Expedition of Ferdinand Magellan. First circumnavigation of the world. The first circumnavigation of the world When did the first circumnavigation of the world take place?

O. E. KOTZEBUE'S CIRCUMSTANCES AND THEIR IMPORTANCE FOR GEOGRAPHICAL SCIENCE. Part 1

Almost continuous wars in Europe and the established opinion that it was impossible to open the Southern Continent and navigate the northwestern sea passage were the reasons why these tasks were temporarily abandoned. However, among some scientists the idea continued to develop that the northwest passage and the South Land existed.

Russian scientists and navigators were haunted by the idea of ​​exploring the northern sea route from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean (northwest and northeast passages), as well as the search for the southern continent. The study of the first problem was devoted to the voyages of O. E. Kotzebue on the sloop “Rurik”, the expedition of M. N. Vasilyev and G. S. Shishmarev, the second was solved by F. F. Bellingshausen and M. P. Lazarev.

Otto Evstafievich Kotzebue (1788-1846) made three voyages around the world: the first as a cadet of the Naval Corps on the ship Nadezhda under the command of I. F. Krusenstern in 1803-1806, the second as commander of the ship Rurik (1815-1818) and the third - on the sloop of war "Enterprise" (1823-1826).

O. E. Kotzebue

Kotzebue's voyage on the Rurik was the fourth circumnavigation of the world by Russian sailors and took place shortly after the Patriotic War of 1812. The expedition was undertaken to solve the problem of the northwestern sea passage from the Bering Strait. Its initiator and soul was Kruzenshtern, whose idea was supported by Count N.P. Rumyantsev, who took upon himself all the expenses of the expedition. Kruzenshtern studied the entire previous history of the study of the sea passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean and convinced Rumyantsev of the advisability of repeating this enterprise. It was decided to equip two ships to explore the northwest passage. One was supposed to leave Russia and sail to the Bering Strait, from where, rounding North America, it should go east;

Another ship, chartered on the east coast of the United States, was supposed to begin exploring the “northwest passage” from east to west after the first ship had completed its voyage. Kruzenshtern and Rumyantsev understood well that even if the expedition did not allow main task- opening a route through the northwestern sea passage, then even then it could provide important information for science and navigation. The expedition's task was also to explore the coast North America south and east of the Bering Strait, penetrate into the territory of modern Alaska into completely unknown interior regions, explore the islands in the central part of the Pacific Ocean. O. E. Kotzebue was appointed head of the expedition, and G. S. Shishmarev was appointed his assistant. Natural scientists Dr. I. I. Eshsholz and A. L. Shamisso were invited to join the expedition.

The expedition was equipped with advanced astronomical and physical instruments (masters Troughton, Massey, etc.), the latest editions of maps and atlases (collections of Garsburg, Arrosmith, Purdy, etc.), and geographical works. The commander of the ship "Rurik" O. E. Kotzebue received very detailed "Instructions": on navigation - from I. F. Kruzenshtern and on scientific observations - from I. K. Horner.

I. F. Kruzenshtern was working at that time on the atlas of the Southern Ocean and, better than anyone else, knew all the dangerous places for swimming, the areas most interesting for research and geographical discoveries. All this was reflected in the instructions. “I wish you to take a completely new course across the Southern (Pacific - B.E.) Ocean,” he pointed out, “on which it is almost impossible not to make new discoveries.” Kotzebue had to pay great attention to checking the dubious discoveries made at different times by other navigators: the Dutch (Schouten, Lehmer, Roggewijn), the British (Vancouver, Cook, etc.) and the French (Bougainville, La Perouse, Florier). Many open lands, especially islands in the Pacific Ocean, did not have precise geographic coordinates, or the same islands were mapped at different coordinates and had different names. “It may happen,” noted Kruzenshtern, “that the Russian sailor will be able to decide through his own observations on the spot, whose observations are more fair.”

Kotzebue had to start exploring the coast of North America from Norton Bay and describe not only the coast, but also collect information about the nature and population of the interior of Alaska, its rivers and lakes. Particular emphasis was placed on the need to describe the coast south of the bay as far as Unalaska, where no surveys had been taken before that time. J. Cook, in his last voyage (1776-1779), was unable to approach the coast in this area due to shallow water. Kotzebue had to do this using a canoe. In winter in the northern hemisphere, the expedition was supposed to explore the tropical part of the Pacific Ocean between the equator and 12° N. w. and 180-225° W. etc., while emphasizing that during the voyage it is necessary to pay attention to the Caroline Islands, which are still very poorly studied; when revisiting the northwestern coast of North America by kayak, continue exploring Norton Bay and Bristol Bay, delve deeper into the mainland, and study it geographically.

Dr. Horner recommended “carefully observing every extraordinary phenomenon and describing it in detail, especially measuring everything that can be measured” (Horner’s italics). The range of astronomical and physical observations included in Horner’s instructions was very wide. It included the determination of latitude and longitude, inventory of coasts and compilation of maps, measurement of mountain heights; studies of the inclination of the magnetic needle; observations of the state of the atmosphere (pressure, temperature, winds, etc.) and of phenomena in the ocean (ebbs and flows, currents, water temperature on the surface and at depths), determination of depths in the oceans, observations of the color and transparency of water, ice formation, etc. At the same time, Horner gave methodological instructions and practical advice to carry out scientific observations, pointed out the significance that they could have for the development of science. He wrote that “in the sea it sometimes happens, as in the atmosphere, there is a current one above the other, and in different, mostly opposite directions,” and that the study of temperature conditions in the ocean “is extremely important for the general knowledge of the climates of our globe.”

Well-written instructions could not, of course, predetermine the results of the research. However, the good organization of the expedition, the experience of its leaders, their own knowledge, inventive mind and desire to serve science were the key to the success of the expedition.

Kotzebue's expedition headed to Kamchatka past the southern tip of South America - Cape Horn. Research began when the ship entered the Atlantic Ocean, but the sailors were most pleased with discoveries and research in the Pacific Ocean. Trying to accurately follow all the points of Krusenstern’s instructions, Kotzebue, already at the first stages of the voyage from Chile, determined the position of the island of Sales and began searching for the islands seen by Schouten and Lemaire.

In the central part of the Pacific Ocean, Kotzebue discovered and explored numerous groups of coral islands, undertook a search for islands previously mentioned by navigators and plotted on maps, and determined the coordinates of previously discovered islands (Palizer and Penrhyn Islands). The expedition made significant corrections and additions to the map of the Pacific Ocean. New groups of islands bearing Russian names were marked on it. In 1816, in the northern part of the Tuamotu archipelago, Kotzebue discovered the atolls of Rumyantsev (Tikei) and Spiridov (Takapoto), the Rurik chain (Arutua), Krusenstern Island (Tikehau) and in the Radak chain (Marshall Islands) - the Kutuzov islands (Utirik or Betton) and Suvorova (Taka).

While exploring the islands, the expedition overcame great difficulties and was exposed to dangers. So, two sailors first reached the open Rumyantsev Atoll by swimming, and then Kotzebue and other members of the expedition using a raft. Usually, travelers walked around the islands (when they could not land) or crossed them by land (when they landed and if they were not particularly large).

The expedition began exploring the North Pacific Ocean in July 1816. Kotzebue sailed past Bering Island to the west coast of St. Lawrence Island, and then climbed north to the Bering Strait. He stayed close to the American coast, although sometimes he saw the shores of Asia. About the island of St. Lawrence, which had not yet been visited by any navigator, Kotzebue wrote: “The visible part of the island (the northern part, where Kotzebue landed] and naturalists - V.E.) ... consists of quite high! snow-covered mountains; there is not a single tree, not even a small bush, that would decorate the bare cliffs; Occasionally, small grass only breaks through between the moss and a few skinny plants rise from the ground.” Kotzebue decided to describe Norton Bay on the way back. Having passed the latitude of Cape Prince of Wales, Kotzebue continued to describe the American coast. At this time, he saw the Gvozdev (Diomede) Islands and determined the geographical coordinates of some points and clearly saw a vast low-lying island. Following further to the northeast, Kotzebue discovered Shishmarev Bay and a small island in front of it, which he named Sarychev Island. “We were extremely happy about this discovery,” wrote Kotzebue, “for, although it was impossible to expect a passage to the Arctic Sea here, we nevertheless had the hope of penetrating quite far into the interior of the earth and collecting some important information for us.” Exploration of the bay and strait was hampered by many sandbanks and currents, so Kotzebue did not linger here, deciding to conduct an accurate hydrographic inventory next year on canoes (Fig. 5).

Soon the sailors saw the bay, which was named Kotzebue Bay at the general request of the crew. Individual islands, capes, and bays in the bay also received names (Shamisso Island, Eshsholza Bay, Omanchivyy Cape, Espenberg Cape, Good Hope Bay, Kruzenshtern Cape, etc.). Kotzebue Bay and its coast have been carefully examined and described by travelers. Kotzebue wrote that the bay named after him “should in time provide considerable benefits to the fur trade with which this country abounds,” and would provide a good shelter for all travelers who might be caught in storms in the Bering Strait. Kotzebue proposed to establish several Russian settlements here. Fossil ice was discovered in Eschscholza Bay, covered with a cap of earth and overgrown with moss and grasses. “Having removed this turf cover, no more than 1/2 foot deep, the ground was completely frozen,” wrote Kotzebue. Many animal remains and mammoth bones were found in glacial deposits.

The study of the natural conditions of the North American coast, the life and customs of the American inhabitants aroused Kotzebue's interest in the opposite, Asian coast. He decided to conduct a comparative study of the coasts of two different continents - America and Asia, separated by the Bering Strait. The expedition headed west and reached the Eastern Cape of Asia (Cape Dezhnev). Kotzebue and naturalists made observations on land and met with the local population. For the first time, a detailed description of Cape Dezhnev was made.

A comparative study of two separated regions of Asia and North America allowed Kotzebue to express very interesting and scientifically remarkable ideas: about the geological similarity of the coasts of the two continents, about the kinship of the peoples living on both coasts.

Observing the external structure of the coast of Cape Dezhnev, Kotzebue wrote: “This destruction of terrible cliffs makes a person reflect on the great transformations that once followed in nature here; for the appearance and position of the coast gives rise to the belief that Asia was once connected to America; Gvozdev Islands (Diomede. - V. E.) are the remains of the former connection of Cape Vostochny (Cape Dezhnev. - V. E.) with Cape Prince of Wales (Welsh. - V. E.)." He pointed out the similar external features of the local inhabitants of Asia and North America and noted: “In general, I find the difference between these two peoples so insensitive that I am even inclined to consider them descended from the same tribe.” However, despite the common origin, as was later confirmed, the local residents of North America and Asia were strongly at enmity with each other and differed from each other in a number of customs.

From Cape Dezhnev and further south, to Cape St. Lawrence, the expedition carried out a systematic hydrographic inventory of the Asian coast, where new islands were discovered - Khromchenko and Petrov, named after the navigator students of the ship "Rurik" V. Khromchenko and V. Petrov, who performed the main hydrological work on the expedition. South of Cape St. Lawrence, an inventory was carried out earlier by Sarychev. Kotzebue described the Gulf of St. Lawrence for the second time (Fig. 6).

In early September 1816, having returned to Unalaska, Kotzebue turned to the ruler of the American Company with a request to prepare the necessary equipment (special kayaks, etc.) and local residents (Aleuts) for the expedition to describe the western coast of North America north of the Alaska Peninsula in next year. From here the expedition headed to San Francisco and then to the Hawaiian Islands. During their stay on the islands, scientists and sailors, taking advantage of the friendly disposition of the local residents and government, visited the interior, described a number of harbors and identified the main heights on the Owaigii Muke Islands. The highest mountain was Mauna Roa (2482.7 ft.) on the island of Owaigi. Kopebu described in detail the harbor of Gana-Rura (Honolulu) on the island of Wagu (Oahu). Russian people became acquainted with farming and cultivating various crops on the islands (taro root, bananas, sugar cane, etc.).

Cassock. 5. Kotzebue’s voyage on the Rurik in the Bering and Chukchi seas

Many of the islands discovered by Copebu were well known to local residents. The natives quite accurately drew their relative positions on the sand and indicated the direction where the Others were located. The natives Kadu and Edoku provided great assistance to Kotzebue in finding the islands, as well as in drawing up a map of his archipelago of islands. From their words, the Ralik group of islands, belonging to the Marshall Islands and located to the west of the Radak group, was mapped. Kotzebue did not have time to examine it, since he had to return to the northern part of the Pacific Ocean.

Rice. 6. Map from the “Atlas” of G. A. Sarychev (1826), drawn from the map of O. E. Kotzebue

Kotzebue not only discovered and described many of the coral islands, but also explained the nature of their formation. Considerable time was devoted to the study of Rumyantsev (Votje) Atoll. “The Vulture Islands,” wrote Kotzebue, “already arouse great curiosity by their nature, being formed solely by sea animals, and I decided to venture as far as possible before I abandoned the intention of penetrating this chain of islands.”

Exploring one island after another, Kotzebue and especially the naturalists of the expedition, Chamisso and Eschscholz, had already come to the correct explanation of their origin, that is, from “sea animals.” “Having examined the properties of the soil, we found,” Kotzebue wrote about one of the coral islands, “that this island (Goat Island - V.E.), like all the others, consists of destroyed coral; this animal builds its building from the depths of the sea upward and dies when it reaches the surface; From this building, gray limestone is formed from its constant washing by sea water, which, it seems, forms the basis of all such islands.” Over time, plants settle on the islands, which then transform the soil and make the soil fertile. In terms of age, as Kotzebue noted, the islands are not the same. They are constantly changing and first acquire a closed ring with a lagoon in the center, and then the lagoons turn into land, forming one large island with the chain.

On the way from the tropical regions of the Pacific Ocean to Unalaska during a storm, the Rurik was damaged and Kotzebue was seriously wounded. However, illness did not stop Kotzebue from going and exploring the northern Bering Sea. Taking with him the prepared canoes and the Aleut, he left Unalaska to the north. Along the way, the islands of Akun and Akutan were described (May 1817), later seal rookeries were examined and the coordinates of Bobrovoy Island and others were determined. Having reached St. Lawrence Island, Kotzebue went ashore. Due to Kotzebue's illness, the expedition was forced to abandon further exploration of the northwestern coast of North America and return to their homeland. We returned to St. Petersburg along the Pacific Ocean through the Hawaiian, Marshall, Caroline and Mariana Islands and further around Asia and Africa. Kotzebue explored the Marshall Islands for the third time and on October 23, 1817, discovered the inhabited Heiden Atoll (Likiep), essentially completing the discovery of the Radak chain. The Russian sailors were struck by the desolation of the Mariana Islands, which were densely populated in the time of Magellan. The entire indigenous population of the islands was exterminated by the Spanish colonialists. “The sight of this beautiful land gave birth to sad feelings in me,” Kotzebue wrote; in former times, these fertile valleys served as an abode for the people, who spent their days in silence and happiness; Now there were only lovely palm forests standing here and overshadowing the graves of the former inhabitants. Deathly silence reigned everywhere.” Almost the entire chain of the Mariana Islands was uninhabited, only a few were inhabited by immigrants from Mexico and the Philippine Islands.

During the voyage, Kotzebue's expedition carried out meteorological and oceanographic observations. Measurements of the depths of the sea were carried out widely using a specially designed instrument, the temperature of the water at depth was measured, soil samples were taken and sea ​​water. In 1815, Kotzebue made several depth measurements in the Atlantic Ocean (up to 138 fathoms); the next year in the Pacific Ocean, the lot dropped to a depth of up to 300 fathoms. Water clarity was noted using simple method- lowering a white plate, which later formed the basis of a device for determining the transparency of sea water and called the Secchi disk. Transparency was uneven and ranged from 2 to 13 fathoms. On September 4, 1817, Kotzebue reached a record depth when measuring sea water temperature in the Pacific Ocean, at coordinates 35°51"N and 147°38"W. The village of Lotlin sank to a depth of 408 fathoms, and seven intermediate observations were made. The water temperature at the surface of the ocean was plus 72° F, and at the maximum depth - plus 42° F. The transparency of the water was 11 fathoms. When the thermometer was lowered to a depth of 500 fathoms, the cable broke and the experiment failed. On September 26, 1817, sea water temperature was measured at 12 points at different depths.

Returning to Russia, Kotzebue and his scientist companions undertook work to summarize the materials of the expedition. In 1822-1823 The essay “Journey to the Southern Ocean and the Bering Strait...” was published. Three books of work covered the preparation and progress of the expedition, the results of the research. The work contained: Kotzebue's report on the expedition (parts I-II), articles by Krusenstern (parts I-II), articles by I. Horner, A. Chamisso, I. Eschscholz and M. Engelhart (part III).

I. F. Kruzenshtern, in the article “Consideration of the discoveries made in the Great Ocean from the ship “Rurik”,” summed up Kotzebue’s geographical discoveries and gave them a fair assessment. Oi noted the outstanding significance of the discoveries for science and navigation, and compared what Kotzebue did with the achievements of the largest European navigators, such as Cook, Bougainville and Flinders. He exposed the attacks and mistrust of Kotzebue's discoveries on the part of some European scientists.

Kotzebue not only made extremely important discoveries, but also “closed” many problematic discoveries of earlier navigators (in the central part of the Pacific Ocean), examined and described groups of islands, information about which was quite approximate. For example, the Penrhyn Islands, discovered in 1788, were mistaken by the British for one island. Russian navigators counted 15 islands. Kotzebue was the first to accurately determine their latitude (9°1"30"N) and longitude (157°34"32"W). Kotzebue discovered six groups of islands, which he named by the common name Radak, and indicated the location and names of the islands in the neighboring Ralik archipelago.

The atlas compiled by Kotzebue contained plans and maps of the places, coasts and harbors he marked and described. It was widely used both in navigation and for the compilation of special maritime atlases.

As a result of Kotzebue's voyage, a description was given of the nature of the coral islands of the Pacific Ocean and a hypothesis about their origin was most clearly stated. Charles Darwin pointed this out more than once. In a study specifically devoted to this issue, in 1842, he wrote: “An older and more satisfactory theory (of the origin of coral islands - V.E.) was proposed by Chamisso: he believes that since the more massive species of corals prefer the surf, the outer parts of the reef are the first to reach the surface and therefore form a ring." A more detailed examination of the structure of coral islands and an explanation of their genesis was made by I. I. Eshsholtz in his special article “On Coral Islands” (Fig. 7). “The low-lying islands of the South and Indian Seas,” he wrote, “owe for the most part their origin to the industrious structure of various genera of corals... corals founded their building on sea shoals, or better to say, on the tops of mountains under water. Continuing their growth, on the one hand, they are constantly getting closer and closer to the surface of the sea, and on the other, they are expanding the vastness of their structure (“Journey to the Southern Ocean...”, Part III, p. 381). When the island reaches the surface, the animal dies. Shells, mollusks, and physical weathering processes come into play to transform the solid surface. Then plants and birds appear, for which man comes. This is, in general terms, the picture of the formation and settlement of coral islands, according to the ideas of the Russians scientists of that time.

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By the time of his second and most significant voyage around the world, Gagemeister Leonty Andrianovich was already an experienced navigator. He took part in hostilities, including participation in the battle of the Spanish fortress of San Pedro.

Hagemeister's first expedition ended, as indeed it began unexpectedly. “The first expedition, equipped at the expense of the RAC, set off under the command of Lieutenant Gagemeister and reached its destination, but due to the war that broke out at that time with the British, the return voyage became impossible. The ship was left in Kamchatka, and the crew returned to St. Petersburg by land.” 9

In 1816, by order of the Russian-American Trading Company, Lieutenant Commander Gagemeister was going on his second round-the-world expedition as commander of the ship Kutuzov. The second equipped ship “Suvorov” was headed by naval officer Z.I. Panafidin. The purpose of this expedition was to check the state of “Russian America” and the rule of Baranov N.A., since Baranov did not send reports on the rule, although he did send furs. There were rumors about embezzlement in the colonies.

On September 8, 1816, “Kutuzov” and “Suvorov” solemnly set off on a circumnavigation of the world. They rounded Cape Horn and made calls to the ports of Copenhagen and Rio de Janeiro. But “Suvorov” was unable to continue the expedition due to overload, and was forced to go to Novoarkhangelsk by the shortest route.

"Kutuzov" continued his voyage. He arrived in Novoarkhangelsk much later than the Suvorov on November 24, 1817, bringing the necessary cargo to the colony and moored to carry out the mission. Following the order in which Gagemeister was appointed to manage the colony, he announced that he was entrusted with replacing A. A. Baranov.

From the very first days, Gagemeister took up the task assigned with great confidence. During his ten-month reign, he took a number of energetic and effective measures, wanting to improve the situation in the colony. He put colonial paperwork in order, restored the construction of the Novoarkhangelsk fortress, and established new rules for foreign ships entering the port. In the summer of 1818, he sent the expedition of Pyotr Korsakovsky to study Alaska in detail.

In June 1818, food problems arose in the colony, then Gagemeister went to California for food, leaving Yanovsky in charge of the colony. This naval officer did not yet imagine that Russian America would change not only his career, but also leave a deep mark on his life. 10

On October 24, 1818, Gagemeister transferred control of the colony to S.I. Yanovsky. 11 Having hastily completed all his business and removed the remaining gaps in the maps of the American coast, Gagemeister sets off home. Among the passengers of the Kutuzov was the fired Baranov himself, but he did not make it home, died on the ship and was buried at sea. 12

He carried out the return passage of “Kutuzov” from Sitka to Kronstadt in an exemplary manner. He completed his second circumnavigation of the world at the Great Kronstadt roadstead on September 7, 1819.

§7. F.P.'s circumnavigation of the world Wrangel on the transport "Meek" (1825-1827)

This was already the 25th circumnavigation of Russian sailors from Kronstadt to the Far East.

The military transport “Krotky”, 90 feet long, specially built for the upcoming voyage, under the command of Captain-Lieutenant Ferdinand Petrovich Wrangel, who had already circumnavigated the world as a midshipman on the “Kamchatka” in 1817-1819, left Kronstadt on August 23, 1825.

On board the transport ship “Korotky” under the command of Wrangel there was a young researcher F.F. Matyushkin as a volunteer. At this moment, his main dream comes true - to go on a trip around the world. Admiral Golovnin, who offered Wrangel a trip around the world on the military transport “Meek” to the shores of Kamchatka: “Take Matyushkin with you. And may God grant you to glorify your fatherland with a new voyage.” 13

There he gains experience from the famous navigator, and later becomes an admiral himself.

On this kind of expedition it was mandatory to take a doctor on board; Dr. August Erich Kieber went on this round-the-world expedition. He was a talented doctor and polar explorer. August Erich Kieber was from Livonia and studied in Berlin. Later, he always accompanied Wrangel on all expeditions. By order of the Medical Department of the Ministry of the Interior, the botanist I. Stuart was sent to the expedition as an assistant to Dr. Kiber. But the main task of I. Stuart was: collecting seeds, plants and other objects of natural history under the orders of Dr. Kiber. 14

The transport was supposed to deliver goods to Petropavlovsk and Novo-Arkhangelsk. Having stopped at Portsmouth, Rio de Janeiro, and Valparaiso on the way, Wrangel decided to also stop at the port of Chichagova on the island of Nukugiva (Marquesas Islands) along the way to replenish water supplies.

Ivashintsev, in his essay on Russian voyages around the world, notes that there was so little water on the Meek that only four cups per person were issued per day. This seems a little strange. Therefore, Captain Wrangel decides to call at the nearest safe port to replenish the ship’s holds with various provisions.

“It was necessary to go to some islands of the Great Ocean, and since the Washington Islands lie closest to our direct route and, moreover, sailing to them is not subject to danger from coral reefs and low-lying islands, with which the ocean is dotted in other places, then in honor of these “For this reason, I directed our voyage to the island of Nukagiwe, where a closed bay, known as the port of Chichagova, abounds in forest, fresh water and healthy fruits.” 15

On April 7, the Meek anchored off the island of Nukagiwa. One of the rare tragedies in the history of Russian navigation occurred here. Information about how this tragedy occurred is contradictory. 16

However, in the archival documents you can find a note: “Report of the commander of the military transport “Meek,” Lieutenant Commander F.P. Wrangel". Where the incident is described in detail.

On April 16, the chief of the “Wild Ones,” 17 as he called the local population, wished them a pig as a gift. To which Wrangel agreed, and at the moment of handing over the gift, the savages opened fire using the firearms they had. The ship's mastman, Deibner, died.

It was decided to pacify the savages by force, and a boat was sent with Lieutenant Lavrov and twelve armed sailors. 18 One of the sailors was immediately killed, some managed to escape. But the savages were merciless. Under gunfire from the shore, the "Short" sailed from the port into the sea, leaving four armed sailors at the mercy of the savages. There were about four hundred savages. “At 8 o’clock we went out to sea, having lost the rope in the narrowness, and all night we heard screams and saw lights on the shore.” 19

The Englishman and the sailor abandoned the boat near the shore and swam to the ship “Korotky”. Also saved were “an Indian and one Nukagivian who remained on the “Meek”, the first three to save them from the monsters, and the last one was detained by Wrangel by force at the very beginning of the attack.” 20

Captain Wrangel decided to enlist the Indian, the Englishman and the Nukagivian among the sailors, declaring the following: “for experience has proven to me that in difficult work it is impossible to do without them.” 21

Ivashintsev writes that until April 16, “relations with the residents were constantly friendly.” 22 Only thanks to the “zeal and ingenuity of the officers and the tireless efficiency of all ranks and servants” the expedition team managed to go out to sea and escape.

Thus, the “Korotky” transport left the parking lot ahead of schedule and set off to continue the expedition. The voyage from Valparaiso to Kamchatka, as Wrangel wrote, “had no success in terms of hydrographic surveys” 23 . Subsequently, the “Meek” sailed without calling at ports for 109 days.

Now on the world map about 13 large geographical points bear the name of the outstanding Russian navigator, scientist and statesman F.P. Wrangel 24 . After all, the captain made many more lesser-known expeditions.

After returning from Irkutsk to St. Petersburg, Ferdinand Petrovich was awarded a lifelong pension in the amount of an annual lieutenant's salary, promoted to the next rank and was granted 4 years of service to receive the Order of St. George.

The significance of this expedition turned out to be very significant. As during other Russian expeditions around the world, Wrangel conducted meteorological observations and found out the inaccuracy of the data from the chronometers purchased from the French. 25 But in general, thanks to the assistance in meteorological observations of the ship’s officers, and especially Lieutenant Lavrov, the data can be considered reliable.

Important scientific material is contained in the “Daily Notes” that Wrangel kept throughout the voyage, which reflect observations of ocean currents, wind, tides, phenomenal meteorological phenomena, as well as data on the ethnography of the peoples of South America and the Pacific basin.

By land, through all of Siberia, he reached from St. Petersburg to Okhotsk and by sea headed to the capital of Russia's overseas possessions. Wrangel remained in the post of chief ruler until 1835. He explored the western coast of North America from the Bering Strait to Fort Ross. In addition, near Novoarkhangelsk he founded an observatory for constant observations of the weather and magnetic field.

Every educated person can easily remember the name of the one who made the first trip around the world and crossed the Pacific Ocean. This was done by the Portuguese Ferdinand Magellan about 500 years ago.

But it should be noted that this formulation is not completely correct. Magellan thought through and planned the route of the voyage, organized it and led it, but he was destined to die many months before it was completed. So Juan Sebastian del Cano (Elcano), a Spanish navigator with whom Magellan had, to put it mildly, not friendly relations, continued and completed the first trip around the world. It was del Cano who eventually became captain of the Victoria (the only ship to return to her home harbour) and gained fame and fortune. However, Magellan made great discoveries during his dramatic voyage, which will be discussed below, and therefore he is considered the first circumnavigator.

The first trip around the world: background

In the 16th century, Portuguese and Spanish sailors and merchants vied with each other for control of the spice-rich East Indies. The latter made it possible to preserve food, and it was difficult to do without them. There was already a proven route to the Moluccas, where the largest markets with the cheapest goods were located, but this route was not close and unsafe. Due to limited knowledge about the world, America, discovered not so long ago, seemed to sailors as an obstacle on the way to rich Asia. No one knew whether there was a strait between South America and the hypothetical Unknown South Land, but the Europeans wanted there to be one. They did not yet know that America and East Asia were separated by a huge ocean, and they thought that opening the strait would provide quick access to Asian markets. Therefore, the first navigator to circumnavigate the world would certainly have been awarded royal honors.

Career of Ferdinand Magellan

By the age of 39, the impoverished Portuguese nobleman Magellan (Magalhães) had visited Asia and Africa several times, was wounded in battles with the natives and collected a lot of information about his travels to the shores of America.

With his idea of ​​getting to the Moluccas by the western route and returning the usual way (that is, making the first trip around the world), he turned to the Portuguese King Manuel. He was not at all interested in Magellan’s proposal, whom he also disliked for his lack of loyalty. But he allowed Fernand to change his citizenship, which he immediately took advantage of. The navigator settled in Spain (that is, in a country hostile to the Portuguese!), acquired a family and associates. In 1518, he obtained an audience with the young king Charles I. The king and his advisers became interested in finding a shortcut for spices and “gave the go-ahead” to organize the expedition.

Along the coast. Riot

Magellan's first voyage around the world, which was never completed for most of the team members, began in 1519. Five ships left the Spanish harbor of San Lucar, carrying 265 people from different countries Europe. Despite the storms, the flotilla relatively safely reached the coast of Brazil and began to “descend” along it to the south. Fernand hoped to find a strait into the South Sea, which should have been located, according to his information, in the region of 40 degrees south latitude. But in the indicated place it was not the strait, but the mouth of the La Plata River. Magellan ordered to continue moving south, and when the weather completely deteriorated, the ships anchored in the Bay of St. Julian (San Julian) to spend the winter there. The captains of three ships (Spaniards by nationality) mutinied, seized the ships and decided not to continue the first trip around the world, but to head for the Cape of Good Hope and from there to their homeland. People loyal to the admiral managed to do the impossible - recapture the ships and cut off the rebels' escape route.

Strait of All Saints

One captain was killed, another was executed, the third was put ashore. Magellan pardoned the ordinary rebels, which once again proved his foresight. Only at the end of the summer of 1520 did the ships leave the bay and continue searching for the strait. During a storm, the ship Santiago sank. And on October 21, the sailors finally discovered a strait, more reminiscent of a narrow crevice between the rocks. Magellan's ships sailed along it for 38 days.

The shore remaining along left hand, the admiral called Tierra del Fuego, since Indian fires burned on it around the clock. It was thanks to the discovery of the Strait of All Saints that Ferdinand Magellan began to be considered the one who made the first trip around the world. Subsequently, the Strait was renamed Magellan.

Pacific Ocean

Only three ships left the strait for the so-called “South Sea”: “San Antonio” disappeared (simply deserted). The sailors liked the new waters, especially after the turbulent Atlantic. The ocean was named Pacific.

The expedition headed northwest, then west. For several months the sailors sailed without seeing any signs of land. Starvation and scurvy caused the death of almost half the crew. Only at the beginning of March 1521 did ships approach two yet undiscovered inhabited islands from the Mariana group. From here it was already close to the Philippines.

Philippines. Death of Magellan

The discovery of the islands of Samar, Siargao and Homonkhon greatly pleased the Europeans. Here they regained their strength and communicated with local residents, who willingly shared food and information.

Magellan's servant, a Malay, spoke fluently with the natives in the same language, and the admiral realized that the Moluccas were very close. By the way, this servant, Enrique, ultimately became one of those who made the first trip around the world, unlike his master, who was not destined to land on the Moluccas. Magellan and his people intervened in an internecine war between two local princes, and the navigator was killed (either with a poisoned arrow or with a cutlass). Moreover, after some time, as a result of a treacherous attack by savages, his closest associates, experienced Spanish sailors, died. The team was so thin that it was decided to destroy one of the ships, the Concepcion.

Moluccas. Return to Spain

Who led the first voyage around the world after Magellan's death? Juan Sebastian del Cano, Basque sailor. He was among the conspirators who presented Magellan with an ultimatum at San Julian Bay, but the admiral forgave him. Del Cano commanded one of the two remaining ships, the Victoria.

He ensured that the ship returned to Spain loaded with spices. This was not easy to do: the Portuguese were waiting for the Spaniards off the coast of Africa, who from the very beginning of the expedition did everything to upset the plans of their competitors. The second ship, the flagship Trinidad, was boarded by them; sailors were enslaved. Thus, in 1522, 18 expedition members returned to San Lucar. The cargo they delivered covered all the costs of the expensive expedition. Del Cano was awarded a personal coat of arms. If in those days someone had said that Magellan made the first trip around the world, he would have been ridiculed. The Portuguese only faced accusations of violating royal instructions.

Results of Magellan's journey

Magellan explored the eastern coast of South America and discovered a strait from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. Thanks to his expedition, people received strong evidence that the Earth was indeed round, they were convinced that the Pacific Ocean was much larger than expected, and that sailing on it to the Moluccas was unprofitable. Europeans also realized that the World Ocean is one and washes all continents. Spain satisfied its ambitions by announcing the discovery of the Mariana and Philippine Islands, and laid claim to the Moluccas.

All the great discoveries made during this voyage belong to Ferdinand Magellan. So the answer to the question of who made the first trip around the world is not so obvious. In fact, this man was del Cano, but still the main achievement of the Spaniard was that the world generally learned about the history and results of this voyage.

The first round-the-world voyage of Russian navigators

In 1803-1806, Russian sailors Ivan Kruzenshtern and Yuri Lisyansky made a large-scale journey through the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. Their goals were: exploration of the Far Eastern outskirts Russian Empire, finding a convenient trade route to China and Japan by sea, providing the Russian population of Alaska with everything necessary. The navigators (set off on two ships) explored and described Easter Island, the Marquesas Islands, the coast of Japan and Korea, the Kuril Islands, Sakhalin and Yesso Island, visited Sitka and Kodiak, where Russian settlers lived, and also delivered an ambassador from the emperor to Japan. During this voyage, domestic ships visited high latitudes for the first time. The first round-the-world trip of Russian explorers had a huge public resonance and contributed to increasing the prestige of the country. Its scientific significance is no less great.

June 26th, 2015

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

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

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

Let's find out in more detail how this happened...

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

Much in Elcano’s biography is still unclear. Oddly enough, the man who first circumnavigated the globe did not attract the attention of artists and historians of his time. There is not even a reliable portrait of him, and of the documents he wrote, only letters to the king, petitions and a will have survived.

Juan Sebastian Elcano was born in 1486 in Getaria, a small port town in the Basque Country, near San Sebastian. He early connected his own destiny with the sea, making a “career” that was not uncommon for an enterprising person of that time - first changing the work of a fisherman to being a smuggler, and later enlisting in the navy to avoid punishment for his too free attitude towards laws and trade duties. Elcano managed to take part in the Italian Wars and the Spanish military campaign in Algeria in 1509. Basque mastered maritime affairs well in practice when he was a smuggler, but it was in the navy that Elcano received the “correct” education in the field of navigation and astronomy.

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

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

Ships of Magellan's flotilla

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

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

1. The first circumnavigation in history

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

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

2. Goodbye La Coruña

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

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

Death of Magellan

3. The misfortunes of the chief helmsman

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

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

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

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

An exact copy of the ship "Victoria"

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

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

JUAN SEBASTIAN ELCANO

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

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

Panic began, many sailors rushed to the boat, not paying attention to Loaiza, who showered them with curses. The fire was still extinguished. The flotilla moved on through the strait, along the banks of which on the high mountain peaks, “so high that they seemed to stretch to the very sky,” lay eternal bluish snow. At night, Patagonian fires burned on both sides of the strait. Elcano was already familiar with these lights from his first voyage. On April 25, the ships weighed anchor from the San Jorge parking lot, where they replenished their supplies of water and firewood, and again set off on a difficult voyage.

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

4. The helmsman dies as an admiral

The ship was sailing alone; neither sail nor island were visible on the vast horizon. “Every day,” writes Urdaneta, “we waited for the end. Due to the fact that people from the wrecked ship moved to us, we are forced to reduce rations. We worked hard and ate little. We had to endure great hardships and some of us died.” Loaiza died on July 30. According to one of the expedition members, the cause of his death was loss of spirit; he was so worried about the loss of the remaining ships that he “became weaker and died.” Loayza did not forget to mention his chief helmsman in his will: “I ask that Elcano be returned the four barrels of white wine that I owe him. Let the crackers and other provisions lying on my ship Santa Maria de la Victoria be given to my nephew Alvaro de Loaiza, who should share them with Elcano.” They say that by this time only rats remained on the ship. Many on the ship suffered from scurvy. Wherever Elcano looked, everywhere he saw swollen, pale faces and heard the groans of the sailors.

From the time they left the strait, thirty people died of scurvy. “They all died,” writes Urdaneta, “because their gums were swollen and they could not eat anything. I saw a man whose gums were so swollen that he tore off pieces of meat as thick as a finger.” The sailors had one hope - Elcano. They, in spite of everything, believed in his lucky star, although he was so ill that four days before Loaisa's death he himself made a will. A cannon salute was given in honor of Elcano's assumption of the post of admiral, a position for which he had unsuccessfully sought two years earlier. But Elcano's strength was running out. The day came when the admiral could no longer get out of bed. His relatives and his faithful Urdaneta gathered in the cabin. In the flickering light of the candle one could see how thin they had become and how much they had suffered. Urdaneta kneels and touches the body of her dying master with one hand. The priest watches him closely. Finally he raises his hand, and everyone present slowly kneels. Elcano's wanderings are over...

“Monday, August 6th. The valiant Senor Juan Sebastian de Elcano has died." This is how Urdaneta noted in his diary the death of the great navigator.

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

MONUMENT IN HONOR OF ELCANO IN GETARIA

Epilogue

Worn by worms, tormented by storms and storms, the lonely ship continued on its way. The team, according to Urdaneta, “was terribly exhausted and exhausted. Not a day went by without one of us dying.

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

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

In history books, Juan Sebastian Elcano undeservedly found himself in the shadow of the glory of Ferdinand Magellan, but in his homeland he is remembered and revered. The name of Elcano is borne by a training sailing ship consisting of Navy Spain. In the wheelhouse of the ship you can see the coat of arms of Elcano, and the sailing ship itself has already completed a dozen expeditions around the world.

Everything is wider. But how can you prove that the Earth is round? Only by traveling around the world. It was necessary, having sailed to the west, to go around the globe and return home from the east. This idea was hatched by a Portuguese Ferdinand Magellan, entered the service of the Spanish king. He intended to go to the Spice Islands for pepper and cloves - Moluccas Islands- not by the eastern, but by the western route. These islands lay east of the Sunda Islands, and the Portuguese sailed to them, skirting Africa, through the Indian Ocean. Magellan wanted to sail west, try to go around South America, cross the unknown South Sea and come to the spice islands from the east.

Soon the ships sailed to Philippine Islands. Magellan realized that, having walked around the Earth, around the New World - America, he came to the Old, to Asia and was not far from the spice islands. Material from the site

Ferdinand Magellan died after intervening in a fight among the warring Filipinos. The surviving sailors of Magellan burned one dilapidated ship, another ship and its crew were captured. And only one ship out of five under the command of El Cano continued sailing. He crossed the Indian Ocean, circled Africa and in 1522, four years from the start of the expedition, completed the journey around the entire Earth. The sailors, exhausted from work and illness, returned to Spain. The spices they brought were enough to cover all the costs of the trip.

The scientific results of Magellan's circumnavigation of the world were great. It proved the sphericity of the Earth. For the first time, the Pacific Ocean was crossed and it was proven that all oceans are connected to each other into a single World Ocean. It became clear that water takes large area on Earth than land. Correct ideas about the size of the Earth were obtained. As a result of Magellan's expedition, new, much more accurate