Famous travelers. Vasily Ermolaevich Bugor was an Arctic sailor and one of the pioneers of Siberia

Christopher Columbus on 3 caravels (Santa Maria, Pinta and Niña) crossed Atlantic Ocean and reached Fr. San Selvador (the official date of the discovery of America is October 12, 1492) On 3 caravels (Santa Maria, Pinta and Niña) he crossed the Atlantic Ocean and reached the island. San Selvador (official date of discovery of America October 12, 1492) An educated, well-read man. He mistakenly assumed that he had reached India. An educated, well-read person. He mistakenly assumed that he had reached India.

Vasco da Gama () Portuguese navigator. B made a voyage from Lisbon to India, circumnavigating Africa, and back, pioneering the sea route from Europe to South Asia. Portuguese navigator. B sailed from Lisbon to India, circumnavigating Africa, and back, pioneering the sea route from Europe to South Asia. In 1524 he was appointed Viceroy of India. Died in India during the 3rd voyage. His ashes were sent to Portugal in 1538. In 1524 he was appointed Viceroy of India. Died in India during the 3rd voyage. His ashes were sent to Portugal in 1538.

Ferdinand Magellan (1480 - 1521) Portuguese warrior. He was forced to seek service in a foreign land, in Spain. In a foreign country he achieved the rank of flotilla commander. On September 20, 1519, he set out on an expedition to the Spice Islands (India) from the west through a strait-passage that he was about to open. Portuguese warrior. He was forced to seek service in a foreign land, in Spain. In a foreign country he achieved the rank of flotilla commander. On September 20, 1519, he set out on an expedition to the Spice Islands (India) from the west through a strait-passage that he was about to open.

The expedition included a flotilla of five ships with a crew of 265 people. The journey lasted three years. Magellan died in battle, intervening in an intertribal war, on April 27, 1521. Only the ship Victoria, under the command of El Cano, circumnavigated Africa and returned to Spain on September 6, 1522. Ship "Victoria"

The significance of F. Magellan's expedition The expedition circumnavigated the earth and confirmed its spherical shape. For the first time, Europeans passed the “South Sea,” which Magellan called the Pacific Ocean. Evidence has been obtained that the mainland South America in the south it has a wedge shape.

James Cook (1728 - 79) English navigator who completed 3 expeditions around the world. English navigator who completed 3 expeditions around the world. Born into the family of a day laborer, he began working with his father at the age of 7, and began attending school at 13. Born into the family of a day laborer, he began working with his father at the age of 7, and began attending school at 13. In June 1755 he enlisted in the British navy as a sailor. In June 1755 he enlisted in the British navy as a sailor. B, already in command of the ship, completed a survey of the coast of the island of Newfoundland. B, already in command of the ship, completed a survey of the coast of the island of Newfoundland.

James Cook More than 20 are named after him geographical objects, including three bays, two groups of islands and two straits. First circumnavigation Cook lasted a little over 3 years; he was awarded the rank of captain 1st rank. Killed and eaten by Hawaiians.

The significance of James Cook's expedition Discovered many islands in the Pacific Ocean. Discovered many islands in the Pacific Ocean. Found out the basic situation of New Zealand. Found out the basic situation of New Zealand. Opened the Bolshoi barrier reef and Australia's fundamental position. Discovered the Great Barrier Reef and the main position of Australia. Opened Hawaiian Islands and part of the Alaskan coast. Discovered the Hawaiian Islands and part of the coast of Alaska.

Mikhail Lazarev () Russian naval commander, admiral. Made 3 expeditions around the world, with F.F. Bellingshausen discovered Antarctica. Russian naval commander, admiral. Made 3 expeditions around the world, with F.F. Bellingshausen discovered Antarctica. In 1800 he was assigned to the Naval Cadet Corps. Participated in the Battle of Trafalgar and in the war with Sweden. In 1800, he was assigned to the Naval Cadet Corps. Participated in the Battle of Trafalgar and in the war with Sweden

The significance of Lazarev's expedition With Bellingshausen, he discovered Antarctica With Bellingshausen, he discovered Antarctica Sailed in the Atlantic, near the Antilles and in the Indian Ocean Sailed in the Atlantic, near the Antilles and in the Indian Ocean Participated in the Battle of Trafalgar and in the war with Sweden Participated in the Battle of Trafalgar and in the war with Sweden

Thaddeus Bellingshausen () Russian navigator, admiral. Russian navigator, admiral. Participant of the 1st Russian trip around the world. Participant of the 1st Russian trip around the world. He led the 1st Antarctic expedition on the Vostok and Mirny boats. He led the 1st Antarctic expedition on the Vostok and Mirny boats.

Nikolai Przhevalsky () Russian traveler, geographer, naturalist, explorer. Russian traveler, geographer, naturalist, explorer. In 1856 he entered the Academy of the General Staff. In 1856 he entered the Academy of the General Staff. In 1867 he came to St. Petersburg, where he met with P.P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky, who helped organize Przhevalsky’s expedition. In 1867 he came to St. Petersburg, where he met with P.P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky, who helped organize Przhevalsky’s expedition.

Nikolai Przhevalsky Przhevalsky is known as one of the greatest travelers, who spent 11 years of his life on his expeditions. Przhevalsky is known as one of the greatest travelers, who spent 11 years of his life on his expeditions. The total length of its working routes is km. The total length of its working routes is km.

The significance of N. Przhevalsky's expedition Discovered a number of ridges, basins and lakes in Kunlun, Tien Shan and Tibetan plateau Discovered a number of ridges, basins and lakes in Kunlun, Tien Shan and the Tibetan Plateau Explored the Ussuri region, where he collected an ornithological collection Explored the Ussuri region, where he collected an ornithological collection Discovered many species of plants and animals Discovered many species of plants and animals

Afanasy Nikitin (1475) Russian traveler, Tver merchant. Russian traveler, Tver merchant. Traveled to Persia and India. On the way back I visited the African coast (Somalia), Muscat, Turkey. Traveled to Persia and India. On the way back I visited the African coast (Somalia), Muscat, Turkey.

Afanasy Nikitin Nikitin was the first European to give a valuable description medieval India, describing it simply and truthfully, in the book “Walking across the Three Seas.” His records are marked by versatility of observation, as well as religious tolerance, unusual for the Middle Ages, combined with devotion to the Christian faith and native land. Nikitin turned out to be the first European who gave a valuable description of medieval India, depicting it simply and truthfully, in the book “Walking across Three Seas.” His records are marked by versatility of observation, as well as religious tolerance, unusual for the Middle Ages, combined with devotion to the Christian faith and his native land.

If we talk about the great travelers of our time, then we cannot ignore the unique talent of Fyodor Filippovich Konyukhov to conquer what, at first glance, is impossible to conquer. Today Konyukhov is the first of the best travelers on the planet to conquer the North and South Poles, highest peaks world, seas and oceans. He has more than forty expeditions to the most inaccessible places on our planet.

A descendant of northern Pomors from the Arkhangelsk province was born on the shore Sea of Azov V fishing village Chkalovo. His insatiable thirst for knowledge led to the fact that already at the age of 15, Fedor sailed across the Sea of Azov on a fishing rowing boat. This was the first step towards great achievements. Over the next twenty years, Konyukhov takes part in expeditions to the North and South Poles, conquers the highest peaks, makes four trips around the world, participates in a dog sled race, and crosses the Atlantic Ocean fifteen times. In 2002, the traveler made a solo voyage across the Atlantic in a rowing boat and set a record. More recently, on May 31, 2014, Konyukhov was greeted in Australia with several records at once. The famous Russian became the first to cross Pacific Ocean from continent to continent. It cannot be said that Fyodor Filippovich is a person fixated only on travel. In addition to the nautical school, the great traveler has the Belarusian Art School in Bobruisk and the Modern Humanitarian University in Moscow. In 1983, Fyodor Konyukhov became the youngest member of the Union of Artists of the USSR. He is also the author of twelve books about his own experiences in overcoming the difficulties of travel. At the end of the legendary crossing of the Pacific Ocean, Konyukhov said that he was not going to stop there. He has new projects in his plans: a flight around the world on hot-air balloon, circumnavigating the world in 80 days for the Jules Verne Cup on a keelboat with a crew, diving into the Mariana Trench.

Bear Grylls

Today, this young English traveler, TV presenter and writer is known to an audience of millions thanks to the highest-rated television program on the Discovery Channel. In October 2006, the program “Survive at Any Cost” began airing with his participation. The goal of the TV presenter is not only to entertain the viewer, but also to give valuable advice and recommendations that can be useful in unforeseen situations.

Bear was born in Great Britain into a family of hereditary diplomats and received an excellent education at the elite Ladgrove School and the University of London. Parents did not interfere with their son's hobby sailing, rock climbing and martial arts. But the future traveler acquired the skills of endurance and the ability to survive in the army, where he mastered parachute jumping and mountaineering. These skills helped him subsequently achieve his cherished goal - conquering Everest. This event occurred at the very end of the last century, in 1998. Bear Grylls has simply irrepressible energy. The list of his travels is huge. From 2000 to 2007 he sailed around British Isles thirty days to raise funds for the British Royal Water Rescue Society; crossed the North Atlantic on an inflatable boat; flew over Angel Falls in an airplane with a steam engine, had lunch in a balloon at an altitude of more than seven thousand meters; paraglided over the Himalayas... In 2008, the traveler led an expedition organized with the goal of climbing one of the most remote unconquered peaks in Antarctica. Almost all expeditions in which Grylls participates are charitable.

If you think that long journeys are the prerogative of the strong half of humanity, then you are deeply mistaken. And this was proven by the young American Abby Sunderland, who at the age of 16 circumnavigated the world alone on a yacht. It is interesting that Abby’s parents not only allowed her to undertake such a risky undertaking, but also helped her prepare for it. It should be noted that the girl’s father is a professional sailor.

On January 23, 2010, the yacht left the port of Marina Del Rey in California. Unfortunately, the first voyage was unsuccessful. The second attempt took place on February 6. Very soon Abby reported damage to the yacht's hull and engine failure. At this time she was between Australia and Africa, 2 thousand miles from the coast. After this, contact with the girl was interrupted, and nothing was known about her. The search operation was unsuccessful, and Abby was declared missing. However, a month later, a distress signal was received from the yacht from the southern part Indian Ocean. After 11 hours of searching by Australian rescuers, a yacht was discovered in a severe storm area, in which, fortunately, Abby was safe and sound. A large supply of food and water helped her survive. The girl reported that all the time after the last communication session she had to overcome the storm, and she was physically unable to get in touch and send a radiogram. Abby's example inspires those with a brave spirit to test their limits and never stop there.

One of the most original travelers of our time spent on his unusual journey around the world for thirteen whole years of life. The non-standard situation was that Jason refused the achievements of civilization in the form of any technology. The former British cleaner went on his trip around the world with a bicycle, a boat and... rollerblades!

The expedition started from Greenwich in 1994. 27-year-old Lewis chose his friend Steve Smith as his partner. In February 1995, travelers reached the United States. After 111 days of sailing, the friends decided to cross the states separately. In 1996, Lewis, traveling on roller skates, was hit by a car. He spent nine months in the hospital. After recovery, Lewis goes to Hawaii, and from there sails on a pedal boat to Australia. On Solomon Islands he found himself in the middle of a civil war, and was attacked by an alligator off the coast of Australia. Upon arrival in Australia, Lewis interrupts his trip due to financial difficulties and for some time works in a funeral home and sells T-shirts. In 2005, he moved to Singapore, from there to China, from which he moved to India. Having crossed the country by bicycle, the Briton reached Africa by March 2007. The rest of Lewis's journey takes him through Europe. He cycled through Romania, Bulgaria, Austria, Germany and Belgium, then swam across the English Channel and returned to London in October 2007, completing his unique journey around the world. James Lewis proved to the whole world and to himself that there are no limits to human capabilities.

Pyotr Beketov (1600 - after 1661) - Russian explorer of the 17th century, explorer of Siberia.

One of the most exemplary “Russian conquistadors”, who honestly served his cause and did not get involved in any adventures, Beketov was the founder of several Russian cities.

Biography

Almost nothing is known about the early years of life of many prominent personalities of the 17th century; Pyotr Beketov is no exception in this sense. Information about him appears only in the 1620s, when he got a job as an archer in the government service.

After some time, in 1627, Beketov sent a petition to the tsar, in which he asked to be given the position of centurion in order to have at least some decent salary.

Vasily Poyarkov is one of the discoverers of Siberia. He made a huge contribution to the development of these lands.

In the 17th century, the Russian Empire dreamed of annexing Siberia to its lands. It was a huge and rich territory where many peoples lived.

Special expeditions were assembled to study and annex the Siberian lands. One of them was headed by Vasily Poyarkov.

Years of life

Accurate information about the years of Vasily Poyarkov’s life has not been preserved. Only documentary sources that contain information about his activities have survived to this day. They date back to 1610-1667.

Vasily Ermolaevich Bugor was an Arctic sailor and one of the pioneers of Siberia.

He explored unexplored territories, helping the Yenisei governor A. Oshanin.

Years of life

The exact years of Bugor's life are unknown, but historians believe that he was born around 1600 and died in 1668.

Biography of Bugor

Bugor did not have a noble origin. He was a Cossack foreman, participated in the construction of forts and the study of Siberia.

Mikhail Stadukhin - explorer and polar navigator of the 17th century, who explored North-Eastern Siberia, a man who was one of the first to visit the north Sea of Okhotsk, as well as on the Kolyma, Gizhiga, Penzhina and Anadyr rivers.

The geographical discoveries of M. Stadukhin became a huge contribution to the discovery and study of the Russian coast of the Arctic and Pacific Ocean.

Years of life of Mikhail Stadukhin

Year of birth unknown, died in 1666.

Biography of Mikhail Stadukhin

It is not known for certain in what year Mikhail Stadukhin was born. Presumably, the Russian explorer was born into a family of Pomors in one of the villages on the Pinega River

The development of Siberia in the 17th century is often presented as the most important event in the history of modern Russia.

He is spoken of as the Russian analogue of the Great geographical discoveries European world and the conquest of the New World.

This is partly a fair comparison. In the context of the emergence of the all-Russian market and economic growth, the development of new trade routes is an important stage in the country’s development.

S.I. Chelyuskin is a sea traveler, researcher, participant in a long-term expedition who made serious geographical discoveries that were ignored during his lifetime.

Origin

Chelyuskin's ancestors (according to documents from the 17th century - the Chelyustkins) were at first quite successful people, occupied important positions, were well promoted, were rich

But under Peter the Great, Semyon Ivanovich’s father fell into disgrace (he was among the rebellious Moscow archers) and until the end of his life his family vegetated in the wilderness of the village, barely making ends meet.

Accurate information about where and when S.I. Chelyuskin was born has not yet been discovered, approximately 1700.

Education

In 1714, the noble ignorant Semyon Chelyuskin was admitted to a Moscow school, where boys were taught exact sciences and navigation. Here the future researcher learned the wisdom of mathematics, geography, and astronomy.

He was a smart and diligent student. In 1721, having completed his studies, he was recommended for a certificate for navigating activities.

Yu. F. Lisyansky is an outstanding Russian navigator, who together traveled around the world.

Youth

Yu. Lisyansky was born in the Little Russian city of Nezhin in a simple family of a priest in 1773. Since childhood I dreamed of the sea, so I entered the Naval Cadet Corps and successfully graduated. Assigned to serve on the frigate "Podrazislav" as part of the squadron of Admiral S. K. Greig. He took part in the Hogland and several other naval battles in the war with the Swedes, served as a volunteer in the British fleet, and took part in battles with the French on the shores North America, made voyages on Antilles and to India.

Circumnavigation

Returning to his homeland, Lisyansky was appointed commander of the sloop "Neva". This ship was heading to round the world expedition under the leadership of I.F. Krusenstern, who commanded the second sloop Nadezhda. These two Russian ships left their homeland in mid-summer 1803 from Kronstadt. In November 1804, Yu. F. Lisyansky and I. F. Krusenstern were the first in the history of the Russian fleet to cross the equator line. In February of the same year, both ships sailed around Cape Horn, entering Pacific waters. Here the ships separated.

Khariton Prokofievich Laptev is one of the largest Russian polar explorers. The future conqueror of the Arctic was born in the village of Pekarevo, located near, in 1700. In 1715, young Laptev entered the St. Petersburg Naval Academy, which three years later he successfully graduated and entered the navy as a midshipman. In 1726 he was promoted to midshipman. In 1734 he took part in the war against Stanislav Leszczynski, who had been proclaimed the Polish king a year earlier.

The frigate "Mitava", on which Laptev served, is captured during military operations by the French, who resorted to deception to achieve this. Upon returning to his homeland, Laptev, along with the rest of the Mitava officers, is sentenced to death penalty for surrendering the ship without a fight, but the crew is found not guilty in time. After this misunderstanding, Khariton Prokofievich returns to service. In 1737, he was promoted to lieutenant and appointed commander of a detachment in the Great Northern Expedition. The purpose of the trip was to explore the Arctic coast between the Lena and Yenisei; another great Russian polar explorer, Dmitry Yakovlevich Laptev, cousin of Khariton Prokofievich, also took part in it. In the early spring of 1738, members of the expedition arrived in Yakutsk.

Dmitry Yakovlevich Laptev is a famous Russian traveler who, together with his cousin Khariton Prokofievich Laptev, became famous for their polar expeditions.

Born in 1701 into a family of small landed nobles in the village of Bolotovo. In 1715, together with his cousin, he began studying at the Maritime Academy in St. Petersburg. Upon completion of his studies in 1718, Laptev was promoted to midshipman on one of the ships of the Kronstadt squadron.

In 1721 he received the rank of midshipman, and in 1724 he became a non-commissioned lieutenant. From 1727 to 1729 he commanded the frigate "St. Jacob".

The biography of the great polar explorer Georgy Yakovlevich Sedov is unusual and tragic. He was born in 1877 in a small Azov village; today this village bears the name of the great polar explorer. George learned hard work from an early age. His father, a simple Azov fisherman, disappeared for several years. The boy had to work to feed his mother and eight brothers and sisters. He did not have time to learn to read and write, and until the age of 14 he could neither read nor write.

After his father returned home, in two years he graduated from parochial school and ran away from home. What the boy did in that life and how he made his way to his desired goal is little known. But at the age of 21, Georgy Sedov received a diploma as a navigator long-distance voyage. At the age of 24, after successfully passing the exam, he receives the rank of lieutenant.
His first hydrographic expedition was to the Arctic Ocean. Northern ice have long been attracted to the young sailor. He dreamed of conquering North Pole and prove that a Russian person can do this.

It began, and the expedition to the North Pole had to be postponed. But the idea does not leave him. He writes articles in which he proves that the development of the Northern Sea Route is necessary. He worked on the Caspian Sea, on Kolyma, and explored Krestovaya Bay on Novaya Zemlya.

1. FAMOUS TRAVELERS OF ANCIENT BPEMEH

Hanno (505) - Herodotus (484) - Pytheas (340) - Eudoxus (146) - Strabo (63)

Hanno of Carthage - Fortunate (Canary) Islands, Evening Horn, Southern Horn, Rio de Oro Bay - Herodotus visits Egypt, Libya, Ethiopia, Phenicia, Arabia, Babylonia, Persia, Media, Colchis, Caspian Sea, Scythia and Thrace - Pytheas explores the shores of Iberia and Celtish, the English Channel, the island of Albion, the Orcadian (Orkney) Islands, the land of Thule - Nearchus travels around the Asian coast from the Indus to Persian Gulf- Eudoxus gets acquainted with the western coast of Africa - Strabo travels through Inner Asia, Egypt, Greece and Italy

The first traveler mentioned in historical sources was Hanno, sent by the Carthaginian 1 (figures - see note at the end) Senate to colonize new territories on the west coast of Africa. The account of this expedition was written in Punic 2 and translated into Greek; it is known as “Hanno’s Sea Voyage Around the World.” What era did this explorer live in? Historians have different opinions. But the most reliable version is considered to be the one according to which his visit to the African shores dates back to 505 BC 3 .

Map of the Argonauts' voyage

The Southern Horn was, without a doubt, the final point reached by the Punic expedition. Some historians claim that the Carthaginian fleet did not go further than Cape Bojador, located two degrees north of the tropics, but the first point of view seems to us more likely.

Having reached the Southern Horn, Hanno began to lack food supplies. Then he turned north and returned to Carthage, where, by his order, a marble slab with a description of the journey “around the world” was placed in the temple of Baal Moloch.

After the Carthaginian navigator, the most famous of the ancient travelers in historical times was the Greek scientist Herodotus, nicknamed "the father of history." For our purpose we will separate the traveler from the historian and follow him to the countries he visited.

Greek galley. 500 BC

Herodotus born around 484 BC 9 in the Asia Minor city of Halicarnassus. He came from a wealthy and noble family with extensive trade connections, which may have contributed to the development of the instincts of a traveler and explorer awakened in the boy.

At that time, there was no consensus regarding the shape of the Earth. The Pythagorean school had already begun to spread the doctrine that the Earth was spherical. But Herodotus did not take any part in these disputes that worried the scientists of his time. In his early youth, he left his homeland with the intention of carefully studying distant countries, about which very scanty and contradictory information was received.

In 464, at the age of twenty, he left Halicarnassus. Apparently, Herodotus first went to Egypt, where he visited the cities of Memphis, Heliopolis and Thebes. During the trip, he managed to obtain a lot of valuable information about the Nile floods. In his notes, he gives various opinions regarding the sources of this great river, which the Egyptians revered as a deity.

“When the Nile floods,” says Herodotus, “nothing is visible except cities; they appear to be built on top of water and resemble the islands of the Aegean Sea.”

Herodotus talks about the religious rites of the Egyptians, how they make sacrifices to their gods and how they solemnly celebrate holidays in honor of the goddess Isis in the city of Busiris, the ruins of which are still visible today. Herodotus also reports how the Egyptians revered wild and domestic animals, considering them sacred, and gave them funeral honors. With the precision of a true naturalist, he describes the Nile crocodile and its habits; describes the methods by which crocodiles are caught. We find out what other animals there are and what the Egyptian hippopotamus, the ibis bird, and various snakes are like.

Herodotus depicts the home life of the Egyptians, their customs, games, and talks about the art of embalming the dead, which the Egyptians mastered to perfection. Next, he reports what structures were erected under Pharaoh Cheops: a labyrinth built near Lake Merisa, the remains of which were discovered in 1799; Lake Meris, created by human hands, and two pyramids that rose above the surface of its waters; Herodotus speaks with surprise about the temples erected in Memphis, about the famous colossus made of solid stone, on the transportation of which two thousand people worked for three years from Elephantine 10 to Sais.

Having carefully studied Egypt, Herodotus headed to other countries of Libya, that is, Africa, but the young traveler did not even imagine that Africa extended far to the south, beyond the Tropic of Cancer; he believed that the Phoenicians could go around this continent and return to Egypt through the Strait of Gibraltar 11.

Egyptian ship. 1600 BC

Enumerating the peoples living in Libya, Herodotus mentions the shepherd tribes wandering along the coast of Africa, and also names the Ammonians, who live in the interior of the country, in places abounding in predatory animals. The Ammonians built the famous temple of Zeus of Ammon, the ruins of which were discovered in the northeast of the Libyan Desert, 500 kilometers from the city of Cairo 12. He also describes in detail the customs and morals of the Libyans and reports what animals are found in this country: snakes of terrible size, lions, elephants, horned donkeys (probably rhinoceroses), baboon monkeys - “headless animals with eyes on their chests”, foxes , hyenas, porcupines, wild sheep, panthers, etc.

According to Herodotus, Libya is inhabited by two peoples: Libyans and Ethiopians. But did he really travel through this country? Historians doubt this. Most likely, he wrote down many of the details from the words of the Egyptians. But there is no doubt that he really sailed to the city of Tyre, in Phenicia, since here he gives quite accurate descriptions. In addition, Herodotus collected information from which he compiled short description Syria and Palestine.

Following this, Herodotus descends to the south - to Arabia, a country he calls Asian Ethiopia, that is, to that part of Southern Arabia, which he considers the last inhabited land. The Arabs living on the Arabian Peninsula, according to him, are strictly religious people. In their country valuable plants grow in abundance, from which frankincense and myrrh are obtained. The traveler provides interesting details about how fragrant substances are extracted from these plants.

Then we meet Herodotus in the countries he vaguely calls either Assyria or Babylonia. He begins the story of these countries with a careful description of Babylon, in which the kings lived since the destruction ancient capital Nineveh. The ruins of Nineveh have survived to this day, in the form of mounds scattered along both banks of the Euphrates, at a distance of 78 kilometers southeast of Baghdad. The large, fast and deep Euphrates River then divided the city of Nineveh into two parts. In one towered a fortified royal palace, in the other - the temple of Zeus. Next, Herodotus speaks of the two queens of Babylon - Semiramis and Nitocris; then he goes on to describe crafts and agriculture, telling how wheat, barley, millet, sesame, grapes, fig trees and palm trees are cultivated in this country.

Having studied Babylon, Herodotus went to Persia and, since the purpose of his trip was to collect accurate information about the long Greco-Persian wars, he visited the places where these wars took place in order to obtain on the spot all the details he needed. Herodotus begins this part of his history with a description of the customs of the Persians. They, unlike other peoples, did not give their gods a human form, did not erect either temples or altars in their honor, content with performing religious rites on the tops of the mountains.

Next, Herodotus speaks about the life and morals of the Persians. They have an aversion to meat, a love of fruit, and a passion for wine; they show interest in foreign customs, love pleasure, value military valor, take raising children seriously, respect the right to life of everyone, even a slave; they hate lies and debts, and they despise lepers. The disease of leprosy serves as proof for them that “the unfortunate person has sinned against the Sun.”

The marriage was accompanied by nationwide publicity

Herodotus's India, according to Vivien de Saint-Martin 13 , is limited to the countries irrigated by the five tributaries of the present Panjnad, and to the territory of Afghanistan. The young traveler headed there, leaving the Persian kingdom 14. The Indians, in his opinion, are the most numerous of the known peoples. Some of them lead a sedentary lifestyle, others are constantly nomadic. The tribes living in the east of this country, as Herodotus claims, not only kill the sick and old people, but allegedly even eat them. The tribes living in the north are distinguished by their courage and skill in crafts. Their land is rich in golden sand.

Herodotus believes that India is the last inhabited country in the East. It maintains the same fertile climate at all times of the year as in Greece, located on the opposite end of the earth.

Then the indefatigable Herodotus went to Media, 15 where he compiled the history of the Medes, the first people to overthrow the yoke of the Assyrians. The Medes founded large city Ecbatana (Hamadan), which was surrounded by seven rows of walls. Having crossed the mountains that separated Media from Colchis, the Greek traveler entered the country famous for the exploits of Jason 16 and studied its customs and customs with his characteristic conscientiousness.

Athenian merchant ship. 500 BC

Herodotus, apparently, was well acquainted with the contours of the Caspian Sea. He says that "this sea is itself, and has no communication with another." The Caspian Sea, according to him, is limited in the west Caucasus mountains, and in the east by a vast plain inhabited by the Massagetae, who probably belonged to the Scythian tribe. The Massagetae worshiped the sun and sacrificed horses to it. Herodotus also speaks of the great river Arak, which flows into the Caspian Sea.

Then the traveler ends up in Scythia. Scythians - according to Herodotus' definition - are various tribes inhabiting the vast space between the Danube and Don, that is, a significant part of European Russia. Herodotus calls the tribe of “princely Scythians” who occupied the banks of the Tanais (Don) river the most numerous and powerful. In addition, Herodotus mentions the tribes of Scythian nomads and Scythian farmers.

Although Herodotus lists various Scythian tribes, it is not known whether he personally visited the countries located north of Pontus Euxine 17. He describes in detail the customs of these tribes and comes into sincere delight from the Pontus Euxine - this “hospitable sea”. Herodotus determines the dimensions of the Black Sea, the Bosphorus, the Propontis 18 and the Sea of Azov, and his definitions are almost correct. He lists big rivers, flowing into the Black Sea: Ister, or Danube; Borysthenes, or Dnieper; Tanais, or Don.

The traveler conveys many myths about the origin of the Scythian people; in these myths, a large role is given to Hercules. He ends his description of Scythia with a story about the marriages of the Scythians with warlike women from the Amazon tribe, which can, in his opinion, explain the Scythian custom that a girl cannot get married until she kills an enemy.

From Scythia, Herodotus arrived in Thrace. There he learned about the Hets - the most courageous people who inhabited this country 19. He then traveled to Greece, where he wanted to collect the missing information for his history. He visited areas where the main events of the Greco-Persian wars took place, including the Passage of Thermopylae, the Field of Marathon and Plataea. Then he returned to Asia Minor and traveled around its coast, exploring the numerous colonies founded there by the Greeks.

Returning at the age of 28 to his homeland, Halicarnassus, the famous traveler took part in the popular movement against the tyrant Lygdamis and contributed to his overthrow. In 444 BC, Herodotus attended the Panathenaic festivals and read excerpts from the description of his travels there, arousing general enthusiasm. At the end of his life, he retired to Italy, to Turium, where he died in 426 BC, leaving behind his fame famous traveler and an even more famous historian.

After Herodotus, we will step a century and a half later, mentioning a doctor by name Ctesias, a contemporary of Xenophon 20. Ctesias wrote an account of his journey through India, although there is no reliable information that he actually completed it.

In chronological order, let us now move on to Pytheas from Massilia - to a traveler, geographer and astronomer, one of the most learned men of his time. In 340 BC, Pytheas ventured to sail the Atlantic Ocean on a single ship. Instead of following the coast of Africa to the south, as his Carthaginian predecessors usually did, Pytheas went north, where he began exploring the coast of the Iberian Peninsula 21 and the coast of the Celtic country, right up to the granite Cape Finisterre. Then Pytheas entered the English Channel and landed on the island of Albion 22. He met the inhabitants of this island, who, according to him, were distinguished by good nature, honesty, moderation and ingenuity. They traded in tin, for which traders from distant countries came here.

Continuing north, Pytheas passed the Orkney Islands, located at the northern tip of Scotland, and rose to a latitude where “in summer the night did not exceed two hours.” After a six-day voyage across the North Sea, Pytheas reached the land known since then as Ultima Thule. Apparently, this was the Scandinavian peninsula. But Pytheas was no longer able to move further north. “Further,” he says, “there was no sea, no land, no air.”

Pytheas was forced to turn back, but his journey did not end there: he sailed east and arrived at the mouth of the Rhine, where the Ostions lived, and even further the Germans. From there he sailed to the mouth big river, which he calls Thais (probably it was Elba), and then sailed back to Massilia and returned to his hometown a year after he left.

The remarkable traveler Pytheas was no less a remarkable scientist; He was the first to prove the influence of the Moon on the ebb and flow of the sea and noticed that the North Star does not occupy a point in celestial space that is located above the earth’s pole, which was subsequently confirmed by science.

A few years after Pytheas, around 326 BC, another Greek traveler became famous for his research - Nearchs islands of Crete. As commander of the fleet of Alexander the Great, he was ordered to travel around the entire coast of Asia from the Indus to the Euphrates.

Nearchus sailors scare the whales

The idea of such an expedition was prompted by the need to establish communications between India and Egypt, in which Alexander was extremely interested, being at that time with his army 800 miles from the coast, in the upper reaches of the Indus. The commander equipped a fleet for Nearchus, consisting of thirty-three double-decker galleys and large number transport ships that accommodated two thousand people. While Nearchus sailed with his fleet down the Indus, Alexander's army followed him on both banks. Having reached the Indian Ocean four months later, Nearchus sailed along the coast that now forms the border of Balochistan.

Nearchus set out to sea on the second of October, without waiting for the winter monsoon, which could have been favorable for his voyage. Therefore, in forty days of travel, Nearchus barely managed to swim 80 miles to the west. His first sites were made in Stura and Koreistis; these names do not correspond to any of the current villages located in those places. Then he sailed to the island of Krokala, which lies near the modern Karantian Bay. The fleet, destroyed by storms, took refuge in a natural harbor, which Nearchus was forced to strengthen “to protect against the attack of savages.”

Twenty-four days later, the naval commander of Alexander the Great again raised the sails and set off to sea. Violent storms forced him to make frequent stops at various places along the coast and defend himself from attacks by the Arabites, whom Eastern historians characterized as “a barbarian people wearing long hair, growing beards and resembling fauns or bears.”

After many adventures and skirmishes with coastal tribes, Nearchus landed on the land of the Orites, which in modern geography bears the name: Cape Moran. “In this area,” notes Nearchus, describing his journey, “the sun at noon illuminated all objects vertically, and they did not cast shadows.” But Nearchus is apparently mistaken, since at this time of year the daylight was in the southern hemisphere, on the Tropic of Capricorn, and not in the northern hemisphere; in addition, the ships of Nearchus always sailed at a distance of several degrees from the Tropic of Cancer; therefore, even in summer in these areas, the sun at noon could not illuminate objects vertically.

When the northeast monsoon set in, sailing continued under favorable conditions. Nearchus followed along the coast of the country of ichthyophages, that is, “people who eat fish” - a rather pitiful tribe who, due to a lack of pasture, were forced to feed their sheep with seafood. Here Nearchus's fleet began to lack food supplies. Having rounded Cape Posmi, Nearchus took a native helmsman into his galley. Driven by coastal winds, Nearchus' ships successfully moved forward. The coast became less barren. There were trees here and there. Nearchus landed at a city of ichthyophages, the name of which he does not indicate, and, suddenly attacking the inhabitants, forcibly seized from them the supplies that his fleet so needed.

Then the ships arrived in Kanazida, in other words, the city of Churbar. The ruins of this city can still be seen near the bay of the same name. By that time, the Macedonians were already running out of bread. It was in vain that Nearchus stopped in Kanata, in Troy and in Dagazir - he was unable to obtain anything from these poor peoples. The sailors had no more meat or bread, and yet they did not dare to eat turtles, which abound in these countries.

Almost at the entrance to the Persian Gulf, the fleet encountered a large herd of whales. The frightened sailors wanted to turn the galleys back, but Nearchus boldly went forward on his ship to meet sea monsters, which we managed to disperse.

Having reached Carmania 23, the ships diverted to the northwest. The banks here were fertile; Everywhere there were grain fields, vast pastures, and fruit trees. Nearchus dropped anchor off Badis, present-day Jascus. Then, having rounded Cape Macet or Mussendon, the sailors found themselves at the entrance to the Persian Gulf, to which Nearchus, like the Arab geographers, gives the unusual name of the Red Sea.

In the harbor of Harmosia (Ormuz), Nearchus learned that Alexander's army was five days' journey away. Having landed on the shore, he hastened to join the conqueror. Alexander, having not received any news about his fleet for twenty-one weeks, no longer hoped to see it. One can imagine the commander’s joy when Nearchus, emaciated beyond recognition, appeared before him safe and sound! To celebrate his return, Alexander ordered gymnastic games to be held and abundant sacrifices to be made to the gods. Nearchus then went again to Harmosia, where he left his fleet to sail from there to the mouth of the Euphrates.

Sailing along the Persian Gulf, the Macedonian fleet landed on many islands, and then, rounding Cape Bestion, sailed to the island of Keisho, on the border of Carmania. Then Persia began. Nearchus' ships, following along the Persian coast, stopped in different places to stock up on bread, which Alexander sent here.

After several days of sailing, Nearchus arrived at the mouth of the Endiana River, then reached the river flowing from the large, fish-infested lake Kataderbis, and finally dropped anchor near the Babylonian village of Degela, not far from the mouth of the Euphrates, thus sailing along the entire Persian coast. Here Nearchus again united with the army of Alexander the Great, who generously rewarded him and appointed him commander of his entire fleet. Alexander also wanted to explore the Arab coast of the Persian Gulf, right up to the Red Sea, and establish a sea route from Persia and Babylon to Egypt, but death prevented him from carrying out this plan.

Nearchus compiled a description of his journey, which, unfortunately, has not survived. A detailed account of his voyages is contained in the book of the Greek historian Flavius Arrian 24 “History of India”, which has come down to us in fragments.

Nearchus is believed to have been killed at the Battle of Ipsus. He left behind the glory of a skilled navigator, and his journey constitutes an important event in the history of navigation.

Now we should also mention the bold enterprise of the Greek geographer Eudoxa, who lived in the 2nd century BC. Having visited Egypt and the shores of India, this brave traveler had the intention of circumnavigating Africa, which was actually accomplished only sixteen centuries later by the Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama.

Eudox hired big ship and two longboats and set off across the unfamiliar waters of the Atlantic Ocean. How far did he take his ships? It's difficult to determine. Be that as it may, having met the natives, whom he mistook for Ethiopians, he returned to Mauritania, and from there crossed over to Iberia and began preparations for a new extensive journey around Africa. Was this journey made? Doubtful. It must be said that this Eudoxus, an undoubtedly brave man, does not deserve much trust. In any case, scientists do not take him seriously.

Roman galley. 110 BC

Among the ancient travelers it remains for us to mention the names of Caesar and Strabo. Julius Caesar 26, born in 100 BC, was primarily a conqueror and did not set out to explore new countries. Let us only recall that in 58 BC he began to conquer Gaul and ten years later he brought his legions to the shores of Great Britain, which was inhabited by peoples of Germanic origin.

As for , born in Cappadocia 27 around 63 AD, he is known more as a geographer than a traveler. However, he traveled through Asia Minor, Egypt, Greece, Italy and lived for a long time in Rome, where he died in last years reign of Tiberius. Strabo left a Geography divided into seventeen books, most of which have survived to this day. This work, together with the works of Ptolemy, constitutes the most important monument of ancient Greek geography.

NOTES

1Carthage was founded by the Phoenicians around 850 BC on the northern coast of Africa, in the Gulf of Tunis.

2 The Romans called the Carthaginians Punes; hence the name of the language - Punic.

3 The exact date of the expedition Hanno impossible to install. Modern scholars date it to the 5th or 6th century BC. The description of this voyage has come to us in the form of an “adventure novel”, in which reliable facts are intertwined with fictional ones. However geographical description the western coast of Africa, the story of steppe fires inside the country leaves no doubt about the authenticity of the journey, which was subsequently overgrown with various fables.

Hanno was the first navigator to visit West Coast Africa. He sailed along this coast from the Strait of Gibraltar to the south for about 4,500 kilometers. Nineteen centuries later, it took Portuguese navigators fifty years to explore the coastline that Hanno had bypassed.

4 Pillars of Hercules- two mountains on the European and African shores of the Strait of Gibraltar, allegedly erected by the mythical hero Hercules. According to the ancient Greeks, the Pillars of Hercules were the western edge of the known world.

5 Probably the Senegal River.

6 Cymbals- ancient musical instrument in the form of copper plates. Tambourine- a percussion musical instrument resembling a tambourine.

7 Southern Horn- now Sherborough Bay in the state of Sierra Leone (formerly an English colony), located on the shores of the Gulf of Guinea.

8 We must assume that these were not gorillas, but chimpanzees.

9 Biographical information about Herodotus is extremely scarce. The exact years of his life are not known; he is believed to have been born around 484 BC and died in 424 or 426 BC. Herodotus is the author of the first large historical work that has come down to us - the famous “History”, in which he included rich geographical material collected during his long travels. It is impossible to say exactly which countries Herodotus visited during his travels. There is no doubt that he visited Egypt and the northern coast of the Black Sea. In the east it probably reached Babylon. Herodotus also speaks of a journey to India, but this description has no historical basis.

10 Island Elephantine(Ivory) is located on the Nile River, at the first rapids, on the border of Egypt and Sudan.

11 Here the author refers to the story of Herodotus, which he heard in Egypt, about the journey Phoenician sailors around Africa, undertaken by order of the Egyptian pharaoh Necho around 600 BC. This enterprise has no equal in the history of geographical discoveries, so we will present in full short story Herodotus: “Libya, it turns out, is surrounded by water all around, with the exception of the part where it borders on Asia; the first to prove it, as far as we know, egyptian pharaoh Nehao. Having suspended the digging of a canal from the Nile to the Arabian Gulf [Red Sea], he sent the Phoenicians on ships to the sea with orders to sail back through the Pillars of Hercules [Strait of Gibraltar] until they entered the North [Mediterranean] Sea and arrived in Egypt.

The Phoenicians sailed from the Erythraean [Red] Sea and entered the Southern Sea [Indian Ocean]. When autumn came, they landed on the shore and, no matter where they landed in Libya, sowed the land and waited for the harvest; After harvesting the grain, they sailed on. So two years passed in the voyage, and only in the third year they rounded the Pillars of Hercules and returned to Egypt.

They also told me, which I don’t believe, but maybe someone else will believe, that while sailing around Libya, the Phoenicians had the sun on the right side. This is how Libya became known for the first time.”

12 Ammon(Siwa) is an oasis in the Libyan desert.

13 Vivienne de Saint-Martin(1802–1897) - French geographer, author of the famous work “Essay on General Geography” and other works.

14 Herodotus did not travel through Afghanistan and India; He collected information about these countries in Babylon.

15 Mussel was located south of the Caspian Sea. Under the Persian king Cyrus (c. 558–529 BC) it became part of Persia. Main city- Ecbatana.

16 Jason- in Greek mythology, the leader of the Argonauts' campaign for the Golden Fleece. According to one version of the myth, he died under the wreckage of the Argo ship; according to another, he committed suicide. The myth of the Argonauts who sailed from Greece to Colchis ( East Coast Black Sea), is a reflection of the history of early Greek colonization (VIII-VII centuries BC).

17 The ancient Greeks originally called the Black Sea Pont Aksinsky(inhospitable) due to strong and frequent storms. Subsequently, when the Greeks colonized the Black Sea shores, the sea was renamed Pont Euxine (hospitable).

18 Propontis(literally: “lying in front of Pontus”) – Sea of Marmara.

19 Thrace- a country located in the north Balkan Peninsula; its shores were washed by the Black Sea from the east, and the Aegean from the south.

20 Xenophon- Greek historian of the late 5th - first half of the 4th century BC, author of “Greek History”, “Anabasis” and other works.

21 Iberia- the ancient name of Spain.

22 Albion- the ancient name of the island of Great Britain, which translated means “White Island” (the name was given by Pytheas because of the chalk cliffs towering over the English Channel).

23 Karmania– region in the south of Iran; according to the ancients, it was inhabited by nomads who fed on fish (ichthyophages).

24 Arrian Flavius(c. 95–175 AD) was a Roman-period Greek writer, historian and geographer. The main works: “Anabasis of Alexander” (History of the campaigns of Alexander the Great) and “History of India”.

25 Mauritania- an area on the northwestern coast of Africa. At the beginning of the 1st century AD it became a Roman province.

26 Caesar Julius(full name Gaius Julius Caesar) - Roman Emperor,

27 Cappadocia- the name of an area located in the southeastern part of the Asia Minor peninsula.

If you think that all outstanding wanderers remained in the era of great geographical discoveries, then we hasten to convince you: our contemporaries also make amazing journeys. It is these people that we will talk about.

Photo: background-pictures.picphotos.net

If we talk about the great travelers of our time, then we cannot ignore the unique talent of Fyodor Filippovich Konyukhov to conquer what, at first glance, is impossible to conquer. Today Konyukhov is the first of the best travelers on the planet to conquer the North and South Poles, the highest peaks of the world, seas and oceans. He has more than forty expeditions to the most inaccessible places on our planet.

A descendant of the Northern Pomors from the Arkhangelsk province, he was born on the shores of the Sea of Azov in the fishing village of Chkalovo. His insatiable thirst for knowledge led to the fact that already at the age of 15, Fedor sailed across the Sea of Azov on a fishing rowing boat. This was the first step towards great achievements. Over the next twenty years, Konyukhov takes part in expeditions to the North and South Poles, conquers the highest peaks, makes four trips around the world, participates in a dog sled race, and crosses the Atlantic Ocean fifteen times. In 2002, the traveler made a solo voyage across the Atlantic in a rowing boat and set a record. More recently, on May 31, 2014, Konyukhov was greeted in Australia with several records at once. The famous Russian became the first to cross the Pacific Ocean from continent to continent. It cannot be said that Fyodor Filippovich is a person fixated only on travel. In addition to the nautical school, the great traveler has the Belarusian Art School in Bobruisk and the Modern Humanitarian University in Moscow. In 1983, Fyodor Konyukhov became the youngest member of the Union of Artists of the USSR. He is also the author of twelve books about his own experiences in overcoming the difficulties of travel. At the end of the legendary crossing of the Pacific Ocean, Konyukhov said that he was not going to stop there. His plans include new projects: flying around the world in a hot air balloon, circumnavigating the world in 80 days for the Jules Verne Cup on a keelboat with a crew, diving into the Mariana Trench.

Bear was born in Great Britain into a family of hereditary diplomats and received an excellent education at the elite Ladgrove School and the University of London. Parents did not interfere with their son’s passion for sailing, rock climbing and martial arts. But the future traveler acquired the skills of endurance and the ability to survive in the army, where he mastered parachute jumping and mountaineering. These skills helped him subsequently achieve his cherished goal - conquering Everest. This event occurred at the very end of the last century, in 1998. Bear Grylls has simply irrepressible energy. The list of his travels is huge. From 2000 to 2007 he sailed around the British Isles in thirty days to raise funds for the British Royal Water Rescue Society; crossed the North Atlantic on an inflatable boat; flew over Angel Falls in an airplane with a steam engine, had lunch in a balloon at an altitude of more than seven thousand meters; paraglided over the Himalayas... In 2008, the traveler led an expedition organized with the goal of climbing one of the most remote unconquered peaks in Antarctica. Almost all expeditions in which Grylls participates are charitable.

On January 23, 2010, the yacht left the port of Marina Del Rey in California. Unfortunately, the first voyage was unsuccessful. The second attempt took place on February 6. Very soon Abby reported damage to the yacht's hull and engine failure. At this time she was between Australia and Africa, 2 thousand miles from the coast. After this, contact with the girl was interrupted, and nothing was known about her. The search operation was unsuccessful, and Abby was declared missing. However, a month later, a distress signal was received from the yacht from the southern Indian Ocean. After 11 hours of searching by Australian rescuers, a yacht was discovered in a severe storm area, in which, fortunately, Abby was safe and sound. A large supply of food and water helped her survive. The girl reported that all the time after the last communication session she had to overcome the storm, and she was physically unable to get in touch and send a radiogram. Abby's example inspires those with a brave spirit to test their limits and never stop there.

One of the most original travelers of our time spent thirteen years of his life on his unusual journey around the world. The non-standard situation was that Jason refused the achievements of civilization in the form of any technology. The former British cleaner went on his trip around the world with a bicycle, a boat and... rollerblades!

Photo: mikaelstrandberg.com

The expedition started from Greenwich in 1994. 27-year-old Lewis chose his friend Steve Smith as his partner. In February 1995, travelers reached the United States. After 111 days of sailing, the friends decided to cross the states separately. In 1996, Lewis, traveling on roller skates, was hit by a car. He spent nine months in the hospital. After recovery, Lewis goes to Hawaii, and from there sails on a pedal boat to Australia. In the Solomon Islands, he found himself in the midst of a civil war, and off the coast of Australia he was attacked by an alligator. Upon arrival in Australia, Lewis interrupts his trip due to financial difficulties and for some time works in a funeral home and sells T-shirts. In 2005, he moved to Singapore, from there to China, from which he moved to India. Having crossed the country by bicycle, the Briton reached Africa by March 2007. The rest of Lewis's journey takes him through Europe. He cycled through Romania, Bulgaria, Austria, Germany and Belgium, then swam across the English Channel and returned to London in October 2007, completing his unique journey around the world. James Lewis proved to the whole world and to himself that there are no limits to human capabilities.

Photo: mikaelstrandberg.com

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