Traveler, diplomat and "Golden messenger" of Russia

History knows many cases when significant geographical discoveries occurred due to the desire of people to find gold. However, Yegor Kovalevsky's contribution is not limited to this, the famous Russian traveler, writer and successful diplomat was one of the pioneers of the study of Central Asia, the Nile basin of Africa, China and other territories.

The researcher by nature, he willingly undertook the most various tasks, Kovalevsky treated those few people whose passion there was a travel.

desert

Kovalevsky was born in 1811 near Kharkov, in the family estate of his father, a respected man and a nobleman. In the family, the boy was the youngest of the children and often ill, did not like noisy companies, wrote poems and dreamed of traveling.

Having entered the faculty of Philology, Egor understands that he wants to wander, not to sit at his Desk. He greedily read books about traveling, enjoys geography, and after graduation he goes to St. Petersburg. There, he at the insistence of his older brother begins to attend lectures in the cadet corps and is trained in mining.

Soon, the young engineer is sent to a distant Siberia and under the guidance of brother becomes a good technician can look for the precious metal. In his 27 years, the future discoverer opened 4 gold mines and received the rank of captain. He was attracted by field research, the young man drew maps and made calculations, enthusiastically described nature, published essays and stories.

Egor Kovalevsky

In 1837 Kovalevsky as a mining engineer visited Montenegro. This small country in those years to very few people was known. Books about it have not written, and on the maps it was designated as Turkish Albania. By coincidence, Egor Petrovic becomes a participant of major clashes on the border of Montenegro with the Austrians.

Together with the mountaineers, he climbs the gentle peaks and for weeks pursues other people's enemies. But it didn't end there. Rebels demanded that Egor Petrovich headed them and led in approach.

They said:

...lead us to the Austrians! Austrians are Catholic and the enemy, then the enemy and your king. Here's the gun, here's a gun, but the dagger: take it and go!

What is there to do. He led the way. And these are the mountain fortresses of Montenegro, in which once there were battles, as the battles were all over Montenegro.

So simple, unremarkable engineer, philologist, was the commander, from which depended the fate of people. It was there, I believe, and manifested his diplomatic skills (he could promptly resolve any conflict). This quality was later highly appreciated and Nicholas I, although received in the campaign jaundice, he never received the deserved George, to which Kovalevsky was represented (geologists such orders were not assigned).

Since then, the tireless traveler and mining engineer became a diplomat, who managed a lot: and to break into inaccessible areas of the planet, and explore the lands of China and Africa, to participate in the European coalition. According to the memoirs of his contemporaries, he did not follow the instructions and orders, but relied only on his intuition and knowledge. Egor Petrovich did not forget to write, wrote poems at his leisure...

Everywhere and everywhere it tirelessly solved the arisen problems, and in 1839 even participated in the Khiva campaign of the count Perovsky. Place, involving the detachment Kovalevsky, was reputed to be very dangerous. Khiva Khan's troops plundered caravans, and Russians were taken prisoner. Not bypassed this fate and Yegor Petrovich.

In November, near the mouth of the river Emba, their squad was captured. However, Kovalevsky managed to get out of the enemy's lair and continue his journey. They were caught and surrounded, khivintsev attacked and Egor Petrovich had to make an urgent decision. He took up the defence and held positions for several days. More than 2,000 attackers could do nothing with a bunch of brave men who were forced to eat horses, and in the end — the Khiva took the siege and retreated.

And in 1847 Kovalevsky went in search of the mysterious country of Ophir, which at the request of the Vice-king of Egypt Mohammed Ali and had to find Russian experts. Yegor Petrovich spent a year conducting geological studies and became the first European to reach Moon mountains ruvenzori (territory of modern Uganda). At the same time, a new river called Nevka appeared on his map :)

in Africa

The expedition was the most difficult. "The sky is as empty as the earth," Egor Petrovich said.

Nothing I have seen worse in life. The sun burned: the heat reached 42,5 C, and in space of ten days of a way only in one place water, and that such bitterly-salty that only one nevolya forces it to drink.

This man in 10 days crossed Great Nubian desert when the caravan had to go 12 hours a day. Then moved down the river, to the place where the White Nile merged with Blue, giving rise to the river. It was open a left tributary of the Nile and mysterious Sennarskoy Peninsula (modern Eastern Sudan).

adventure map Kovalevskogo

These meadows with grasses taller than a man, a wonderful virgin forest and steppe, in which were heard the lion roar. Nothing could scare him or stop him. This man was not only a mining engineer and diplomat, commander and writer, he was also a botanist, tireless traveler, and just a good man who was interested in the Affairs of ordinary people.

It Kovalevskiy in Sinarskij forests has opened a new look palm, studied the strange plants and cooking of decoctions and ointments for the sick members of the expedition. He studied the composition of water and sediments of the Nile, collected data on the Geology of the Delta, than not engaged...

ekspeditsii

In addition, thanks to the diplomatic skills of Yegor Petrovich, the kuldzhinsky Treaty was signed in 1851, which contributed to the development of trade between Russia and Western China.

At decisive moments it was like he was transformed, became active and I could collapse the mountain. His speech was made brighter, the unconquerable will, and when I started the quiet life Kovalevsky was turning into a boring old man. He is not loved good company and empty ranting.

In 1858, with the participation of Kovalevsky was signed Aigun peace Treaty, under which Russia was secured vast territory North of the Amur river. Tell about this man can be long. He lived an eventful life, and in addition to his great discoveries was a good writer.

He left the descendants of several literary works, including books about traveling: "Four months in Montenegro", "Wanderer on land and sea", "Travel to China", "Count Bludov and his time. Reign of Emperor Alexander I " and many other works.

Yegor Kovalevsky's authority was so high that foreign Minister Gorchakov himself entrusted him with the management of the Asian Department of the Ministry. And later Yegor Petrovich appointed the assistant to the Chairman of Imperial geographical society.

upper reaches of the White Nile

Them was open and this the mysterious source of White Nile, which many could not detect several centuries.

The only pity is that these days this outstanding mining engineer and gold miner, diplomat and traveler, who traveled all over China and Montenegro, Africa and The Nubian desert, Egypt and the Nile, for some reason forgotten...