Otto Kotzebue, the man who discovered the secret of the three oceans

Beautiful all weekends, friends. Today I will tell you about one navigator who struck me with his will and courage, desire for victory and courage.

The beginning of the XIX century opens a glorious era in the history of Russian navigation. And since 1803, the first round-the-world expedition under the Russian flag, headed by the legendary Ivan Kruzenshtern, is being prepared.

It was followed by others, which was led by Vasily Golovnin, Faddey Bellingshausen, Mikhail Lazarev. However, many people forget that in the galaxy of famous sailors pride of place belongs to the brave traveler Otto Evstafevich (Avgustovich) Kotzebue.

Otto Kotzebue

This kindest man was born in 1788 in a poor but very intelligent family. His father was a famous writer and playwright, but after the tragedy in the family, the seven-year-old boy was sent to study in the land cadet corps, famous for its literary and theatrical traditions.

Otto passionately fond of the sea smell, he heard the sound of the waves of the Baltic sea on the coast which was held all my childhood. The boy is very bored at home, dreaming of distant lands and travels, so at the first opportunity, he transferred to the marine service. And in 15 years he, together with his brother went to his first round the world voyage on the sloop "Hope" under the command of Admiral Krusenstern.

Hope sloop

His stepmother — Christina von Kruzenshtern, was the sister of the famous Krusensterna, who took the boy Jung on his ship and vouched for him before the command. A mentor was it's head, known at the time a sailor and later became Vice-Admiral of the Russian fleet to the middle of Alderman.

the route of the expedition

Sailing on Board the "Nadezhda" has enriched the knowledge of young men in seamanship. Otto became interested in scientific research. In 1806, on his return from the circumnavigation, he was promoted to the rank of Midshipman. Already at the end of the XX century in Russia in memory of this journey even released a commemorative coin of 150 rubles with the image of two ships: "Hope" and "Neva" On the English embankment of St. Petersburg.

commemorative coin

Two years later kotseba was entrusted with the ship taken prisoner in 1808 (during the war with the Swedes). It was called "Frau Cornelia" and cruised between Aland and Finnish skiers. A little later, already in his 23 years as a young Lieutenant he commanded the waters of the White sea a boat with a beautiful name "Swallow".

It is this brave man Alexander Pushkin dedicated these lines:

Jealous of you, pet sea bold,
Under the shade of the sails and the storms grayer!
Quiet Marina, how long have you achieved,
Long silence tasted the gratifying moment?

The second time Otto went on a trip around the world at the age of 27 years, and on the recommendation of Kruzenshtern was appointed captain still under construction at the expense of count Nikolai Rumyantsev 180-ton brig "Rurik". Brig was armed with 8 guns and sent sailing under the naval flag.

With a young captain in the voyage went and naturalists: M. Wormshield and Adelbert von Chamisso, who was also a wonderful poet. Thanks to him, we learned about more than 80 species of plants, which he also described in this long but exciting sea journey.

The team were excellent, and the challenge he posed a serious. In the program of studies consisted mainly of hydrographic work: study and inventory of banks, determination of astronomical coordinates, a reconnaissance of the area and gather the necessary data.

In the most difficult and curious situations to help Otto always came a senior officer, the best graduate of the naval cadet corps - Gleb Shishmarev (who later became a rear Admiral of the fleet).

But one morning, on one of the days of their long journey could end the life of this intrepid sailor. During a strong storm, the wave hit the stern of the brig, broke the railing on the shkantsah and damaged hatches, closing the gun ports. One of the cannons was thrown like a cannon on the other side, breaking the deck right above the cabin kotsebu, but the fate took pity and the young captain had to grab the rope.

brig "Rurik"

Man he was patient, and even after a fruitless search of the fantastic "Lands Davis", located somewhere off the West coast of Chile, at 27° s. sh. they opened a new inhabited island of Tikei, and a series of atolls: Takapoto, Arutua and Tikehau (named Islands of Rurik).

Later in the chain Ratak Marshall Islands, thanks to perseverance Otto were discovered and picturesque atolls: Utirik and Taka. And the appointment of brig "Rurik" with the local Polynesians and funny animals, and today you can look at the picture of the ship's artist, Louis Corisa, which, together with all did it the hard way.

chorus painting "Meeting at the Atoll," (1816)

In his memoirs, Otto wrote:

...* being in a place called Talcaguano, as soon as we anchored, as commandant don Miguel to Rivas, Lieutenant Colonel of the Spanish infantry, came to us on the ship and asked to what we belong to the nation, and, knowing that we are Russian, he said: We are pleased to welcome the people who in the reign of the great Alexander, sacrificing themselves, delivered Europe freedom*.

Soon, the ship received significant damage during a storm in the Pacific ocean, and many sailors and the very Otto got hurt, but then they did not complete their journey. Kotzebue did not angry, and mapped out all new and new names: lip Assolna, island, Chamisso, and others.

This journey, which lasted for three long years, allowed the discovery of almost 400 Islands in the Pacific ocean. It was discovered a new Bay in the West of Alaska, which completed the study of new places of the Seward Peninsula. During this voyage Otto saw high mountains in Alaska, which later became known as spurs of the Brooks range.

Remembering the many people-islanders, Kotzebue frequently regretted that he did not know their languages, because you can always find out some interesting details. Most of the people he encountered were similar to described legendary cook of the residents of the Gulf Norton. They were also of medium height, strongly built, and their attire often consisted of animal skins and numerous tattoos.

figures by Luis Choris

So drew the inhabitants of one of the Islands ship artist. During this journey discovered Kotzebue permafrost, common in the Northern part of Alaska. However, during the voyage such thing even existed.

ice mountains

During the period of such krugosvetki team "Rurik" met a lot of different animals, one of them was funny EurAsEC, as it was called then in Siberia. Americans did from skins of this animal which are in those places in abundance, beautiful dresses, and the animal called "chikchi", today we call it a gopher :-)

In January 1817 Otto and his team discovered the world-famous Rumyantsev archipelago. And the main purpose of their expedition was to find the Northern passage from the Pacific to the Atlantic ocean, which was passed completely only at the beginning of the XX century by the famous traveler Royal Amundsen.

After this great round-the-world voyage Otto Kotzebue published 3 books about his adventures on "Rurik" and called them "a Trip to the South ocean and The bereng Strait, to find the northeast sea passage."

Later in his book" travelers of the XIX century " Jules Verne will write:

Three years of travel were not spent in vain brave seafarers, they were not afraid to engage in combat with dangerous seas, polar cold and tropical heat, visit little-known Islands ... to open 2 500 species of plants, collect a variety of materials for language learning, Ethnography and religion of the native tribes.

After 6 years of brave sailor was appointed commander of the 24-gun sloop "Enterprise", which had a long journey to Kamchatka. Otto and his team were tasked to deliver the cargo to the Peninsula, and then for a year to be with the sailors off the coast of Russian America to fight the smugglers.

On the sloop "Venture" fearless Navigator and made his third trip around the world from 1823 to 1826. The crew of the sloop consisted of 118 people, and the capacity of the ship was larger (it could carry up to 750 tons cargo).

Oceanographic results of the expedition became even more significant than on "Rurik". Especially highlight the work of physicist Emilia Lenz, who, together with scientists explored new lands and used constructed, together with Professor Egor Parrota the sampler to take water samples and winch-depth gauge for measuring various depths.

After this expedition, Otto made the captains in the second rank. And further the service of Kotzebue has already passed in the native of revel, where he commanded linear Corvette "Emperor Peter I".

Corvette "Emperor Peter I"

The last 16 years of his life kotsebu spent in his estate Kyue under Revel (now Tallinn). There he raised his children (he had 3 sons and 5 daughters), ran a household and was a good family man.

the estate of Kotzebue

The memory of such people and their discoveries remind us of the heroic deeds of seafarers. Otto Kotzebue spent 27 years serving in the Navy, and 9 of them in the circumnavigation. Thanks to him, the names of hundreds of Islands and atolls appeared on the map of the Pacific ocean, and we learned about the peoples inhabiting those distant lands of the Islands and many other picturesque shores of the ocean.

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