal prison about our departure from the Okhotsk prison to the Bolsheretsky mouth and about the transfer of materials and provisions by land from Bolsheretsk to the Lower Kamchadal prison and about the structure of the boat, which the report was sent to the Yakut office.
Now I humbly inform: on June 8, the boat was launched without a deck and carried to the mouth of the Kamchatka River to feed the artisans, and this July, on the 6th day, the ship arrived safely from Bolsheretsk, which was 16 days on the way. On the same date, the boat was completed, and on 9 days they loaded it, and with the first favorable wind, with God's help, we will go to the sea to diminish the gear, also for repairs. For a short time, so as not to miss the summer time, he was forced to go on one boat, and leave the ship that arrived from Bolsheretsk. And from the one who had provisions, what was put in the bot and what was left where, the registry reported. The same number of 11 people who find in my team a hieromonk, Yenisei and Irkutsk carpenters, sent 3 blacksmiths to their former teams, it’s impossible to fit on one boat, and was forced to issue a cash salary in January until 1 day 1729 for their travel and food in these empty places years, also those who go with me on the road, for the purchase of a dress and the payment of debts, a monetary salary was issued until 1729. And for the provisions, materials and the monetary treasury that had risen from us, at the Lower Kamchadal prison, 3 people and the sick were left to guard the soldiers: the surveyor Putilov and one soldier, and they were given instructions from us: if we don’t return back in 1729, from what, God , save that they give the remaining provisions and materials to the treasury with a receipt at the Kamchadal jails, and themselves, taking the money treasury, go to Yakutsk and give this money to the Yakut office with a receipt. And out of the 1,000 rubles given to me from the calmeister's office, 573 rubles 70 kopecks remained for the expense, and he took this money with him for any needs that happened. And the original letters that come to us on May 3rd, and those leaving March on the 31st of this year, 1728, were left at the Lower Kamchadal prison by my team with guard soldiers. And for the things that had risen from us, we built a barn near the springs, where the church, at a distance of 6 versts from the Lower Kamchadal prison, there were no government barns, and we didn’t dare to build at the prison, for which it drowns with water all the years, and costs the water of June from the first days to the middle of July.
At the same time, I humbly propose to the State Admiralty Board a report card on the state of the team and cash flow from 1727 from January to July 10 of this day, 1728.
According to observation, the compass declination was 16 ° 59 "East. The wind was moderate, temporarily foggy and gloomy. The journal says that at 6 o'clock in the afternoon they saw a mountain whitening with snow, and a famous place on the coast.
According to the reckoning, it turns out that it was the Cape of the Lake. In the morning we saw land directly to the north, which should be Cape Ukinsky, which on old maps is much longer and protrudes more into the sea than on new ones.
July 18. The wind is calm and the weather is clear. During all these days, Captain Bering sailed only 8 miles to the north. Approaching, probably, very close to Ukinsky Cape, he ruled for several hours on SSO and OSO. According to the observation, the latitude of the place was 57 ° 59 "and the compass declination was 18 ° 48".
The first [figure] is very consistent with the map and ship's reckoning. The glorious Ukinskaya Bay, says Krasheninnikov, has a circumference of 20 versts, from here begins the dwelling of the sedentary [settled] Koryaks; and up to this place the Kamchadals live.
July 19. Cloudy weather and light wind. On the first day we sailed only 22 miles on NOtN. Although Captain Bering saw Karaginsky Island, he did not know that it was an island; in his journal it is said: a hill on the shore, from which, as it were, the division of the earth.
July 20. Fresh wind and fog. On this day, Captain Bering sailed 92 miles on NOtO and, as you can see from his log, he passed the Karaginsky Cape, on the Kamchatka coast, at a distance of 22 miles.
It is a pity that our new geographers, when compiling maps, did not conform to the old ones and to the description of the Kamchatka shores. The reader will now look in vain for Cape Ilpinsky, which, as can be seen from the above description, protrudes 10 versts into the sea and is located 4 versts from the mouth of the Ilpinsky River. This cape is now called Karaginsky, and without any reason; for between it and Karaginsky Island is Stone Island.
Krasheninnikov says: this cape (Ilpinsky) near the hardened land is very narrow, sandy and so low that water overflows through it. At the head, it is broad, stony, and mediocrely tall; opposite it there is a small island in the sea, called Verkhoturov. We also do not know: Kamenny Island and Verkhoturov Island - are there two islands or one and the same?
According to Miller's notes, it can be seen that in 1706 the clerk Protopopov, nicknamed Verkhoturov, set off from the mouth of the Olyutora River by sea to the Kamchatka River. Arriving at the mouth of the Tuplata River, he saw on a nearby small, steep and rocky island, a Koryak prison, which he attacked. The Koryaks fought very bravely, killed Verkhoturov and most of his subordinates. Miller says: except for two or three people who went in a boat to Kamchatka, everyone was beaten.
July 21. Fresh wind and fog. In a whole day, 100 miles were sailed, and the log shows that they passed different capes; but Captain Bering, for reasons unknown to us, did not give them a name. He only says: they saw a mountain whitened with snow. We saw the famous mountain.
We saw a special kind of mountain. We saw a mountain near the sea. Such a position of the shores would give today's navigators an opportunity to remember all their benefactors and many of their superiors.
July 22. Midshipman Chaplin did not say a word about Olyutorskaya Bay, which they sailed that day. Steller says: opposite the Olyutorskaya Bay, in the east, there is an island in the sea for two miles, where only black foxes are found, which the Olyutortsy, except for extreme need, do not catch, imputing it as a sin and fearing from that extreme misfortune. Since we do not have detailed information about the position of that shore, we can neither deny nor affirm the validity of Steller's words.
Between the old papers, I found the following Senate decree, from which it is clear that there should be islands in the Olyutorskaya Bay. The merchant Yugov could not understand under this name the Aleutian Islands; for the first information about them was received in Irkutsk in 1742.
Fresh wind and temporarily clear. They sailed at a distance of 15 miles from high stone mountains, of which, as the log shows, one ends in a steep cliff. On this day, we sailed 100 miles and observed the latitude of the place 60 ° 16 "and the compass declination 16 ° 56" east. The calculated latitude was to the north of the observed 14 minutes.
July 23. Moderate wind and clear weather. We, says Chaplin, sailed parallel to the coast at a distance of 20 miles. At sunrise, the compass declination is calculated 19 ° 37 ", and 3 hours after - 25 ° 24" East. If, during the second observation, Captain Bering had gone on a different tack, then one could explain the reason for this large difference; but the log shows that he sailed until 11 o'clock, when it was calm, at NOtN3∕4N on the right compass.
The whole coast, past which they sailed, consisted of high mountains. One of them was covered with snow in different places and received the name Variegated. On this day, 48 miles were sailed, and according to the observation, the latitude of the place turned out to be 61 ° 03 ".
July 24. From noon the weather was warm and pleasant, the voyage continued to the shore, from which the previous day, due to calmness, they left. Toward evening the wind picked up and blew in gusts from behind the mountains.
July 25. In the afternoon it rained with a strong wind, which subsided towards evening; but the result was great excitement. In the morning we saw the coast in front of our nose, which consisted of a high detached mountain. According to the observation, the latitude was 61 ° 32 ", which was very consistent with the ship's reckoning. The compass declination was calculated as 24 ° 00" east.
July 26. A calm wind and clear weather, all day long sailed parallel to the coast, being at a distance of 20 miles from it. In the evening we passed the bay that lay on NWtN, which must be the mouth of the Khatyrka River. On this day, 80 miles were sailed and the compass declination was calculated twice - 21 ° 05 "and 21 ° 10" east. The merchants Bakhov and Novikov entered this river in 1748; according to their description, the Khatyrka river is not wide, up to 4 sazhens deep and abundant in fish.
July 27. Quiet variable wind and sunshine. Continuing the path parallel to the coast, we saw at two o'clock in the afternoon how Chaplin says, "ahead of the earth on its course." This should be Cape St. Thaddeus, which on the new maps is placed differently than Bering. But it seems that Bering's map should be given more credit; for he, going to NOtO, suddenly began to keep on SOtO and went around this cape at a distance of 3 miles, being 15 miles from the former coast.
Approaching Cape St. Thaddeus, Chaplin says, we could see a drop on the ground on NWtN, from which, we hope, rivers flow into the sea, because the water in the sea against this place is excellent in color.
It's wonderful how accurate Chaplin's description is. Captain King, who continued Cook's journal after his death, speaks of Cape St. Thaddeus: from the southern tip of this cape, the coast extends directly to the east and a large depression is visible. The eastern part of Cape St. Thaddeus is located at latitude 62°50" and longitude 179° east of Greenwich, which is 3 1∕2 degrees east of Russian maps.
The nearby shores must be very high, for we saw them at a great distance. At this cape we met many whales, sea lions, walruses and various birds. Taking advantage of the calm weather, we caught here quite tasty fish, a kind of salmon. The depth of the sea was here 65 and 75 fathoms.
On the general map of Russia in 1745, Cape St. Thaddeus is marked in longitude 193 ° 50 "from the island of Deferro, or 176 ° 02" from Greenwich. It is surprising that when compiling it, they did not look into the Bering journal. When he was at Cape St. Thaddeus, he showed a difference in longitude to the east of 17 ° 35 ", and since the longitude of Nizhnekamchatsk is 161 ° 38" east of Greenwich, it turns out that his reckoning is very consistent with Cook's observation (179 ° 13 ").
July 28. Gentle wind and rain. The current of the sea from SOtS at 1 mile per hour is noted here. In this sea, says Chaplin, animals are shown, many whales, on which the skin is mottled, sea lions (sea lions), walruses and sea pigs. On this day we sailed 30 miles on NtW, at noon we were 15 miles from the coast and saw a high large mountain near the sea itself.
July 29. Moderate wind, cloudy weather and fog. The path continued parallel to the shore. Chaplin notices: the land on the shore is low, which they had on the left; and up to this place along the coast there were all high mountains. Approaching the mouth of the Anadyr River, we found a sea depth of 10 fathoms, the ground was fine sand.
It must be assumed that Captain Bering did not know where he was; for otherwise he would have mentioned this in his journal and probably would have wanted to see those who live there, from whom he could receive fresh provisions and news about the situation of the coast. The Anadyr prison, destroyed around 1760, existed for more than 100 years and was located on the left bank of the river, at a distance of 58 versts from the sea.
On this day, 34 miles were sailed on NWtN. At midnight, Captain Bering ordered to drift and at dawn, having taken off from it, went on his way again; approaching the shore, which was 1 ½ miles to their left, they found the depth of the sea 9 fathoms.
July 30. Cloudy weather, moderate wind. At 5 o'clock in the afternoon, approaching the coast at a distance of 1 ½ miles, Captain Bering ordered to anchor at a depth of 10 fathoms. We had just anchored, says Chaplin, then the captain sent me to look for fresh water and inspect a place where one could become a boat safely.
Upon arrival on earth, I did not find fresh water, and there was also no convenient place to stand with the boat, unless it was possible on the arrived water. It would be difficult to enter the bay; and people were not seen on the shore. Upon Chaplin's arrival, Captain Bering took off the anchor and swam near the shore, at which the depth of the sea was 12 fathoms.
July 31. All day this was cloudy and foggy weather; but, despite the fact that the shores were occasionally shown on NW and NO, Captain Bering continued on his way and swam 85 miles on NO for a whole day. The depth of the sea was 10 and 11 sazhens throughout the voyage. Around noon they noticed that the color of the water had completely changed, and when it became clear, they saw land in the entire northern part of the horizon at a very close distance.
August 1. Gloomy and foggy weather with rain, the wind increased gradually. Captain Bering, seeing that he was only 3 miles from the high and rocky coast, sailed all this day on S and SW in order to move away from it. Nothing remarkable happened during the whole day.
Chaplin says: at 2 o'clock in the morning, when the boat was turning to the other side, the wind broke the iron epaulette along which the mainsheet walked. Finding themselves in the morning at a distance of 16 miles from the coast, they began to approach it again.
Bering, following the custom of the century in which he lived, gave names to newly discovered bays, islands and capes according to the calendar. Since on this date our church celebrates the origin of the trees of the honest and life-giving Cross, he called the lip in which he was the lip of the Holy Cross, and the river flowing into it - the Big River.
August 2. Calm and cloudy weather continued until 8 pm, the depth of the sea was 50 fathoms, the ground was silt; from that time a moderate wind came, and at midnight there was a shore at ONO at a distance of 5 miles, the depth of the sea was here 10 and 12 fathoms, the ground was stone. At noon, the latitude of the place, according to observation, was 62 ° 25 ".
August 3. Moderate wind and gloom. Captain Bering spent two days sailing in the bay of the Holy Cross in order to find a convenient anchorage and a river on which to stock up on fresh water; but, seeing that he could not succeed here in his intention, he swam to the southeastern cape of this lip. Nothing remarkable happened that day.
August 4. Weather cloudy and moderate wind. Having bypassed the southeastern cape of the Holy Cross Bay, Captain Bering sailed in parallel near the high Kamchatka coast and covered 36 miles that day on OSO. The depth of the sea was 10 fathoms and the ground was a small stone.
August 5. Quiet wind and gloom. Continuing all day long along the coast, Captain Bering reached the bay, and since the coast deviated here to the south-west, he went in the direction thereof. Nothing remarkable happened that day either.
August 6. Moderate wind and cloudy. Following closely near the shore, Captain Bering examined each recess with special attention. Chaplin says: from 1 to 9 o'clock we maneuvered near the shore to take fresh water, because we have only one barrel of water.
At 6 o'clock they approached high stone mountains that stretched in the east and were as high as walls, and from the falls lying between the mountain, into a small bay and anchored at a depth of 10 sazhens, the ground was a small stone. Since our church celebrates the Transfiguration of the Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ on this date, Captain Bering called this lip Transfiguration.
August 7. At noon Chaplin was sent with 8 men to take fresh water and describe the shores. Arriving at it, he found a stream flowing from mountains covered with snow, and filled 22 empty barrels with this water. He also found empty dwellings, in which, according to signs, recently there were Chukchi; in many places he saw beaten paths. Chaplin says: this is followed by a lip pattern; but, unfortunately, it was impossible to find it.
August 8. Moderate wind, cloudy weather. From noon, Captain Bering weighed anchor and sailed near the coast, which extended to SOtS and looked like stone walls. At 9 o'clock we came to a lip that extends into the ground at NNO and is 9 miles wide.
At 7 o'clock in the morning we saw a boat rowing to the ship, in which 8 people were sitting. On the ship of Captain Bering there were two Koryak interpreters, who were ordered to start a conversation with them. The wild ones announced that they were Chukchi, and asked where and why this ship had come.
Captain Bering ordered the interpreters to call them to the ship; but after hesitating for a long time, they finally landed one man on the water; who, on inflated bubbles, swam to the ship and boarded it. This Chukchi said that many of his fellow countrymen live along the coast and that they had long heard about the Russians.
To the question: where is the Anadyr River - he answered: far to the west. On a red day, the Chukchi continued, moving away from here not far into the ground, an island can be seen.
Having received several gifts from Captain Bering, he sailed to his boat.
The Koryak interpreters heard that he was persuading his comrades to swim closer to the ship, about which, after talking among themselves, they decided to approach; but after staying with him for a very short time, they sailed back. Their interpreters told that the Chukchi language differs a lot from Koryak; and therefore they could not take away from them all the necessary information. The Chukchi boat was made of leather. The latitude of the place where they talked with the Chukchi is 64°41".
August 9. Quiet wind, cloudy weather. On this day they swam around the Chukchi Nose and sailed along different points of view only 35 miles. According to the double calculation of the declination of the compass, it turned out to be 26 ° 38 "and 26 ° 54" east. The latitude of the place according to observation is 64 ° 10 ".
August 10. The weather is clear, the wind is calm. Captain Bering Chukotsky Nos sailed all these days, and although he passed 62 miles along different points, he made a difference in latitude of only 8″. At noon it was 64°18".
Captain Cook says: “This cape received the name Chukotsky from Bering; to which he had the right, because here he saw the Chukchi for the first time. The southern tip of this cape is suggested by Cook at a latitude of 64°13", and by Bering at 64°18".
But the journal does not say a word about Cape Chukotka; he was probably marked under this name on the map, from which Captain Cook had a copy; in the drawing room of the State Admiralty Department it was impossible to find it.
“I must,” says Cook, “pay fair praise to the memory of the venerable Captain Bering: his observations are so accurate and the position of the coast is so correctly indicated that with the mathematical aids that he had, nothing could be done better.
Its latitudes and longitudes are determined so correctly that one must be surprised at this. Saying this, I do not refer to the description of Millerovo, below to his map; but on the narrative of Dr. Campbell, placed in the Horris travel collection; the map he published is much more accurate and detailed than Millerova.
August 11. Quiet wind, cloudy weather. At 2 pm we saw the island on the SSO, which Captain Bering named St. Lawrence, because according to the civil calendar it was also the 10th day, on which the holy martyr and archdeacon Lawrence is celebrated.
At 7 o'clock, says Chaplin, they saw land at SO½O, and the middle of the island, previously seen, at this time was 4 ½ miles from us at StO. Judging by these words, it would be necessary to conclude that this is another island again; but since we know that the island of St. Lawrence extends for 90 miles in length and contains several different elevations, it must be assumed that Chaplin considered the mountain to be an island.
Lieutenant Sindt, who sailed here in 1767, mistook this island for 11 different ones, which he marked on his map under the names: Agathonika, Titus, Diomede, Myron, Samuil, Theodosius, Micah, Andrei, etc .; when giving these names, he followed the Bering rule.
His Excellency G. A. Sarychev speaks about the island of St. Lawrence: ahead of the ship on ONO, several mountainous islands have opened up; but when we approached them, we saw that these islands were connected to each other by a low coast, and that this whole coast was a continuation of one island. The captain of the fleet G.S. Shishmarev also confirms this conclusion: on the map he compiled, there are no others near the island of St. Lawrence.
Although it seems surprising how Lieutenant Sindt could mistake St. Lawrence for 11 different ones, but, having consulted his journal and read the following note by Captain King, one can even excuse him for this gross mistake.
Sindt had a very unfavorable navigation: very strong and mostly opposite winds blew all the time, which were accompanied by snow and hail from the first days of September, and therefore, not daring, probably, to approach the shores, and he could not see the lowlands of the island of St. Lawrence.
He saw the islands of Micah and Theodosius at a distance of 20 miles, and others even further. On August 9, he walked right up to the island of St. Matthew, discovered by him, and on the way back he saw it and near it lying at a distance of 23 and 25 miles.
Captain King says: We rounded July 3 (1779) the western tip of the island, which must be Bering St. Lawrence. Last year we sailed near the eastern extremity, and named it Clerk's Island; now we have seen that it consists of various hills, united by a very low ground.
Although we were at first deceived in taking these mountains for separate islands, nevertheless, I think that the island of St. Lawrence really separates from Clerk's Island, for we noticed a considerable space between both, on which there is no elevation above the water horizon.
At noon, the latitude of the place was 64 ° 20.
August 12. Wind moderate and gloomy. On that day, Captain Bering sailed 69 miles, but changed the latitude difference only by 21′; for he bypassed a narrow cape, which is located north of the Chukchi Nose. At sunset, the compass declination was calculated from the amplitude of 25 ° 31 "East. At noon, the observed latitude was 64 ° 59".
August 13. Fresh wind, cloudy weather. Captain Bering sailed all these days out of sight of the shores and changed the difference in latitude 78′. In total, the voyage was 94 miles.
August 14. Quiet wind, cloudy weather. On that day 29 miles were sailed, and 8 ¾ miles of current were added to this, for Captain Bering noticed that it went from SSO to NNW. At noon, says Chaplin, they saw high land behind them and after another 3 hours high mountains, which, like tea, would be on the mainland. At noon, the latitude of the place was 66 ° 41 ".
August 15. The wind is calm, the weather is cloudy. At noon, says Chaplin, they saw quite a few whales; and from the 12th day of this month the water was white in the sea, the depth was 20, 25 and 30 fathoms. On this day, 58 miles were sailed and the current of the sea was added 8 ¾ miles.
August 16. Cloudy weather, light wind. From noon to 3 o'clock Captain Bering sailed on NO and, having covered 7 miles, began to hold on StW1∕2W. Chaplin says: at 3 o'clock, Mr. Captain announced, "that it is necessary for him to return against the decree in execution," and, turning the boat, ordered to keep on StO (by compass).
Lieutenant Chirikov's journal says the same thing, and in exactly the same words. The latitude from which Captain Bering turned back is 67 ° 18 ". The difference in longitude he made from Nizhnekamchatsk to the east was 30 ° 17".
Since the longitude below Kamchatsk is 162 ° 50 "east of Greenwich, it turns out that the longitude that came should be 193 ° 7", which almost completely agrees with the position of the coast known to us and does a special honor to Captain Bering and midshipman Chaplin, who wrote the journal of his voyage . When Captain Bering sailed to the shores of America in 1741, he made a mistake in longitude by 10 °.
Our first historiographer, Miller, says: at last, on the 15th day of August, they came at 67 degrees 18 minutes of the pole's height to the Nose, beyond which the coast, as the aforementioned Chukchi showed, extended to the west. Therefore concluded the captain with no small probability that he had reached the very edge of Asia to the northeast; for if the coast from there necessarily extends to the west, then Asia cannot be united with America.
Therefore, he followed the instructions given to him. Why did he suggest to the officers and other naval servants that it was time to return back. And if you go even further to the north, then you must be careful not to accidentally fall into the ice, from which it will not be possible to break through soon.
In the autumn, the dense fog, which was already advancing even then, will take away the free view. If a nasty wind blows, then it will not be possible to return to Kamchatka that same summer.
Captain Bering's log contradicts this conclusion: we saw that he was in the middle of the strait, and not only on the 16th, but even on the 15th, did not see the coast. According to the latest reports, Cape Heart-Stone lies at a latitude of 67 ° 03 ", longitude west of Greenwich 188 ° 11", that is, 4 ° 6 "to the west of the present Bering place.
It must be assumed that Captain Bering returned back because, having sailed more than 200 miles north of the Chukotsky Nose, he did not see the coast either in the east or lower in the west. It is very unfortunate that he did not say a word about whether he saw the ice or not.
Captains Cook and Clerk, who were in these places, did not see ice, in 1778 on August 15, being at that time in latitude 67 ° 45 ", longitude 194 ° 51". The next year, July 6 - in latitude 67 ° 00 ", longitude 191 ° 06". Clerk met very huge ice floes adjoining the shores of Asia. Maybe at the end of August there is no ice in the middle of the Bering Strait.
It is remarkable that the surveyor Gvozdev, who was in 1732 at the end of August at the coast of America at a latitude of 66 ° 00, did not see any ice at all.
Captain King says: our two voyages on the sea lying north of the Bering Strait assured us that there is less ice there in August than in July; probably in September and even more comfortable to swim there.
According to the information received by the army by Captain Timofey Shmalev from the Chukchi foreman, it is clear that when the Bering Strait is cleared of ice, many whales, walruses, sea lions, sea seals and various fish swim to the north. These animals, the foreman continued, remain there until October, and then return back to the south.
Consequently, it can be concluded from this testimony that ice accumulates in the Bering Strait in October and that up to this time it is possible to swim there.
We left Captain Bering at 3 pm as he sailed back south. Continuing the journey with a fresh wind, at which there was a speed of more than 7 miles per hour, they saw at 9 o'clock in the morning a high mountain on the right hand, on which, Chaplin says, the Chukchi live, and in the sea after this an island on the left hand. Since the holy martyr Diomede is celebrated on this day, Captain Bering named the island he saw after him. On that day, 115 miles were sailed, and the latitude was 66 ° 02 ".
Now the question arises: did the latest geographers have the right to call the islands lying in the Bering Strait Gvozdev islands? The glory of the first acquisition of these belongs undeniably to Bering. We know that the surveyor Gvozdev sailed to the shores of America in 1730, and we believe that the western cape of this country, which he saw at that time, should bear his name.
Gvozdev was the first of all European navigators who saw the shores of America, lying above the Arctic Circle. Immortal Cook, who covered the strait separating America from Asia, names the islands lying in this strait after the name of the first and famous navigator of our Bering, the islands of St. Diomede.
August 17. Cloudy weather, fresh wind. They sailed in parallel near the shore and saw many Chukchi on it and in two places their dwellings. Seeing the ship, the Chukchi ran to a high stone mountain.
At 3 o'clock, with a very fresh wind, they passed very high land and mountains; and from them came a low earth, beyond which there is a small lip. On this day, 164 miles were sailed, and according to the observation, the latitude of the place was 64 ° 27 ".
August 18. Light wind and clear weather. At noon we saw a lot of whales, and at 5 o'clock we passed the lip, which, Chaplin says, with tea, you can enter and save yourself from the cruel weather. At sunset, the compass declination was found by amplitude 26 ° 20 "east, and after the azimuth 27 ° 02". In 1779, the declination of the compass on the ships of Captain Cook was 26 ° 53 ".
From midnight, says Chaplin, there was clear weather, the shining of the stars and the moon, against the north of the country there were bright pillars in the air (that is, the northern lights). At 5 o'clock in the morning they saw the island, which they called St. Lawrence, on ONO at a distance of 20 miles. Latitude reckoning 64 ° 10 ".
August 19. Light wind and cloudy weather. On that day, Captain Bering went around the Chukchi Nose and did not see the shores behind the gloom; according to the reckoning, the latitude was 64 ° 35 ".
August 20. Calm and fog. From midnight to 5 o'clock, Chaplin says: the weather is the same with wet fog, lay behind a calm without sails. At 2 o'clock they measured the depths of the sea 17, at 4 o'clock - 15 fathoms. There is a stone at the bottom. From 5 o'clock to half past 7 the weather was the same, they lay without sails. At 6 o'clock the depth is 18 fathoms. At 8 o'clock we found out little, and we saw the coast half a mile away. The wind blew from N small, and put the mainsail and foresail.
At 10 o'clock they set up the topsail, at the same hour they looked at how the coast extended: and they saw that behind us it extended to O, and ahead to WtN; then we saw 4 boats rowing from the shore towards us. We began to drift to wait for them. The Chukchi came to us on the indicated boats. These visitors were bolder and kinder than before.
Approaching the ship, they entered into a conversation with the interpreters and said that they had known the Russians for a long time; and one of them added that he had also been to the Anadyr prison. We, they continued, also go to the Kolyma River on reindeer, but we never make this journey by sea.
The Anadyr River is far from here at noon; and all along the shore there are people of our kind, but we do not know others. These Chukchi brought reindeer meat, fish, water, foxes, arctic foxes and 4 walrus teeth for sale, which was all bought from them. On that day they sailed only 37 miles, the latitude was 64 ° 20 ".
August 21. Cloudy weather and fresh wind. On this day we sailed 160 miles on SW1∕2W and at noon we saw the Gulf of Transfiguration, where we anchored on August 6, at NtW at a distance of 7 miles.
August 22. Fresh wind and cloudy weather. According to the azimuth, the declination of the compass is 20 ° 00 "East. The journal says: they saw the Angle of St. Thaddeus at WtS at a distance of 25 miles. It must be assumed that this name was given by Bering, because on August 21 they celebrate the Holy Apostle Thaddeus; it is only surprising why, having seen this cape before, he left it without a name.
On the academic map of 1745, this cape is named: St. Thaddeus Corner, which confirms the previous conclusion. On that day, 142 miles were sailed, and according to the observation, the latitude of the place was 61 ° 34 ", which is very consistent with the ship's reckoning.
August 23. Light wind and clear weather. According to the amplitude, the compass declination was calculated as 18 ° 40 "East. The latitude of the place turned out to be 61 ° 44" by observation, and since it did not agree with the calculus, Chaplin says: here the sea current is at NOtO. During the whole day only 35 miles were sailed.
August 24. Quiet wind, clear weather. On that day we saw the coast at a distance of 15 miles and sailed only 20 miles. The compass declination is calculated as 13°53" east.
August 25. Strong wind and gloomy weather. In order to give the reader an idea about the qualities of the vessel on which Captain Bering sailed, it must be said that, lying in badewind, it had a course of 1 ½ and 2 knots; and drift - from 3 ½ to 5 ½ points. During the whole day only 34 miles were sailed, and at noon the latitude according to observation was 61 ° 20 ", which is very consistent with the reckoning.
August 26. Clear weather and fresh wind; 105 miles were sailed all day, and according to the observation, the latitude of the place was 60 ° 18 ", the calculation was 60 ° 22", the compass declination was calculated from the amplitude and azimuth 18 ° 32 "and 18 ° 15".
August 27. Fresh wind, clear weather. The course was all day from 5 to 7 knots, and at 4 o'clock at night it showed 9 knots, which is even doubtful! From midnight until the next afternoon it was very cloudy and raining; and therefore there were no observations. It is remarkable how much the weather favored the famous Bering; so far it has not suffered a single storm, and although it has encountered contrary winds, they are mostly calm.
August 28. Cloudy weather, fresh wind. 98 miles sailed all day. At noon, the observed latitude turned out to be 57 ° 40 ", and the reckoning was 9′ north. Chaplin says: in this place we recognize the current of the sea when we were on SO3 ∕ 4S according to the corrected compass, and this is corrected.
August 29. Quiet wind, clear weather. The compass declination was calculated as 16°27", and the latitude was found to be 57°35" by observation. 54 miles sailed all day.
August 30. Fresh wind, clear weather. 100 miles sailed all day. From midnight the wind became so strong that the speed was 7 ½ knots. There were no sightings to this date; Chaplin says: from the 24th to the 31st, no land was seen beyond the range. The calculated latitude was 56°33" and longitude 1°38" east of the Nizhnekamchatka meridian.
August 31. Strong wind and gloomy weather. At 4 o'clock, Chaplin says, part of the ground on WSW, 3 miles or less, appeared through the fog. And how, behind the fog, they did not soon consider that the earth stretches in an arc to SOtS and NtW, then the brief was lowered, and the mainsail and foresail were set, behind the great wind and excitement, not soon and with no small burden.
And at that time brought to the shore at a distance of half a mile; the coast is stony and steep without any difference, like a cliff, and very high. And we labored to move away from the shore against the wind until ten o'clock in the afternoon.
And at 10 o’clock the halyards broke at the grotto and at the fore; then the sails fell, the rigging was all mixed up, and because of the great excitement it was not possible to make out the rigging; For this reason, they anchored at a depth of 18 fathoms from the shore at a distance of 1 mile or even less; in the last part of 2 hours, with great difficulty, until noon, they corrected themselves for the campaign with sails and other gear, although everyone was constantly working on this. On this day, 32 miles were sailed on SW.
Judging by the latitude and description of the shores, it turns out that Captain Bering was anchored near Stolbovoy Cape. Krasheninnikov says: on the south side of the Stolbovaya River there are three stone pillars on the sea, one of which is up to 14 fathoms high, and the others are a little lower. These pillars were torn off, probably once by the force of shaking or flooding from the coast, which often happens there; for not long ago, a part of this coast was torn off along with the Kamchatka prison, which stood on a cape along its edge.
September 1. Gloomy weather and moderate wind. At 1 o'clock Captain Bering ordered to raise the anchor; but as soon as they turned a few fathoms of the rope, it burst; and therefore, setting the sails rather, we went to SSO. Chaplin's account of the past day and this incident give us an idea of what gear Captain Bering had.
If at that time the wind had become even stronger, then inevitably, with such a steep and weighty coast, everyone would have to die. Since from Yakutsk to Okhotsk it was necessary to make most of the journey on horseback, the ropes and even thin tackle were developed along the bridles and then twisted again.
Even the anchors were broken into several parts and welded again in Okhotsk. All Okhotsk ships were supplied with similar gear and anchors until 1807, when the venerable V. M. Golovnin was sent from Kronstadt with rigging and various supplies for the ports of Okhotsk and Kamchatka.
September 2. Cloudy weather and fresh wind. At 5 o'clock in the afternoon, Captain Bering entered the Kamchatka Bay and maneuvered through the fog until dawn. In the morning at 7 o'clock it completely cleared up, and we, says Chaplin, having set all the sails, ascended safely at the mouth of the Kamchatka River, and laid anchor.
The current of the sea is noted all day long from the Kamchatka River at SSW½W, according to the right compass, 10 miles per day. Here they found their old ship Fortuna, but their journal does not indicate how long ago and under whose command it arrived here.
It can be easily imagined that during the wintering in this remote and secluded place nothing worthy of attention happened. The team was occupied on clear days with training, and at other times with the correction of rigging and various ship work. Winter came here in late October.
It is necessary to do justice to the care of Captain Bering. The log shows that at all the time there were only three patients: Lieutenant Shpanberg, a surveyor and one sailor. The first was so unwell that he asked Bering to leave in Bolsheretsk, for he feared that during the voyage, from dampness and sea air, his illness would intensify.
However, the Kamchatka air may also have contributed to the health of the team, for Krasheninnikov and Steller, who wintered here in 1738, 1739 and 1740, say: the air and water there are extremely healthy, there is no anxiety from either heat or frost, there are no dangerous diseases, such as fever, fever and smallpox. There is no fear from lightning and thunder and, finally, there is no danger from poisonous animals.
On October 3, Captain Bering gathered the entire team and, after reading the manifesto on the accession to the throne of Emperor Peter II, took everyone to the oath. This manifesto was brought to Bolsheretsk by the navigator Engel on an old ship and sent with a sailor to Nizhnekamchatsk. It is remarkable that Emperor Peter II took the throne on May 7, 1727, therefore, the news was received after 17 months.
On February 2, the navigator Engel arrived, and with him 1 corporal, 2 sailors and 3 soldiers. With the onset of spring, Captain Bering ordered to prepare ships, and on June 1 the team moved to them. On the boat "Gabriel" there was a captain, 1 lieutenant, 1 midshipman, 1 doctor, 1 navigator - a total of 35 people with lower ranks; and on the "Fortuna" - bot apprentice 1, mastmaker apprentice 1, surveyor 1, blacksmith 1, carpenter 1 and 7 soldiers. It would be interesting to know: which of them commanded the ship?
Chaplin does not say a word about this, but only mentions that the surveyor was very ill. On the 2nd, captain Bering promoted sailor Bely to sub-skipper; but the log does not say why; and on the 5th both ships went to sea. Chaplin's journal does not say whether the Fortuna sailed with the Gabriel or was sent directly to Bolsheretsk.
Our venerable historiographer Miller says that during his stay in Nizhnekamchatsk, Captain Bering heard a lot about the proximity of America to Kamchatka. The most important and indisputable evidence was as follows.
1) That about 1716 there lived a foreigner brought to Kamchatka, who said that his fatherland was located to the east of Kamchatka and that a few years ago he and his other foreigners were captured near Karaginsky Island, where they came for fishing. In my homeland, he continued, very large trees grow, and many large rivers flow into the Kamchatka Sea; for driving by sea we use the same leather canoes as the Kamchadals.
2) That on the Karaginsky Island, which lies on the eastern coast of Kamchatka, opposite the Karaga River (at a latitude of 58 °), very thick spruce and pine logs were found among the inhabitants, which do not grow either in Kamchatka, lower in nearby places. To the question: from where did they get this forest, the inhabitants of this island answered that it was brought to them by the east wind.
3) In winter, during strong winds, ice is brought to Kamchatka, on which there are clear signs that it has been carried away from the inhabited place.
4) Every year many birds fly in from the east, which, having been in Kamchatka, fly back.
5) The Chukchi sometimes bring marten parkas for sale; and there are no martens in all of Siberia, from Kamchatka up to the Yekaterinburg district, or the old Iset province.
6) Residents of the Anadyr prison said that bearded people live opposite the Chukchi Nose, from whom the Chukchi receive wooden dishes made in the Russian style.
In confirmation of this news, Bering added his own remarks.
1) That on the sea along which he sailed to the north, there are no such huge shafts as he met on other large seas.
2) That on the way they often met trees with leaves, which they had not seen in Kamchatka.
3) The Kamchadals assured that during a very clear day one could see the land to the east.
And finally 4) that the depth of the sea was very small and not commensurate with the height of the Kamchatka coast.
The clarity and certainty of all these proofs inspired in the famous Bering a desire to explore this country close to Kamchatka; wherefore, having set out on the sea, he went towards the southeast.
June 6, light wind and cloudy weather. Captain Bering spent the whole day, tacking from the Kamchatka Bay, and, going around the Kamchatka Cape in the morning, sailed according to his above intention on OtS.
June 7. Light breeze, clear weather and NNO swell. During the whole day nothing happened, worthy remarks. According to the noon reckoning, the latitude of the place was 55 ° 37 ". The difference in longitude from Nizhnekamchatsk to the east was 2 ° 21".
June 8. Gloomy weather and a strong wind from NNW all day lay under one grotto, and had a drift of 5 rhumbs. At noon, the calculated latitude was 55 ° 32 ". The difference in longitude was 4 ° 07".
From the time of the turn until the next noon, Captain Bering sailed 150 miles and saw the Kamchatka coast in the morning. According to the observation, the latitude of the place turned out to be 54 ° 40 ".
June 10. Light wind and cloudy weather. All day long Captain Bering sailed in sight of the Kamchatka coast; and as the wind became even quieter since midnight, he only sailed 35 miles. The declination of the compass is calculated from the amplitude 11 ° 50 "East; and the latitude of the place according to noon observation is 54 ° 07".
June 11. Clear weather and light wind. Chaplin says: they saw a mountain in Kronoki, they saw a mountain on Zhupanova, they saw a mountain on Avach that was on fire. During all these days they sailed in sight of the shores, being from them at a distance of 6 and 10 miles. In azimuth and amplitude, the compass declination was 8°31" and 8°46" east.
The latitude of the place was calculated from observation 53 ° 13 ". From the end of this date to the 20th of this month, Chaplin admits, the current of the sea changed from the ordinary one, which usually flows along the prostration of the coast, from the long-term winds holding between S and W, to the side of the spacious sea lying between S and O.
June 12. Clear weather and light wind. From midnight the wind became stronger, and a very thick fog set in. All day long they sailed in sight of the shores; a total of 42 miles were sailed, including 12 miles of sea current at SOtO¼°.
June 13. Very thick fog and light wind. During the day they turned three times; probably to move away from the coast. A total of 34 miles were sailed, including the same amount of sea current as the previous day.
June 14. Gloomy weather with rain and light wind. All day long Captain Bering sailed 8 points from the wind and had a drift of 2 ½ points; The currents of the sea were counted as much as before, and the calculated latitude was 52 ° 58 ".
June 15. Moderate wind and gloomy weather; sailed for a whole day 8 points from the wind and had the same drift. The currents of the sea are counted as 12 miles.
June 16. Gloomy weather and light wind. In the whole day we sailed 38 miles, including 8 miles of current on SOt½O. No shores were seen beyond the gloom. Calculated latitude 51°59".
June 17. Same gloomy weather and no wind. In a whole day they sailed 27 miles and did not see the coast behind the gloom. The currents of the sea are put in the account the same as in the previous day.
June 18. Cloudy weather and moderate wind from SW, which forced Captain Bering to sail against his will to NW. At noon, the latitude of the place turned out to be 52 ° 14 ", that is, 24′ north of yesterday.
Chaplin put in the account 9 miles of the current of the sea in the same direction.
June 19. Rainy weather and fresh wind from SSW. This unfavorable wind deviated Captain Bering even more from the present path; and therefore he sailed straight to NtO and saw at noon Zhupanovskaya Sopka at a distance of 15 miles. Its reckoning latitude is very correct, and 9 miles of the current of the sea were also taken into account.
June 20. The same wind from the south with gloomy and foggy weather. On that day, Captain Bering ruled on NOtO, and at noon its latitude was 54 ° 4 ". It is strange why Captain Bering stayed so close to the coast the previous day! At a distance from it, he could meet another wind.
June 21. Gloomy weather and light variable wind. During the whole day they sailed 20 miles on NOtO, and Chaplin added 8 miles of the sea current to W in the account. The calculated latitude was 54 ° 16 ".
June 22. Foggy weather and very light wind; from SW there was a very big excitement, a consequence of a strong south wind. Chaplin says: for the most part they lay without sails and put in the account of the current of the sea 4 miles on W. The total voyage was 8 miles on WNW.
June 23. Clear weather and light wind from SSW. According to two observations, the compass declination was 11°50" and 10°47" east.
At noon we saw the Kamchatka coast at NNW at a distance of 13 miles and observed the latitude of the place 54 ° 12 ", which is very consistent with the reckoning. The daily voyage was 28 miles on WtS.
June 24. Weather clear and light breeze from SSW. All day long they sailed in sight of the shores. The total voyage was 30 miles on WtN, and the calculated latitude was 54°15".
June 25. Light variable wind from SO and SSW; rainy weather. All day long they were in sight of the coast and sailed 26 miles on the StW. At noon, the latitude of the place turned out to be 53 ° 53 ", which is very consistent with the reckoning.
June 26. Light variable wind and temporarily clear. Although Captain Bering Cape Shipunsky was circumnavigated that day, the journal does not mention this, but only says: at noon, the high Avacha mountain on WtS¼W at a distance of 20 miles. The calculated latitude is very consistent with the position of this mountain.
June 27. Clear weather, fresh wind from W and strong swell and waves. During the whole day they sailed 90 miles on SSW and observed the latitude of the place 52 ° 03 ". Although they made the whole voyage in view of the coast, but Chaplin says: only at 5 o'clock after midnight they saw a mountain and another near it on NWtW. These should be hills , Rotary and Fourth.
June 28. Clear weather and light wind. According to observations, it turned out: the latitude of the place is 52 ° 01 ", the compass declination is 7 ° 42". At 5 o'clock in the morning, says Chaplin, there was a shore at a distance of 5 miles.
June 29. Light wind and clear weather. During the whole day they sailed only 17 miles on NWtW and, as Chaplin says, they saw a flat mountain, and a hill on it. The calculated latitude was 52°06".
June 30. Clear weather and moderate wind. During the whole day we sailed in sight of the coast and covered only 22 miles on SWtS. The calculated latitude was 51°38".
July 1 moderate wind and gloomy weather; but, in spite of this, Captain Bering bypassed the Kamchatka shovel that day. Chaplin says: at noon the southern corner of the Kamchatka land is a mile and a half away from us at NWtN, and from there the sand stretched into the sea about a verst.
July 2. Cloudy weather, moderate wind. This day we sailed 70 miles to N 2 ° 55 "to W and saw both Kuril Islands. Chaplin says: and on the third island, that is, on Alaida, which on old maps is marked under the name of Anfinogen, they saw a high mountain on SSW¾W 24 miles . According to two observations, it turned out: the compass declination is 11 ° 00 ", the latitude of the place is 52 ° 18".
From this story it is clear that Captain Bering passed through the first Kuril Strait; all ships sailing from Okhotsk to the eastern shores of Kamchatka sailed until 1737. This year there was a strong earthquake, after which a ridge of stones appeared between the first and second straits.
Krasheninnikov says: about a quarter of an hour later, terrible shaking followed and water surged on the shore for 30 sazhens. From this flood, the local inhabitants were completely ruined, and many died miserably in their stomachs.
This earthquake lasted more than 13 months, and began on October 6, 1737. The Kuril Islands and the eastern coast of Kamchatka have changed from this in many places; but on the western, as low-lying and sandy, it had no influence.
Steller says that on October 23 there were such strong blows in Nizhnekamchatsk (where he was then located) that most of the stoves crumbled, and the new church, built from a very thick deciduous forest, was so shaken that the door jambs fell out. The inhabitants of Kamchatka, he continues, told me that the blows are much stronger near the burning mountains than near the extinct ones.
On July 3, at 5 o'clock in the afternoon, Captain Bering came to the mouth of the Bolshoy River and, having laid anchor, sent to inspect where it was more convenient to enter the river, for he was informed that the mouth of this river changes annually. After this, a very strong wind arose in the sea; the rope was blown up, but the boat went safely into the river and found two ships in it: "Fortuna" and the old one, on which the yasak treasury was transported from Kamchatka to Okhotsk.
On July 14, Captain Bering set sail and directed his way to Okhotsk. This voyage was accomplished safely, and on the 13th we anchored in the Okhotsk roadstead. Chaplin says: in the afternoon at 2 o'clock they made a flag show and fired from 2 cannons to call the boat from the shore.
At the beginning of the 3rd hour there began to be a slight wind, and we raised the anchor and went closer to the mouth of the river; and at 3 o’clock they anchored at a depth of 5 fathoms and fired more from the cannon; the wind was calm and the weather clear. At 4 o'clock a navigator sent from us arrived and reported that the water had subsided from the river and it was impossible to go to the mouth. At 5 o'clock they raised the anchor and set off from the shore, then again lay down at anchor.
In the middle of the night at 7 o'clock they raised the anchor and tacked to the mouth of the Okhota River; the weather was with radiance and the wind was light. On the 24th in the afternoon at 9 o'clock they went to the mouth on the arrived water and, having fired from 51 cannons, put the boat near the shore. Mr. Captain ordered it to be rigged.
Having read the journal of the voyages of the famous and first navigator of our Bering, one cannot but do justice to him that he was a very skillful and experienced officer. The accuracy with which his ship's log was kept, and frequent observations, also deserve special attention. If we add to this the labors, obstacles and shortcomings that he met hourly, then we must agree that Bering was a man who did honor to Russia and the century in which he lived.
The return journey of Captain Bering can only be mentioned lightly, for it presents nothing of interest. On June 29, Bering set off on 78 horses to the Yudoma Cross and met on the way the Cossack head of Afanasy Shestakov, who was riding on a nominal decree to conquer the Chukchi and discover the land lying north of the Kolyma River, on which, in his opinion, shelags live.
From the Yudoma Cross, attendants were sent by water, and Captain Bering went by land and arrived in Yakutsk on August 29. From here he sailed along the Lena River, but on October 10 the river froze, and he continued his journey in a sleigh through Ilimsk, Yeniseisk and Tara to Tobolsk. Having lived in this city until January 25, 1730, Bering set off again, and arrived safely on March 1 in St. Petersburg.
The venerable and industrious Chaplin concludes his journal with the following words: and ending with this, I sign from the fleet midshipman Pyotr Chaplin.
Report of Vitus Bering to the Admiralty Board with a request to award the participants of the First Kamchatka Expedition
To the State Admiralty Board, from the fleet, Captain Vitus Bering, I humbly inform about the chief and non-commissioned officers and privates who were with me on the Siberian expedition, that they, in my confession, for art from their position, for their application in the shown expedition, what rarely happens, hard work is worthy of rewarding, and at the same time I inform you of the nominal register with the meaning of each dignity. And the greatest labor was incurred in 1725 on the way, going up the rivers Ob, Ketya, Yenisei, Tunguska and Ilim, and in 1726 when building ships [on] the Lena River, at Uskut and on a hike up the river Aldan, Maya and Yudomoya , and in the same year 1726 and 1727, when crossing from Gorbeya to the sea on oneself, without horses, boat supplies, ropes, anchors and artillery and other things through a considerable distance in empty places, where from a lot of work and from the impoverishment of provisions, if they did not improve more than God's hoped for help, they all lost their stomachs.
Also in the transfer from Yakutsk to the sea by dry means of provisions through muddy and swampy places and in the construction of a ship at the Okhotsk prison, on which they crossed the sea from the Okhotsk prison to the mouth of the Bolshaya River. And in the transfer of provisions and other things through the Kamchatka land from the Bolsheretsky mouth to the Lower Kamchatka prison. Also, during the construction of the boat in Kamchatka and in 1728, on a campaign by sea in unknown places, where the features of those places through the local air added a lot of difficulties. And in such a difficult journey, all the servants, for lack of sea food, did not receive enough, and the chief officers did not receive any portions or money for it. And in 1729, in sailing around the southern Kamchatka Corner and throughout the expedition, they had a lot of work and a lot of time needed, which requires a lengthy description to explain in detail, but I, having briefly suggested, with humility, do not leave the State Admiralty Board with gracious reasoning.
Lieutenant Commander Martyn Spanberg - promoted to rank
Lieutenant Alexei Chirikov - "-
Navigator Richard Engel - "-
Physician Vilim Butskovskoy - rewarding with a salary
Midshipman Pyotr Chaplin - to naval non-commissioned lieutenants
Sub-skipper Ivan Beloi - sub-skipper's salary
Quartermaster Ivan Borisov - in shchimany
Sailors of the 1st article:
Dmitry Kozachinin - to boatswains
Vasily Feofanov - "-
Grigory Shiryaev - "-
Afanasy Osipov - to the shchimanmats
Savely Ganyukov - quartermaster
Evsey Selivanov - "-
Nikita Efimov - "-
Procopius Elfimov - "-
Nikifor Lopukhin - "-
Grigory Barbashevsky - "-
Afanasy Krasov - "-
Alexey Kozyrev - "-
Bot work apprentice Fyodor Kozlov - to increase in rank
Carpenter foreman Ivan Vavilov - to carpentry commander
Carpenters:
Gavrila Mitrofanov - to the carpenter's foremen
Alexander Ivanov - in notes
Nicephorus of Hey - "-
Caulker Vasily Gankin - "-
Sailboat Ignaty Petrov - "-
Blacksmith Evdokim Ermolaev - "-
Machtmaker student of the 1st grade Ivan Endogurov - to increase in rank
Biographical information about Captain Bering and the officers who were with him
Captain-Commander Vitus Bering
If the whole world recognized Columbus as a skilled and famous navigator, if Great Britain exalted the great Cook to the height of glory, then Russia owes no less gratitude to its first navigator, Bering.
This worthy husband, having served in the Russian Navy for thirty-seven years with glory and honor, deserves, in all fairness, excellent respect and special attention. Bering, like Columbus, opened to the Russians a new and neighboring part of the world, which provided a rich and inexhaustible source of industry.
But, unfortunately, we have only a very brief and superficial information about both the life and the exploits of this first navigator of ours. The writer of life, proud of the honor of being the narrator of Bering's deeds, not finding materials, must turn his reader to the map.
Here, he will say, the northern coast of Kamchatka, the eastern part of Asia, the island of St. Lawrence, the islands of St. Diomede and the strait separating the New World from the Old - these are the places with which Bering introduced us, here are the seas: Kamchatka and Beaver, on which no one he did not swim.
After explaining the exploits of his first voyage, he directs his gaze to the shores of America and sees a long chain of the Aleutian Islands, the Shumaginsky Misty Islands, the northwestern part of America and the famous Mount St. Elijah.
Here, he will tell his reader, the exploits of the second Bering voyage are the most famous exploits because they aroused the entrepreneurial spirit of the Siberian inhabitants, laid the foundation for trade, navigation and served as the basis for the settlement of Russians in America, for the formation of colonies.
Bering was a Dane and entered the Russian naval service at the beginning of the 18th century. Miller says that in 1707 he was a lieutenant, and in 1710 a lieutenant commander. It is not known on which seas he served in these ranks and whether he himself commanded ships or was under command.
Between the papers of our famous hydrographer, Admiral Nagaev, I found copies of letters from Prince Dolgorukov to Emperor Peter I from Copenhagen. From these it can be seen that the ship "Perlo" bought there was commanded by Captain Bering, and in March 1715 he was ready to go to sea.
It must be assumed that Bering, having arrived with this ship in Kronstadt, was immediately sent to the city of Arkhangelsk in order to bring the newly built ship "Selafail" from there.
Prince Dolgorukov says in another letter, from Copenhagen, dated November 5, 1715: I inform your Majesty, there is information that the command of Commander Ivan Senyavin, Captain Vitus Bering with the ship "Archangel Selafail" is found in Norway. The report of Captain-Commander Ivan Senyavin dated December 5, 1715 shows that he and Bering arrived safely with their ships in Copenhagen on November 27; and with the third ship Lieutenant-Commander Bays remained to spend the winter in Flecken.
Where Captain Bering was after this is unknown; and it is clear only from the letter of Captain-Commander Naum Senyavin to Emperor Peter I from Revel dated May 10, 1718, that the Selafail ship, due to its thinness and leakage, was brought into the harbor and unloaded by the lieutenant, because its commander, Captain Bering, is in St. Petersburg.
The journals of the State Admiralty College delivered to me the following biographical materials about Bering.
On December 20, 1723, the naval chief officers from captain-lieutenant to captain were repaired for the ballot, and were present: Admiral-General Count Apraksin; vice admirals: Sievers, Gordon; shautbenakhty [vice admirals, German, voice]: Naum Senyavin, Lord Dufuss; captain-commanders: Ivan Senyavin, Gosler and Bredal; captains: Gay, Liters, Mukhanov, Vilboa, Mishukov, Kalmykov, Koshelev, Korobin, Trezel, Naryshkin, Gogstrat, Delyap, Armitage Bering, Brant and Bence.
The venerable Bering probably believed that he had the right to the rank of captain of the 1st rank, for we saw that as early as 1715 he commanded a battleship.
This conclusion is evidenced by the following resolution of the State Admiralty Board dated January 25, 1724: at the request of the navy of Captain Vitus Bering, send a decree to Lord Dufuss to Shoutbenacht: order Bering, who asks for leave from service to the fatherland, to take a written notice against the regulations collegiate position of the 58th article and send this news to the collegium.
But in the 58th article it is said: "If any of the naval and admiralty servants of the Russian nation asks for freedom from service, then the college should find out the reason for it." Apparently, this article did not concern Bering as a foreigner.
According to the magazines of the Collegium, it is not clear what reasons Bering presented for his dismissal from the service; but on February 9 of the same year, 1724, it is written in the journal:
His Imperial Majesty deigned to come to the collegium and did the following: the collegium reported to his majesty that the captains of the navy, Gay, Falkenberg, Bering and Dubrovin, were asking for leave from the service of the abshits [resigning, German], and at the same time, Admiral-General Count Apraksin reported to His Majesty that these captains, except for Dubrovin, should be released, and of course, Dubrovin should be rewarded with an increase in salary.
To which His Majesty deigned to say: henceforth, naval officers should be accepted into the service and contracts should be repaired stronger; but he did not determine the exact decrees on the release of these.
Despite the fact that Emperor Peter I did not decisively decide whether to let these captains retire, the following decision was made on February 23: the Navy captains Ulyam Gay, Matthias Falkenberg, Vitus Bering, at their request and made extracts [extracts, lat.] from the service His Majesty, let them go to their fatherland and give them passports from the Admiralty College and a well-deserved salary on the day of vacation, as well as for trips on the road, by decree, minus the hospital, and for a surplus month to issue from calmeister affairs according to a statement from the office kriegs commissar general.
This resolution was worn by the chief secretary Tormasov to the president of the collegium Count Apraksin for signature, but he refused that he could not sign due to illness. Tormasov, returning to the collegium, sent this decree to Vice-President Admiral Kreis, who, although he signed it, demanded that it be sent to Count Apraksin, and that he deigned to respond to the collegium why he did not sign it. Until then, stop performing.
On February 25, Tormasov again went to Count Apraksin, offering to sign a decree on the 23rd. The count answered him that he was so ill that he could not even go to Moscow for the coronation of Empress Catherine I, much less sign collegiate determinations drawn up on such dates when he was not even present.
However, he added: since this decree has already been signed by all members, then it can be carried out and passports sent to him, which he, despite his illness, will sign. It is remarkable that Count Apraksin left on March 3 for Moscow.
On February 26, a resolution was passed in the collegium: since the letters to captains Gay, Falkenberg and Bering were already signed by the hand of the admiral general, then the resolution on the 23rd should be put into effect.
It can be seen from the journals of the collegium that on March 10 Captain Gay came to complain to the Collegium that the passports given to him, Falkenberg and Bering were not registered in the police chief's office without a collegiate decree. The collegium immediately sent a decree about this to the police chief general.
On March 11, Bering filed a petition with the collegium that, although he was given a well-deserved salary, they withheld a part for the surplus 13th month; and therefore he asks to order him to deliver it. The collegium, despite its decision of February 23, determined that since he, Bering, had been promoted in Russia by ranks and an increase in a treatise, then such a salary was not ordered to be made for the third ten months; but to whom de it was given, and from them it was ordered to subtract.
We have seen above that on March 10 Captain Bering received a passport. According to the 85th article of the regulation on collegiate positions, every foreigner who has received a passport is obliged to leave Russia after 8 days; but it is not known whether Bering traveled to his fatherland or lived in St. Petersburg. The journals of the college do not mention him at all until August.
On August 7, 1724, captain and prosecutor Kozlov announced to the guards in the presence that on August 5, his imperial majesty, being at the all-night singing in the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity, verbally ordered his excellency, Admiral General and the Admiralty College, President Count Apraksin, to do the following, about which he , Admiral General, ordered the board to propose the first: Captain Bering to be accepted into the service of His Majesty in the Navy as before, in the first rank of captain.
According to the list of 1726, it can be seen that Bering was promoted to the first rank on August 14, 1724, which is very consistent with the above, because the promotion to this rank went already through the Senate.
The Board determined: calling on Captain Bering to announce to him whether he wants to be in His Majesty's service. And if he wishes, then in allegiance to the service, take an oath, and about it where it is necessary to send decrees. This decision serves as proof that Bering did not ask for service; otherwise they would not ask him: does he want to be in it?
Having found so many interesting materials in the first 8 months of 1724, I imagined to find in the latter a detailed report about the departure of Bering to Kamchatka and a complete production of equipment for this famous expedition. But how great was my surprise when I found in them only two decisions relating to it.
On October 4, at a meeting of the board of the navy, Captain Vitus Bering, who, by the verdict of the board, by virtue of a nominal decree, was accepted into the fleet in service in the first rank, was read the oath printed in the Admiralty Charter, which, after reading, was signed.
December 23, according to the report of the navy captain Vitus Bering, this Bering for his needs to be released to Vyborg in January until the 7th day of the future 1725.
Remembering what Miller said: the work of this (i.e., the equipment of the expedition) was entrusted by the emperor to Admiral General Count Fyodor Matveyevich Apraksin, I decided to sort through his papers and did not find in them a single word about Bering or his expedition.
It is surprising that when the final decision on the dispatch of Captain Bering was placed in the collegium journal, that is, on giving him a salary, runs and travel allowance for a year in advance, not a word about him was mentioned before. It must be assumed that this case was not carried out in the collegium and was subsequently lost.
The curious reader would be very pleased to know: who recommended Bering? Why was he re-hired? For which they made him out of line in the first rank, and so on. etc.? But he hardly ever finds out.
There is no need to mention the first journey of Captain Bering, for readers will find detailed information about it here; and it is only necessary to add that on August 4, 1730, he was promoted through the line to captain-commander.
Captain Bering, returning to St. Petersburg on March 1, 1730, presented to the government his journal, maps, and, together with them, submitting both of the following proposals, expressed his readiness to go a second time to Kamchatka and survey the position of the American shores. Between the papers of Admiral Nagaev I found these two curious acts under the following heading: two proposals from Captain Bering.
Vitus Bering's proposal to the Senate on measures to organize the life and way of life of the population of Siberia and Kamchatka in connection with the activities of the First Kamchatka Expedition
On the 4th day of December 1730, the ruling Senate ordered me, the undersigned, to submit the news that in Siberia, in the eastern region, it is recognized for the benefit of the state, which I offer the lowest.
1. Later, near Yakutsk, a people lives, called the Yakuts, about 50,000, and they had the Mohammedan faith from antiquity, and now they believe in birds, while others worship idols, and this people is not so stupid that they do not know about the highest God.
If it is decided for good, then one or two priests should be placed between them, or such that their children are taught at school. And I admit that there are a lot of hunters to give children for learning. And they are afraid to send to the city of Yakutsk, for the sake of smallpox and other sorrows. Then from that people I will identify priests or teachers among them, and I hope that a considerable number can be brought to the Christian faith.
2. In Siberia, when there is a need for iron, then they carry it from Tobolsk to distant cities, which is why an extra kosht is added to the transportation.
There is iron ore near the Angara River near the Yandinsky prison, also near the Yakut one, and these people themselves melt into kritsy. And if it were determined to someone who knew how to melt into rods, then it would be possible in every business and in ship building to be content without need. And it will be against the best Siberian iron. And the Yakut people make boilers for themselves from that iron and upholster chests and use it for all sorts of other needs.
3. There are about 1000 servicemen in Yakutsk; and above them is the commander of the Cossack head, centurions and Pentecostals. And although there are commanders over them, they only keep them not under fear; After all, the servicemen get drunk and lose not only from their belongings, but, temporarily, their wives and children, which we ourselves saw in Kamchatka. And when they set off on the right path, then they don’t have dresses, however, the gun is not working properly either. And I found at Okhotsk and at Kamchatka that they did not have guns, bows and arrows, but it is more appropriate for these service people to have rifles.
And for better distribution and order, as every serviceman in a regular regiment should be, and according to the local custom for service, every serviceman in Yakutsk should have a horse, a warm dress, a gun and ammunition; at Okhotsk and at Kamchatka it is necessary to have warm clothes, a gun and ammunition, bows and arrows, skis, dogs instead of horses.
4. There are no horned cattle near Okhotsk, but there are enough grasses, also along the Ural River; and there are people passing through who are sent to Kamchatka temporarily, they will perceive a considerable need, also upon their return from Kamchatka.
With this prison, three or four or more families can be identified from the Yakuts, which could have cattle and horses: then passing people could get food from that, and horses to transport the treasury from Okhotsk to the Yudoma River.
5. There are no cattle in Kamchatka, but there are enough herbs, and the servicemen want to be fired to bring horned cattle on sovereign ships, and the Yakut cows are sold at a price of two rubles and two rubles and a quarter.
If it were ordered from Yakutsk to Okhotsk to drive young cattle, cows and pigs, and from Okhotsk to transfer across the sea to Kamchatka or by land through the Kolyma, and at every prison to identify one or two families of people from the Yakuts who would graze cattle, better than Kamchatka besides, the people are ordinary, then it would be possible to plow the land there, and sow all sorts of grain. After all, in my time, a test was made about every vegetable in the garden, so rye was sown with me, and before we were sown barley, turnips and hemp, which was born, only plowed by people.
6. Liquid and thick resin was previously transported from the Lena River, and from Yakutsk to Okhotsk. From which the loss in transportation was caused.
And when we were in Kamchatka, we ourselves sat out of larch wood to build ships, as much as we needed, and henceforth, in order to determine such people who could sit with resin, and on the Yudoma and Uda rivers there is enough pine forest for that. Also, if there were enough copper and cast-iron boilers at the treasury, then it would not be necessary to carry salt to Kamchatka, since the first year we ourselves cooked as much as necessary, without need.
7. At Okhotsk and Kamchatka, there are 4 sailors, who in winter are more, as if they live in all their will, and after many years there is a repair to the local ships, so that they do not have resin. So when the commissars cross from Okhotsk to Kamchatka, they assign service people to the ships instead of sailors and change them in any way, and the local ships, which are built like karbuz [karbasov] on one mast and the board is sewn to the board.
For this reason, if it were determined to be a commander over them, who would have diligence in repairing ships, so for the sea route to teach young Cossack children every maritime custom, and according to our confession, you can freely teach in time, as much as necessary, for travel from Kamchatka to Okhotsk, and if this happened, then it would not be necessary to send from here, and 12 or 15 people are enough for each ship for science.
8. At the Olyutorskaya river, in the bay opposite the Karaginsky island, there used to be a prison, but now that place is empty, and there are enough fish in this river.
If it were ordered to settle hunters and servicemen in this place, then the Koryak people and the Yukaghirs would be protected from the Chukchi, who every year in winter come and ruin the aforementioned people, which is why they cannot pay the proper yasak.
9. On the Kamchatka River, near Nizhny Ostrog, there is one church and a monastery is being started; and there is only one priest in the whole of Kamchatka, and there are no priests near the Upper and Bolsheretsky prisons, and the inhabitants there, who are Russians, very much desire that a priest be appointed at each prison. The people of Kamchatka also complained to me, namely from the Tigil-river and from Khariusovaya, about the local servicemen in the offence, which they are inflicted with the yasak payment, that they are collecting excesses against the decree. And many servicemen said that in ancient years they live in Kamchatka, but do not receive salaries, for the fact that a detailed decree in Yakutsk forbids making salaries, except for those that appear in Yakutsk, and poll money is collected from the mentioned people, which is why there is a considerable need undergo. The people there, according to news from the Kamchatka peoples, have a habit in Kamchatka from the beginning of the possession of the Russian state: when yasak is collected with sables and foxes, then they voluntarily give the collectors one and sometimes two parts, in excess of the yasak put on them.
And if the steward were determined for how many years, which he would have diligence about this people, so that he would not be offended, he would also have court in quarrels between them, and from those peoples who live in places near the Kuril Nose, also in the northern region, are given b were for yasak payment, and the service people who are found near Kamchatka should send them salaries from Yakutsk, then b hoped that they would make a considerable profit a year. And according to the current custom, commissars are sent every year for the tribute collection, and in the spring the packs [again] return to Yakutsk, and the Kamchatka prisons are left under the protection of service people, and every year the tribute collection is reduced. And if it were [to give] salaries to service people all the time [to give], then it would be possible to take this part to the treasury, and therefore there would be a double profit to the treasury, because every year 60 and 65 forty different animals are collected, and if these parts are taken to the treasury, then it will be there are more than 120 magpies in the collection, and this people will not be the slightest burden in that.
10. And the people of Kamchatka have a habit, when a person falls ill and lies a little, although not to death, then they throw him out and give little food, then he dies of hunger; when an old or young person does not want to live anymore, he will go out into the cold in winter and die of hunger, and many will crush themselves; and if someone happens to drown in the river, and many see it, then they don’t repair help for him and put themselves in a great sin if they save him from drowning. And so in vain a lot of people die from such a habit of theirs.
For this reason, it is necessary to give firm orders, so that those who are sick are not thrown out of their homes and do not kill themselves. It is also necessary to appoint one or two priests or skillful people to teach them, since at any prison children are taken from the noble people there, for fidelity from them, and then you can teach those children to the teachers, I hope that many will bow to the Christian faith.
11. Trade people from Russians travel to Kamchatka with goods on the sovereign’s ship, but they don’t have any distribution what to take for transportation.
During my stay, those merchant packs wished to return on the sovereign's ship, and I ordered to take two foxes from each person, and from their belongings, from each sum, two foxes, and these foxes were given to the sailor with a receipt. And he ordered those receipts to be announced in Yakutsk, so that henceforth they, sailors, would be read into their salaries.
12. In Kamchatka, it happens from visiting commissars that they change arbitrarily service people who have been found in Kamchatka for a long time and have homes, wives and children, including changing craft children.
And in my opinion, it is necessary to send handicraft people to Kamchatka rather than take them out from there, namely: carpenters and blacksmiths, spinners, locksmiths, because when there is a need, then it is not necessary to carry from distant cities.
13. Near the Tauisk prison near the Okhotsk, in the Penza Bay, also near the shore on the Kamchatka land, often dead whales are thrown out of the sea, in which there are whiskers; but the local people are imputed to nothing by these mustaches, and so they disappear, others use them for runners.
If it were ordered from this people to take whalebones instead of yasak, by a pood or two, or as it will be, then I hope that many hunters would be found in time to collect these mustaches.
14. In all three Kamchatka prisons there is a sale of wine at the farms, and the Cossacks and the Kamchatka people drink a lot of animals and other things, since before our arrival there was no money in Kamchatka.
And if the wine sale were under the authority of a steward, or kissers were assigned to that, then those animals would be brought to the treasury for wine.
15. Last year, 1729, in the month of June, a ship was sent from the Kamchatka River to the Bolsheretsky prison, near the Kamchatka land, and they saw foreign people walking near the shore, and it is recognized that they were truly Japanese people. And they showed iron, canes and paper, which was found on a small island near Avachik, and henceforth, if it was ordered to build ships for this path, then they should be built 8 and 9 feet deep; and the best place for building ships, except on the Kamchatka River, has not been found.
For this reason, I ordered the local steward to send servants to look for where these people are and bring them under guard, and if henceforth the above-described Japanese people [are found], then, in my opinion, it is necessary to send those people on our ship to their land and to find out the way, and whether it is possible to have a bargain with them, or in some other way, for the benefit of our state, what to look after, there are islands right up to the Japanese land from the Kamchatka Corner, and not far away the island from the island. And along the Kamchatka River, there is enough larch wood for the construction of ships, and iron can be brought from Yakutsk by the rivers Aldan, Maey and Yudomoya only at the time when these rivers disappear, and if that time is slowed down, then it is impossible to come by these rivers for shallow water, And in sea food you can buy reindeer meat from the Koryak people, and instead of cow's oil you can have fish oil without need, and you can drink wine from the local sweet grass as much as you need.
The lowest thought is not a decree, if the intention is sometimes perceived to send on an expedition, and especially from Kamchatka to the East
1. Ponezhe, finding out, I invented that further than the east (east), the sea rises in waves below, and on the shore of the island called Karaginsky, a great pine forest, which does not grow in Kamchatka land, was thrown out. In order to recognize that America or other lands lying between it are not very far from Kamchatka, for example, 150 or 200 miles have to be. And if this is truly the case, then it will be possible to establish auctions with the acquired lands there for the profit of the Russian Empire, and it will be possible to directly search for this if you build a ship of, for example, 45 to 50 fins [cargo capacity 250–280 m3].
2. This ship should have been built near Kamchatka, because the quality and suitability of the forests required for the construction can be obtained there better than in the Indus, and also for food for the servants of fish and trapping animals it can be purchased there more capable and cheaper. Yes, and you can get more help from the Kamchadals than from the inhabitants in Okhotsk. Moreover, the Kamchatka River, beyond the depth at the mouth, is better to pass by ships than the Okhota River.
3. It would not be without benefit to find out the Okhotsk or Kamchatka water passages to the mouth of the Amur River and further to the Japanese Islands; we have hope that deliberate places can be found there. And with those, to establish some auctions, also if the opportunity allows, and to start auctions with the Japanese, so that it would not be for the small profit of the Russian Empire in the future, but for the lack of property of the ships in those places it will be possible to take from the Japanese ships that come across. And besides, it is still possible to build one ship near Kamchatka of such a size as I mentioned above, or at least build a smaller one.
4. Dependency on this expedition, in addition to salaries and provisions, and in addition to materials for the wallpaper of the ship, which cannot be obtained there, and from here they have to be brought from Siberia; it can cost 10,000 or 12,000 rubles with transport.
5. If it is decided for good, the northern lands or the coast from Siberia, namely from the Ob River to the Yenisei, and from there to the Lena River, to the mouths of these rivers, you can freely and on boats or by dry way to find out, more than these lands under the high power of the Russian dry empires.
Vitus Bering. December 1730.
The board, having accepted all these papers and account books from Captain Bering, determined: to send the books for evidence to the Treasury Office, and send him, Bering, to the Senate, which was still in Moscow, to compose land maps, and send midshipman Pyotr Chaplin with him, clerk Zakharov and two people whom he himself chooses.
The venerable Bering, burning with impatience to begin the execution of his new enterprises as soon as possible, could not remain calm in Moscow. He asked the Senate to send him to St. Petersburg, and on January 5, 1732, the collegium received the following decree: let Captain-Commander Bering go from Moscow to St. Petersburg, and entrust the end of the accounts to Commissar Durasov and Non-Commander Pyotr Chaplin.
On January 24, Captain-Commander Bering appeared at the board and filed a Senate decree, which ordered this board: to reward him, following the example of others sent on long-distance expeditions, and to issue a well-deserved salary and runs.
On March 3, a resolution was passed in the board: to give Captain-Commander Bering his well-deserved salary from September 1, 1730 to January 1, 1732 and a grain salary for 4 batmen at Moscow prices.
If it seems surprising why the collegium did not carry out the Senate decree received in January before March, then it must be said that in February it was busy with a very important matter. In pursuance of the February 18 personalized presentation about the Admiral and Vice-President of the Admiralty College Sievers.
On March 22, a resolution was passed in the board on rewarding Captain-Commander Bering. It says, among other things: sent to Astrakhan in 1726, Rear Admiral Ivan Senyavin was given 870 rubles as a reward; and sent to his place captain-commander Mishukov 500 rubles; and since the journal and map given to them by Bering testify to the difficulty of his expedition, then the collegium, considering its distance relative to Astrakhan, proposes to give twice, i.e., a thousand rubles!
The ruling Senate agreed to this collegiate opinion, and on June 4 of the same year Bering was given 1000 rubles.
Meanwhile, the aforementioned proposals did not remain without action. Miller says that chief secretary Ivan Kirilov, known to the learned world from the maps he published and from his leadership of the Orenburg expedition, was especially concerned about this matter. April 17, 1732 was followed by a nominal order from Empress Anna Ioannovna to the Senate, so that it, together with the Admiralty College, considered Bering's proposals.
To the credit of the then members of the collegium, it must be said that, while approving the project of Captain-Commander Bering, they suggested that it would be much more useful to send him to Kamchatka by sea. It is not known why the proposal of these respectable men was not respected; its benefit is obvious. Siberian old-timers say that the Second Kamchatka Expedition was painful for the Yakuts, Kamchadals and all the inhabitants of the Arctic Sea, from Pustoozersk to the former Anadyr prison.
Here are the names of these most respected members of the board: Admiral Gordon, vice admirals: Naum Senyavin, Sanders, rear admirals: Vasily Dmitriev-Mamonov, Gosler, Bredal, captain-commanders: Ivan Koshelev, Mishukov, Vilboa and Ivan Kozlov, who was about ten years prosecutor in the board.
At the beginning of 1733, Captain-Commander Bering set off; of all ranks, different ranks, there were more than 200 people in his team. The distance of the journey, the slowness in the transportation of many supplies and the obstacles encountered in Okhotsk during the construction of 4 seaworthy ships were the reasons that not before in September 1740 he set out to sea from Okhotsk and, having reached the Peter and Paul Harbor, stayed there for the winter.
Finally, on June 4, 1741, Captain-Commander Bering set out at sea with two ships, of which Captain Chirikov commanded the other. What Bering discovered during this voyage, I said above. November 4, being on the way back, threw the Bering ship on the island, known by his name, where he ended his life on December 8 from illness and exhaustion.
Miller speaks of this famous man: thus, having served at Kronstadt in the fleet from its very beginning and being with everyone during the war with Sweden at that time, he added to the ability proper in his rank and long-term skill, which, most of all, made him worthy of extraordinary deeds, some were double visits assigned to him.
The only thing to be regretted is that he ended his life in such an unfortunate way. It can be said that he was almost buried during his lifetime; for in the pit in which he lay sick, sand from the sides always, crumbling, filled up his legs, whom he finally ordered no more to be raked, saying that he was warm from that, but by the way, he couldn’t get warm.
So, the sand fell on him up to his waist; and when he died, it was necessary to tear him out of the sand, so that his body would be decently buried in the earth.
Steller, Bering's companion, speaking of him with similar praise, says: “By birth, Vitus Bering was a Dane, according to the rules - a true, or humble Christian, and by conversion - a well-bred, friendly and beloved person.
Having made two trips to India, he entered the Russian service in 1704 with the rank of lieutenant and continued it until 1741 with honor and loyalty. Bering was used in various enterprises; but the most important of these is the command over both Kamchatka expeditions.
Impartial people will say about him in agreement that with exemplary zeal and zeal he always carried out the instructions of his superiors. He often admitted that the Second Kamchatka Expedition was beyond his strength, and regretted why they had not entrusted the execution of this enterprise to a Russian.
Bering was not capable of quick and decisive measures; but, perhaps, an ardent boss, with so many obstacles that he met everywhere, would have performed much worse than he was entrusted with.
You can blame him only for unlimited indulgence towards subordinates and excessive power of attorney to senior officers. He respected their knowledge more than he should have, and through that gave them arrogance, which often took them beyond the bounds of proper obedience to the boss.
The late Bering always thanked God for his special mercy towards him and confessed with delight that exemplary happiness favored him in all enterprises. There is no doubt that if he had reached Kamchatka, would have calmed down there in a warm room and reinforced himself with fresh food, he would have lived for several more years.
But since he had to endure hunger, thirst, cold and grief, the illness that he had long had in his legs intensified, moved closer to his chest, set fire to Anton and took his life on December 8, 1741.
If the death of the venerable Bering was sad for his friends, they were so surprised at the exemplary indifference with which he spent the last minutes of his life.
The lieutenants tried to prove that our ship had been thrown onto the Kamchatka coast, but he, feeling that they were thinking very unreasonably, did not want to upset them with a contrary opinion, but exhorted those around him and advised them to endure their fate with patience, not to lose courage and lay everything on hope in the Divine Providence.
The next day we buried the ashes of our dear leader; they buried his body according to the Protestant rite and put it in the middle between his adjutant and the commissar. Before sailing from the island, they put a cross over his grave and started from it the ship's reckoning.
Having finished the biographical information about our Russian Columbus, I consider it necessary to add that if time and circumstances allow me to publish his second voyage in the light, then in it curious readers will find a lot of additional news about this great and famous navigator. It was impossible to touch on them here because they are closely connected with the story of his second journey.
About the family of Captain-Commander Bering, one could only collect the following information: he was married; had three sons and one daughter, who was married to the St. Petersburg police chief Baron Korf. His younger son died about 1770, leaving behind a son and two daughters who are still alive. Bering also had a brother, Christian, who served as a navigator.
In the journal of the State Admiralty College of 1730, June 2, it says: the deceased navigator Christian Bering to his son Christian, an orphan's cash salary from September 1, 1728 to the specified period of October 28, 1729, for his upbringing, to be given to Captain Lumont. And henceforth, do not give that orphan's salary to this Bering, since the indicated summers have already passed.
It must be assumed that he, Bering, or his brother had some kind of estate in Vyborg; we saw above that before setting off on his first journey, he went there for two weeks. Steller says: On October 10, 1741, during a fierce storm, Captain-Commander Bering ordered Lieutenant Waxel to announce to the team that they make a voluntary fold of money: Russians - for the newly built Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Avacha, and Lutherans - for Vyborgskaya picks.
According to the journal of the college (May 26, 1732), it is clear that the doctor Shtranman complained about Bering that he would not let her daughter Katerina go away from him. Bering replied that she was with him at the behest of her father; but the board, in spite of this, ordered him to let her go to her mother.
Probably Bering was akin or a very short friend of Vice Admiral Sanders; for according to the magazines of the collegium (July 4, 1732) it is clear that the latter sent him to the collegium to announce to the members that due to his serious illness he could not go to Narva.
Recently I was informed that the daughter of Bering's youngest son, who is married to a retired fleet captain Platen, who lives in Belgorod, has a lot of interesting information and acts about her grandfather; and therefore I hope, when publishing his second journey, to collect much more complete and detailed information about this famous husband.
Lieutenant Martyn Spanberg
Biographical information about the venerable Captain Spanberg is still much more limited than about Bering. Not knowing when he entered the Russian naval service and not the name of the list of naval officials earlier than 1726, one can only say that according to this, Shpanberg was designated fourth lieutenant, promoted to this rank in 1720. According to the list of 1732, he was a captain of the 3rd rank, and according to the list of 1736, he was the first in the same rank.
In collegiate magazines, I found only the following about him: in May 1794, the board determined, by the highest command, to send two packet boats to Lübeck to transport passengers, letters and various luggage. Lieutenants Shpanberg and Somov were appointed commanders of these ships.
On August 28, the collegium ordered the commander of the flagship to send a decree: order Lieutenant Spanberg (who commanded it) from the frigate "Saint Jacob" to be sent to the Admiralty Collegium for a while. On August 31, write to Vice-Admiral Gordon in Kronstadt not to send the St. Jacob frigate designated instead of a packet boat to Lübeck without a board decree; and send Lieutenant Spanberg to the Admiralty College.
It is not known where Captain Spanberg was on his return from the trip. In the journals of the college, it is mentioned only once (May 1723), on the occasion of his departure to survey the forests near Lake Ladoga.
But, despite this silence, it is clear that they knew how to appreciate the talents of the venerable Spanberg; for during the departure of the Second Kamchatka Expedition, he was appointed head of the detachment of those ships that were assigned to survey the Japanese coast, inventory of the Kuril Islands and the Amur River.
In 1738 and 1739 Captain Spanberg sailed with three ships to the shores of Japan. In 1740, Captain-Commander Bering sent him to St. Petersburg for a personal explanation; but as soon as he arrived at the Kirensky prison, he received an order from the board to sail again to Japan and determine more accurately the longitude in which, it was believed, he was mistaken.
Spanberg marked Japan on his map as 15° east of the southern cape of Kamchatka; and since Delisle showed on his map that it was on the same meridian with Kamchatka, they did not believe Spanberg and concluded that he was in Korea and mistook this country for Japan.
In 1741 Captain Shpanberg again went to sea from Okhotsk; but there was such a strong leak in his ship that he had to go to Bolsheretsk for the winter. In 1742, he sailed near the Kuril Islands and, returning, also for the leak of his ship, to Kamchatsk, he remained there until his death, which happened to him in 1745 or in 1746.
Lieutenant Alexei Chirikov
Our information about this famous naval officer is very limited. One can only conclude that he was considered excellent, because the captain of the guard Kazinsky, who was in charge of the midshipmen, demanded him to be with him. Here is the Board's decision on this subject.
On September 18, 1724, on the report of the Life Guards Captain Kazinsky in Kronstadt to the commander of the flagship, send a decree ordering the Navy non-commissioned lieutenants Alexei Chirikov and Alexei Nagaev to be assigned to the Academy, to train midshipmen, send to the collegium without delay.
Since we saw above that Vice-Admiral Sanders was very close to Bering, it was probably he who recommended Chirikov to him, who served on his ship in 1722 and trained midshipmen. The following resolution of the board is a biographical material, which does a special honor to the venerable Chirikov.
January 3rd day 1725, according to an extract from the office of General-Kriegs-Commissioner Non-Lieutenant Alexei Chirikov, although the turn has not come before him, now write to the lieutenant, in order that, according to the newly introduced Admiralty regulations of the 1st chapter of the 110th article printed: if any of the admiralty servants is knowledgeable at sea or at the shipyard at work and is careful in doing his job more than others, their commanders should report to the boards.
The collegium should then consider, and these, for their diligence, should be promoted by rank or an increase in salary. And about the above-described Chirikov, in the past 1722, Shoutbenacht Sanders announced that Chirikov was the most skillful in training midshipmen and naval officers. And Captain Nazinsky testified to the guards that one hundred and forty-two people had taught various sciences through this Chirikov.
Upon returning from the first trip, Chirikov was taken on yachts to the Empress Anna Ioannovna and stayed on them until the second departure to Kamchatka. In 1741, he went to sea with Captain-Commander Bering, and was much happier than him, for he returned in the same year to Peter and Paul Harbor, where he stayed for the winter.
Chirikov's return to Kamchatka must be attributed to his excellent skill in navigation. Despite the most severe storms that raged in that sea all September and October, despite the scorbutic disease that spread throughout the crew and took the life of all his lieutenants, he kept the correct reckoning and ascended Avacha Bay on October 9.
In the summer of 1742, he went to look for Captain-Commander Bering and very soon arrived at the first Aleutian Island, which he called St. Theodore. From here he sailed to the north, saw Bering Island and, having swung around the southwestern cape, directed his way to Okhotsk. If the venerable Chirikov had decided to sail around this entire island, he would have found his companions there, who at that time were building a new ship for themselves.
From Okhotsk, Chirikov went by land to St. Petersburg, but received an order to remain in Yeniseisk until he received permission to continue or complete the Second Kamchatka Expedition. Captain Chirikov lived in Yeniseisk until 1746, when he received the following decree, which I found in the papers of Admiral Nagaev.
Upon arrival in St. Petersburg, Chirikov was granted a captain-commander, and died in 1749. Miller says: Chirikov died, having earned for himself the honor not only of a skilled and diligent officer, but also of an upright and God-fearing person; why will his memory not fall into oblivion among all who knew him.
Midshipman Pyotr Chaplin
Pyotr Chaplin, the venerable narrator of the Bering voyage, who wrote the entire five-year journal with his own hand, is shown, according to the list of 1723, as one of the best midshipmen. When he was promoted to midshipman, mentioned above. In 1729 he was promoted to non-commissioned lieutenant, and in 1733 to lieutenant. How he proceeded further in ranks is unknown; but above his name is written by the hand of our famous hydrograph, Admiral Nagaev: he died near the city of Arkhangelsk in 1764, and was a captain-commander.
