background

As you know, after returning from the First Kamchatka Expedition in 1730, Vitus Bering was met somewhat coolly in St. Petersburg. The report presented by him was treated with distrust. The fact is that just before him in the Admiralty College, the Cossack colonel, "conquistador" and conqueror of the Chukchi A.F. Shestakov managed to inherit.

Shestakov presented a map he had compiled (in 1724) of North-Eastern Siberia and the Kuril Islands (!). In 1727, at his suggestion, the government initiated a military expedition (~ 600 people) to conquer the Chukchi and search for lands and islands in Ledovity and Pacific Oceans. He died in 1730 at the hands of the Chukchi.

But since Shestakov did not know how to write maps, it was not difficult for Bering to show the advantage of the results of his own expedition. And in order to finally convince the leadership of the Admiralty that he was right, Bering came out with the initiative to organize another research expedition to the eastern borders of the state. He submitted a brief note proposing:

1. bypass and explore in detail the sea to the south from Kamchatka to Japan and the mouth of the Amur

2. bypass the entire northern coast of Siberia and survey it;

3. go east from Kamchatka to find the shores of America, probably not far from it, and then establish trade relations with the natives there.

Bering's project became interested in influential people, led by Count Osterman, who was in charge of the fleet and was the most influential person in the state at that time.

Count Osterman. One of the associates of Peter I, who led foreign policy Russian Empire in the 1720s and 1730s. The actual head of state under Anna Ioannovna (1730-40). He was brought to Russia from Amsterdam by the same Admiral Kornely Ivanovich Kruys, who “between” Bering to the Russian service. Osterman was one of the most influential figures both under Peter I (the author of many reforms and laws, including the famous "Table of Ranks") and under subsequent rulers, until the end of the reign of Anna Ivanovna in 1740. Under Elizabeth, he fell into disgrace and was exiled to Siberia.

The Admiralty Board supported Bering's plan to organize the next expedition to Kamchatka. Moreover, she expanded it into a grandiose project to explore the eastern and northern outskirts of the empire, which went down in history as the "Great Northern Expedition". Bering was entrusted with both the general management of the project and the direct search for a sea route from Kamchatka to America.

Tasks of the Second Kamchatka Expedition

Commander Bering and Captain Chirikov were instructed to build in Okhotsk or Kamchatka, where it would be more convenient, two ships, on which to go " to search the American shores, so that they are known to all"And it was taken for granted that these shores are located not far from Kamchatka. Having reached the shores," to visit them and truly explore what peoples are on them, and how they call that place, and are those American shores really".

Then it was instructed to sail along them, " how much time and opportunity will allow, according to one’s own consideration, so that they can return to the Kamchatka shores through the local climate; and in that his (i.e., Bering's) hands are not tied, so that this voyage would not be fruitless, like the first".

The highest decree on the conduct of the Northern Expedition was adopted on April 17, 1732. Bering plunged into organizational activities in St. Petersburg. Then he moved to Tobolsk, and by 1734 he was in Yakutsk. This Siberian city became the central "headquarters" for the entire event. Bering languished under the weight of organizational efforts to equip the expeditionary detachments. These administrative duties oppressed him, Bering was impatient, finally, to go to sea himself. In Okhotsk, meanwhile, three-masted packet boats were laid - "Saint Peter" and "Saint Paul", designed specifically for sailing to the American shores.

Packet boats "St. Peter" and "St. Paul"

The length of each packet boat was 80 feet (30-odd meters). They had 14 guns each and a carrying capacity of about 100 tons. The crew of both ships consisted of 166 people. Bering himself went on the St. Peter. With him were lieutenant Waxel, navigator Ezelberg, navigator Yushin and midshipman Johann Sind. Among the sailors was the degraded lieutenant Ovtsyn, the former commander of one of the detachments of the Northern Expedition. "Saint Paul" was commanded by Captain Alexei Chirikov, with whom were lieutenants Chikhachev and Plauting, navigator Elagin and midshipman Yurlov. Provisions were taken at the rate of 20 months.

A. Chirikov and V. Bering on the shore of the Avacha Bay of the future Petropavlovsk

Boots "Saint Peter" and "Saint Paul"

The main ships were to be accompanied by a dubel-boat under the command of the shipmaster Khitrov and a galliot, controlled by the navigator Rtishchev. The dubel boat was supposed to accommodate the astronomer Lacroyer and the naturalist Steller, who arrived from St. Petersburg, as well as the surveyor Krasilnikov. Both of these auxiliary vessels fell behind on the way and did not take part in the main expedition.

While there were fees, September came. It was too late to sail to America. Therefore, we went to the eastern coast of Kamchatka, where we stopped for the winter in an unusually convenient bay of the Avacha River. The unique convenience of the bay was immediately noticed by an experienced sailor. Bering laid here locality, naming it after their ships. Wintering in Petropavlovsk passed without incident. By the beginning of the summer of 1741, everything was ready for the main task.

The mysterious land of Juan de Gama.

Behring himself believed that The best way to get to the American continent - sail to the northeast, not higher than latitude 65 0. His opinion was shared by most experts.

But here came the geographer of the detachment L. Lacroyer, who began to insist on the priority search for the mysterious Companion land, or the land of Juan de Gama, an unknown navigator who allegedly saw somewhere in these parts a land entirely composed of silver. Bering, Chirikov, Steller, of course, did not believe these "fairy tales of Scheherizada." But the trouble was that the Admiralty also ordered its installations to search for this land. The non-existent land was marked on the map of Lacroyer along the 45-47 o parallel. Bering was forced to yield.

And early in the morning of June 4, 1741, both packet boats set off in search of a non-existent land invented by the fantasy of an armchair scientist. Especially indignant and annoyed by this disgrace was the natural scientist Steller, who, more than anyone else, wanted to set foot on American soil as soon as possible.

"Saint Pavel" Chirikov walked ahead. The ships, in order not to lose each other in the fog, constantly beat the bell and fired their cannons. But on June 19, they still lost sight of each other and no longer converged.

Bering went down to the south to the 45th parallel, poked back and forth, and not finding any Companian land, headed northeast. This deviation from the direct route to America became main reason many failures of travelers on "St. Petre."

America!!!

After a month and a half of sailing, about noon on July 16, 1741 (at latitude 58 o 14 "and longitude 49 o 31"), the foggy outlines of mountain ranges began to emerge to the north. The joy of the team knew no bounds. The naturalist Steller rejoiced most of all. On July 20, 1741, the packet ship "Saint Peter" was able to anchor not far from the coast. The American coast - there was no doubt about this, because mountain ranges covered with glaciers loomed in front of them, the height of which is about 3000-6000 meters above sea level. Now this mountain range is called the "Mountains of St. Elias - Saint Elias Mountains)" on the border of Canada and the United States.

Only Bering did not share the general rejoicing. He was sullen and, with uncharacteristic decisiveness, announced to the team the need to return immediately. The commander motivated his decision by the fact that it was far from Kamchatka, and that winter was ahead, and there were few supplies, and a significant part of the team was sick, including himself. Obviously, Bering had a premonition of something bad. And he was very tired and sick. After all, he was already over 60 years old ... In a word, the commander insisted on his decision. Only Steller managed to visit American soil, and then only a few hours. But even during this insignificant time, the restless German managed to collect large collection all sorts of plants. Steller begged Bering to stay here a little longer, but the commander was inexorable.

Yes, Bering made strange and incomprehensible decisions to move away from the goal when it was already within easy reach. Had he stayed a couple of weeks longer in 1728 in the Bering Strait, he would have “discovered America” even then. No, I turned back. If he passed a little to the south in 1727 and circled Kamchatka from the south, there was no need to drag all winter 800 miles through the mountains with all the junk to Nizhnekamchatsk. And here he could have insisted that first America - then the Companion Land, on the way back. No. As a result, we lost time, depleted stocks ...

The commander reasoned with the team by the fact that on next year they will return here with fresh forces and will thoroughly examine everything. Moreover, the instructions of the Admiralty Board allowed this.

Back to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky

The return trip home was full of hardships. Along the way, a number of islands from the Aleutian group were discovered. In the end, "Saint Peter" crashed near an unknown deserted island, which travelers mistook for Kamchatka. It turned out - not Kamchatka. Before it did not reach 180 miles. Subsequently, this island will be named after Bering. Right here great traveler found his final resting place. On December 8, 1741, Captain-Commander Vitus Bering died. Together with him, a significant part of the team found their last shelter on this island. Those who survived, only 46 people, the next summer, from the remains of the "St. Peter", built a makeshift ship and, in August 1742, reached Avacha Bay on it. After wintering here, the travelers reached Okhotsk in 1743, and in the same year they arrived in St. Petersburg.

Monument to V. Bering in Tyumen 2013

Alexey Chirikov and the packet boat "Saint Pavel"

And what about Chirikov and the bot "St. Paul?" The fate of this team was not much better team"Saint Peter". After losing sight of Bering's ship, Chirikov stopped searching for the unknown Kompaneyskaya land and headed east. On July 15, 1741, a day and a half before Bering, he saw the American continent. This was South coast Alaska and the same mountains of St. Elijah. We anchored about three miles from the shore. They equipped a rowboat with the aim of landing on the coast, reconnaissance of the area, replenishing water supplies and establishing contacts with the local population, if any. But the bot didn't come back.

For a whole week, "St. Paul" maneuvered along the coast, waiting for the return of his comrades. One day we saw smoke on the shore. They equipped the small boat left on the ship with carpentry, believing that the boat was wrecked and needed repair. But the boat did not return. Either both teams fell into the hands of the Indians, or the boats simply crashed on the coastal rocks. Be that as it may, the position of the Chirikov team became critical. There was nothing to approach the shore, there was no way to replenish fresh water supplies. Exploration of the new land was out of the question. It was necessary to urgently return back.

On the way back along the Aleutian archipelago, Aleuts approached the ship in boats, but none of them boarded. It was not possible to exchange at least fresh water from them. And the water on the ship was running out, the crew collapsed from weakness and disease. Food and vodka were plentiful. But without fresh water, the team was completely exhausted.

"St. Paul" was more fortunate than "St. Peter". On October 8, 1741, navigator Elagin saw the shores of Kamchatka and the St. Paul, with a barely alive crew on board, reached Avacha Bay.

Chirikov was extremely dissatisfied with the results of the expedition. To be off the American coast and not even land! After wintering in Avacha Bay, the next season he made another attempt to reach America. May 25, 1742 "St. Paul" with the remnants of the team again went to sea in the direction of America. However, bad weather did not even allow him to move away from the shores of the Kuril ridge. And Chirikov decided to stop the campaign. By August, he and his companions were already in Okhotsk, from where they went by direct road to Petersburg.

Thus ended the Second Kamchatka expedition of Bering-Chirikov. Its main result was the stay of Russian ships near the West coast of North America. Discovery of the Aleutian Islands and a number of others. That, perhaps, is all.

P.S.

There is an opinion that the Russians discovered the shores of North America (Alaska) during the Second Kamchatka Expedition. This is not true. The first Russian ship to approach the coast of North America was the St. Gabriel". The one that Bering built and on which the First Kamchatka Expedition discovered the Bering Strait!

This event happened on August 21, 1732. "Saint Gabriel" was commanded by surveyor M. Gvozdev and navigator I. Fedorov. Both of them were members of the “expedition of A.F. Shestakov - D. I. Pavlutsky 1729-1735. And they approached American soil just in the Bering Strait. And they didn't go for it either. There are, however, some doubts and confusion in the testimony about the veracity of the reports of M. Gvozdev and I. Fedorov.

Again Travelers of the Age of Discovery

The birth of the future navigator is not marked by any important events. No one imagined that the child would become not just a sailor, but a great discoverer, and even in the service of another state. It is difficult to say what reasons prompted the boy to enter the naval service in the Russian Empire: our state was not so powerful at that time. Perhaps Bering was able to see certain prospects for himself. Which, to some extent, contributed to his discoveries, which had a practical, geographical, and historical meaning. Bering not only discovered new lands and islands in the north of the country, but also made maps of the coast, which was extremely important.

First years of life

Vitus Bering was born on August 12, 1681 in Jutland (modern Denmark) in the city of Horsens. The town did not differ in anything special: several churches and monasteries - that's all the sights. It began to develop only after 1442, when a trading charter was issued to it, and gradually turned into a commercial center.

The city was located on the seashore and had a port. The hero of our story from the first years of his life admired the waves and dreamed of traveling. Although his father was, according to some historians, a customs officer, and never left his native place. It is not very clear for what reason, but at the very beginning of his career as a sailor, the teenager took his mother's surname.

The sea attracted the boy, so it is not surprising that, having reached adolescence, he entered the Amsterdam Marine cadet corps, and in 1703, at the age of 22, successfully completed it. But before that, Vitus Bering made a short trip to the East Indies on a Dutch ship. Apparently, after this, the future traveler Bering made a firm decision to link his fate with the sea.

In the service of Peter I

How did Vitus Bering get into the Russian fleet? His biography does not contain exact information on this matter. It is only known that at that time, on the orders of the Russian sovereign Peter the Great, Admiral of the Russian fleet Kornely Ivanovich Kruys was recruiting experienced sailors for service. Sievers and Senyavin introduced the boy, saying that he had already been to the East Indies, therefore, he still had some kind of experience. From other sources it is known that Vitus wanted to serve, like his cousin Sievers, precisely in the Navy, and certainly in the Russian Empire. Whatever it was, but his dream came true, and Bering went to St. Petersburg. There he was assigned to manage a ship that transported timber for the construction of the Kronstadt fortress. Not God knows what, but still the sea!

Soon Vitus Bering received the rank of lieutenant and began to carry out more responsible and complex assignments. He took part in Azov campaign, tracked the movement of Swedish ships in the Gulf of Finland, participated in the campaign from Arkhangelsk to Kronstadt, served on the Pearl ship during its transfer from Hamburg to St. Petersburg. And suddenly, not having reached the rank of captain of the first rank, Bering leaves military service.

The track record of Vitus Bering

If compiled in chronological order all the ranks and titles that the navigator Bering received during his military career, we get the following table:

These are the titles and honors awarded to Vitus Bering for 20 years of service. short biography, however, does not at all reveal all the merits of the navigator. For historians and geographers, the subsequent part of his life is more interesting.

Development and accession of Kamchatka to the Russian Empire

The ever-increasing oppression of serfdom could not but affect the history of Russia. The runaway peasants were looking for lands that would serve as a refuge from persecution. So gradually people got to Siberia, and then to Kamchatka. But the territory was already inhabited, so campaigns were organized to seize and develop lands rich in furs, etc. In 1598, it was defeated, and the territory became part of the Russian Empire.

The need to explore Kamchatka

The development of Kamchatka and other Siberian lands was a matter of national importance. First of all, it was necessary to replenish the treasury. But the pioneers, for the most part, were poorly educated people who, first of all, looked for minerals, discovered new territories and taxed local population. The state needed maps of new lands, as well as a sea route.

In 1724, Peter the Great issues a decree on organizing a campaign against Kamchatka, led by Vitus Bering. The traveler was ordered to get to Kamchatka, build two ships and go to the North on them, find the place where America connects with Siberia, and find a way to the cities of Europe from there.

The first Kamchatka expedition of Vitus Bering

Having received the position of leader and title, the future traveler began to fulfill the order of the sovereign. After 2 weeks - January 25, 1725 - the first members of the expedition set off from St. Petersburg to Kamchatka. The group included two more naval officers (Alexey Chirikov and Martyn Shpanberg), surveyors, shipbuilders, navigators, rowers, sailors, cooks. Total number reached 100 people.

The road turned out to be difficult and difficult. I had to get different ways: carts, sleighs with dogs, river boats. Arriving in Okhotsk in 1727, they began building ships to fulfill the main tasks of the expedition. On these ships, Vitus Bering traveled to the Western coast of Kamchatka. In Nizhnekamchatsk, the warship "Saint Gabriel" was rebuilt, on which the navigator and the crew went further. The ship passed through the strait between Alaska and Chukotka, but due to weather conditions sailors were unable to see the shores of the American continent.

Partially, the goals of the expedition were fulfilled. However, returning in 1730, he submits a report on the work done and draws up a project for the next expedition. Most of the first persons of the state and academicians did not understand, like Vitus Bering himself, what he had discovered. But the main thing was proved - Asia and America are not connected. And the traveler received the rank of captain-commander.

Second expedition to Kamchatka

After the navigator returned, his words, records and maps were treated with a certain distrust. It was necessary to defend his honor and justify the highest trust placed in him. And the goals have not yet been achieved. You can't stop half way. So, the second expedition is appointed, and Vitus Bering commands it. A biography written by the traveler's contemporaries claims that, shortly before the first trip to the shores of Kamchatka, a certain Shestakov discovered both the strait and even the Kuril Islands. Yes, but all these discoveries have not been documented. The Dane was lucky - he was educated, knew how to structure and analyze the results obtained, and made good maps.

The second expedition of Vitus Bering had the following goals: exploring the sea from Kamchatka to Japan and the mouth of the Amur, mapping the entire northern coast of Siberia, reaching the American coast and trading with the natives, if any were found there.

Despite the fact that Anna Ioannovna sat on the imperial throne, Russia still remained faithful to Peter's precepts. Therefore, influential officials from the Admiralty became interested in the project. The decree on the campaign was issued in 1732. Having reached Okhotsk, in 1740, Bering builds two packet boats - St. Peter and St. Paul. On them, the researchers went to the eastern coast of Kamchatka.

Expedition results

This time it was more successful. But at the same time tragic - during the wintering in 1741, Vitus Bering died. What he discovered could only be appreciated later. After all, then it was difficult to verify the reliability of the results of his work - the road to Siberia was still too dependent on the vagaries of nature. But even then, travelers had already begun to use the maps compiled by Vitus Bering. The discoveries of the great pioneer made it possible to engage in the development and exploitation of new lands.

So the following has been done:

• Petropavlovsk was founded in the Achinsk Bay.
• Through the modern Bering Sea, the coast of Alaska is reached.
• On the way back, the Aleutian and Shumaginsky Islands were discovered.
• The Aleutian Range is mapped.
• Evdokeevsky Islands and Chirikov Island (Misty) were discovered and mapped.
• Bering Island was discovered, on which the navigator died in 1741.
• Mapped on the territory of the northern and Eastern Russia, inland territories of Siberia.
• The Kuril Islands are mapped.
• Found a way to Japan.

If you carefully study the history of geographical discoveries, you will find that this expedition was only part of a larger campaign. It was completed only a few years after Bering's death, and even then only thanks to his organizational talent. After all, it was he who divided the participants of the Northern Expedition into groups, giving each certain tasks. Despite the human losses, the campaign was completed very successfully.

What did Vitus Bering look like?

The appearance of the discoverer is questionable by some biographers. It turns out that the familiar paintings depicting Vitus Bering (there was no photo then) do not correspond to reality. These are portraits of his uncle. The controversy was resolved by examining the skull and recreating the appearance through modeling. As a result, the real face of the traveler was obtained. Indeed, Vitus Bering (photos are presented in the article) had a completely different appearance. But this does not detract from the importance of his discoveries.

Character of the great navigator

According to reports, the navigator had a somewhat mild character, which was not at all suitable for the head of the expedition. Nevertheless, Bering was twice appointed to this position. It should be noted one more oddity. The explorer of Siberia did not like to bring things to the end result - he could stop at the moment when the goal was within easy reach. This feature of Bering was noted by both friends and participants in the campaigns. And yet it was he who was recommended as a leader and organizer to both Peter the Great and Anna Ioannovna. How can this be explained? It must be that, despite all his shortcomings, Vitus Bering was an experienced navigator. He knew how to follow orders, was very responsible and executive, and, no less important, devoted to the state in whose service he was. Yes, most likely, it was for these qualities that he was chosen to carry out such important geographical research.

Grave of the explorer of Kamchatka

After Vitus Bering met his death on the island, which he also discovered, he was buried and, according to the traditions of that time, a wooden cross was erected. It is clear that over time the tree decayed and crumbled. However, in 1864, at the place where, according to the records of Bering's associates, his grave was located, a new wooden cross was erected. This was the merit of the Russian-American Company, founded under Emperor Paul.

In 1991, a search expedition was organized to the burial places of the researcher of Siberia. The grave of not only Bering, but also five more sailors was discovered on the island. The remains were recovered and sent to Moscow for research. By bones and skull was restored appearance traveler. Also, scientists were able to find out that he died not from scurvy, as previously assumed, but from another disease (which one, exactly, is not known for certain). After the research was completed, the remains were returned to the island and reburied.

Objects that bear the name of the great navigator

In memory of the traveler and his contribution to geographical research, the following objects are named after him:

• Streets in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Astrakhan, Nizhny Novgorod, Murmansk, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Tomsk, Yakutsk.
• Island, strait, cape, glacier, sea.
• Icebreaker and diesel-electric ship.
• State University in Kamchatka.
• Plants that grow in the Far East.

In addition, the film "The Ballad of Bering and His Friends" was shot about the traveler.

The value of the navigator's discoveries

One cannot fail to recognize the importance of Vitus Bering's sea voyages. It was thanks to him that the first competently drawn maps of Siberia appeared. Subsequently, this greatly helped the development of the Asian part of the Russian Empire. Thanks to his expeditions, active development of the region began. They began to extract minerals, the mining and foundry industries began to develop.

The Russian Empire received an influx of money into the treasury and new territories, its global importance and influence. And most importantly, the country got the opportunity to trade with those countries that could not be reached by the already mastered routes. After all, these territories were under the jurisdiction of other states, which charged a considerable fee for their crossing. Nevertheless, despite all his merits, Vitus Bering received recognition posthumously, only after other travelers confirmed his discoveries. So, the now well-known got its name from light hand James Cook.

The first Kamchatka expedition of Vitus Bering. 1725-1730.

Vitus Bering was the first Russian navigator to head purposeful geographical expedition. You can read his short biography here. If we draw historical parallels, then Bering's expeditions can be compared with the expeditions of James Cook, whose voyages were also the initiative of the Admiralty and the state.

Did the idea of ​​the First Kamchatka Expedition belong to Peter the Great?

Peter was the first of the rulers of Russia to begin a systematic study of the geography of the country, and above all, the instrumental compilation of "general" maps.

The search for Russia's access to the expanses of the world's oceans has always been his "idea fix". But it was not possible to break through to the Black Sea. Dominance in the Baltic was very relative - the Swedes or the Danes at any moment could block the narrow neck of the exit from the Baltic to the Atlantic expanses. There remained the Northern Sea Route and Far East: across the strait between Asia and America Russian ships could break through to India and China. If there was a strait.

It is known that at the beginning of the independent reign of Peter, the first explorer of Kamchatka, Vladimir Atlasov, brought to Moscow a Japanese named Denbey, who was brought by a storm to south coast peninsula in 1695 and was held captive by the Kamchadals.

Tsar Peter, despite the endless wars in the west, did not forget about the eastern borders of his kingdom. In 1714-1716, at the direction of Peter, sea communication (on boats) was established between Okhotsk and the western coast of Kamchatka. The next step was to search for the coast of North America, which, as he assumed, was not far from Kamchatka or even merges with Asia. In 1720-1721, one of the expeditions, heading from Kamchatka to the southwest, even reached the middle of the Kuril ridge, but did not find the American coast.

It must be said that the question “whether or not Asia is united with America” was of interest to many in those years. For the first time, the Paris Academy of Sciences, of which Peter was formally a member, turned to Peter I with a question and a request to equip the expedition. The famous German scientist Leibniz had a great influence on Peter I in this matter. Leibniz was not only the initiator of the creation of the Russian (first St. Petersburg) Academy of Sciences, but also advised Peter on many issues state structure and had a great influence on him. But the Dutch East India Company was especially zealous in finding new ways to the East, which at one time brought Peter the Great to power in Russia. For her, the question is "Does Asia connect with America?" was not at all idle. And in 1724, Peter was "finished" before making a decision. And, as you know, Peter had a short distance from making a decision to incarnation.

On December 23, 1724, Peter instructed the Admiralty Board to equip an expedition to Kamchatka under the command of a worthy naval officer. The Admiralty Board proposed to put Captain Bering at the head of the expedition, since he "was in the East Indies and knows how to get around." Peter I agreed with Bering's candidacy. (Dutch too.)

"Tsar's order" of the Bering expedition

On January 6, 1725, (just a few weeks before his death), Peter himself wrote instructions for the First Kamchatka Expedition. Bering and his comrades were prescribed in Kamchatka or in another suitable place build two deck ships

1. It is necessary in Kamchatka or elsewhere to make one or two boats with decks; 2. On these boats near the land that goes to the Nord and by hope (they don’t know the end of it), it seems that land is part of America; 3. In order to look for where it came together with America: and in order to get to which city of European possessions or if they see which ship is European, to find out from it, as it is called, and take it on a letter and visit the shore yourself and take a genuine statement and, put on the map, come here.

The Bering Strait was discovered by Semyon Dezhnev

Some irony of the situation was that the strait between Asia and America was discovered 80 years ago by the Cossack Semyon Dezhnev. But the results of his campaign were not published. And neither Peter, nor the Admiralty College, nor Vitus Bering himself, who was far from geographical discoveries in his duties, knew about them. The historian Miller came across the "tale" about Dezhnev's campaign in Yakutsk only in 1736, during the Great Northern Expedition.

Composition of the First Kamchatka Expedition

In addition to Bering, naval officers Aleksey Chirikov and Martyn Shpanberg, surveyors, navigators, and shipwrights were assigned to the expedition. In total, more than 30 people went on a trip from St. Petersburg.

On January 24, 1725, A. Chirikov left St. Petersburg with his team; on February 8, he arrived in Vologda. A week later, Bering joined him with other members of the expedition. The number of full-time members of the expedition alone, both those sent from St. Petersburg and those who joined along the way, reached 20 specialists. In total, under the command of Vitus Bering, including the auxiliary staff (rowers, cooks, etc.), there were about 100 people.

From Vologda to Okhotsk

The expedition covered the distance from Vologda to Tobolsk in 43 days. After a month's rest, we set off again. Almost the entire summer of 1725 the team spent on the road. The winter of 1725-26 was spent in Ilimsk. On June 16, all expedition units arrived in Yakutsk. And only on July 30, 1727, in the third year after departure from St. Petersburg, Bering and his team reached Okhotsk in separate groups. The legend says that Bering himself, from Yakutsk to Okhotsk, spent 45 days in the saddle! Upon arrival in Okhotsk, without wasting time, they began to build the ship. In total, more than ten thousand miles were covered by water, on horseback, on sleds, on foot ...

On August 22, 1727, the newly built ship - the galliot "Fortuna" and the small boat accompanying it, which arrived from Kamchatka, left Okhotsk and headed east.

Galiot is a two-masted, shallow-sitting vessel.

From Okhotsk to Nizhnekamchatsk

The journey from Okhotsk to the western coast of Kamchatka took a week, and on August 29, 1727, travelers were already sailing in view of the Kamchatka coast. What happened next is difficult to explain logically. Despite the fact that by that time the Russians had already more or less settled in Kamchatka, Beringa had no idea about the size of the peninsula. There was even an opinion that Kamchatka smoothly passes into Japan, and that there is no through route to the east ... Bering did not even suspect that there was very little left to the southern point of Kamchatka.

Therefore, the expedition commander decided to land on the western coast and move over the winter to the eastern coast, to Nizhnekamchatsk. They decided to build new ship and from there to begin the main investigations. (According to other sources, the hastily built "Fortune" gave a strong leak, and the expedition was forced to land on the shore). Whatever it was, but Bering went to the mouth of the Bolshaya River and ordered to drag equipment and supplies to the shore.

Bering's journey through the Kamchatka Peninsula

In the Central Archive Navy Bering's reports to the Admiralty - Board about his crossing across Kamchatka have been preserved:

“... Upon arrival at the Bolsheretsky mouth, materials and provisions were transported to the Bolsheretsky prison by water in small boats. With this prison of Russian housing there are 14 courtyards. And he sent heavy materials and some of the provisions up the Bystraya River in small boats, which were brought by water to the Upper Kamchadal prison for 120 miles. And in the same winter, from the Bolsheretsky prison, to the Upper and Lower Kamchadal prisons, they were transported quite according to the local custom on dogs. And every evening, on the way for the night, they raked camps out of the snow, and covered them from above, because great blizzards live, which are called blizzards in local language.

The description of the expedition's passage through the Kamchatka Range, the dragging of all property, including materials for building ships, weapons, ammunition, food, took more than two months. On foot, along the rivers and on dog sledding the expedition covered more than 800 miles! A truly heroic feat.

To the Bering Strait in full sail

Upon arrival in Nizhnekamchatsk of all cargo and crew members, a new ship was solemnly laid down. It happened on April 4, 1728. Construction proceeded unusually quickly. On June 9, the ship was already completed. And exactly a month later, on July 9, 1728, the well-puttyed and equipped boat "Saint Gabriel" under full sail, with 44 crew members on board, left the mouth of the Kamchatka River and headed northeast.

Only a little more than a month lasted sailing north along the coast of Asia. August 11, 1728 "Saint Gabriel" crossed the strait that separates Asia from America. But at that time, the sailors could not know whether this or that was spilled. The next day they noticed that the land, past which they had gone on the same course, was left behind on the left. On August 13, the ship, driven by strong winds, crossed the Arctic Circle.

50 years later, Captain James Cook, during his time, passed through this strait in search of the Northern Sea Route around America. He laid his route from the maps compiled by Vitus Bering. Struck by the accuracy of the Russian pilots, James Cook suggested that the strait between the continents be named after Bering. So, at the suggestion of this great navigator, one of the most significant straits on earth received the name of our no less great compatriot.

Bering's expedition completed its task

On August 15, the expedition entered the open (Arctic) Ocean and continued sailing to the north-northeast in complete fog. Lots of whales appeared. The boundless ocean spread all around. The Chukotka land no longer extended further north. No other land was visible.

At this point, Bering decided that the expedition had completed its task. He did not find any American coast in the line of sight. There was no isthmus further north. Having gone a little further north to clear his conscience, to latitude 67 "18", on August 16, 1728, Bering gave the order to return to Kamchatka, so that "for no reason" he would not spend the winter on unfamiliar treeless shores. Already on September 2, 1728, the "Saint Gabriel" returned to the Nizhnekamchatka harbor. Here the expedition decided to spend the winter.

Bering understood that he had completed only part of the task. He didn't find America. Therefore, in the summer of next year, he and his associates made another attempt to break through to the American shores from the east. Putting to sea in June 1729, the expedition traveled due east for 200 miles and did not meet any signs of land.

Nothing to do but turn back. But on the way to Okhotsk they bypassed Kamchatka from the south and established the exact southern tip of the peninsula. This discovery became extremely important and necessary for all subsequent expeditions. Oh, if they themselves knew the true size of Kamchatka, they would not have to drag the entire load hundreds of miles on dry land!

Vitus Bering. Short biography. What did you discover?

Russian travelers and pioneers

Again Travelers of the Age of Discovery