Explorer Mikhail Stadukhin is one of the most famous explorers of the northeastern region of Russia. He was the first to reach places that our compatriots have not yet visited.
First Expedition
The exact date of Stadukhin's birth is unknown. Historical documents only contain information that he was from the Russian North, or rather, from the banks of the Pinega River. His first expedition in 1641 was a trip along the Indigirka. This is a river in modern Yakutia. Mikhail Stadukhin went on a journey with another famous explorer, Semyon Ivanovich Dezhnev.
Kolyma travels
These ambitious and enterprising people were driven forward by the desire to get as many precious furs as possible. In addition, travelers studied the life of the natives. Because of the hostile attitude of the indigenous people of this region, the expedition went down the river. The sea became the goal pursued by Mikhail Stadukhin. The discoveries of this journey were amazing. In the unexplored Kolyma region, explorers learned about the existence of unfamiliar settlements.
These abandoned places were a giant wasteland. Due to the lack of normal roads and high-quality transport, travelers could disappear for several years. first winterMikhail Stadukhin and his comrades spent time at a temporary parking lot, which was specially rebuilt by them to survive the harsh cold.
In the 17th century, the most distant Russian city in the region was Yakutsk. It has become a staging post for adventurers, hunters and merchants. In 1645 Mikhail Stadukhin returned here. The biography of this person is an example of a tireless traveler. He brought a huge batch of sable furs to Yakutsk. Thanks to his research, places were opened for plentiful and profitable hunting.
In Chukotka
Soon, Mikhail Stadukhin finally entered the civil service and began to carry out orders from the capital. So the tsarist authorities sent him back to Kolyma, where he was to investigate Pogucha. This river was extremely inaccessible. But this did not stop such an implacable traveler as Mikhail Stadukhin. Photos of the ashes of his temporary camps are now in several museums dedicated to the explorers of the Far East.
In the winter of 1647, Stadukhin spent the winter on the Yana River. Then he crossed the Kolyma. At the same time, the aforementioned Dezhnev led his expedition forward. Both detachments often suffered from attacks by local natives, who had not yet encountered large Cossack regiments. In addition, several times the ships of travelers could not cope with the turbulent flow of the northern rivers. On average, Stadukhin had about 30 people. Someone also died from the unbearable cold.
The extreme point that Stadukhin reached in the northeast direction was the riverAnadyr. The Anaul tribes lived here. From the natives, the traveler learned about the tragic fate of Dezhnev's detachment, which died in full force. Having reached the Anadyr River, Stadukhin turned back.
In 1649, he was very close to the still unexplored Bering Strait. According to the stories of local residents, the traveler was also the first to learn about the existence of the island of Aion. In addition, thanks to the efforts of the Stadukhin expedition, various coastal geographical objects were discovered.
In the Sea of Okhotsk
The Sea of Okhotsk became the next object of research for the tireless traveller. In 1651, Stadukhin sailed along the mainland several times in a boat. He managed to reach the place of modern Magadan, where he spent the winter. Also, the explorer ended up on the then unknown Tauyskaya Bay. They discovered the mouths of many rivers flowing into the Sea of Okhotsk. In 1652, Stadukhin's companions founded the Yamsky camp, which eventually became the village of Yamsky.
The question of whether the explorer visited Kamchatka still remains debatable. There is no documentary evidence of this, however, the route of the expedition of 1651 allows us to make such assumptions.
The last documented journey of Stadukhin was his voyage to Okhotsk. It was the very first Russian city on the Far East coast. Stadukhin ended up here in 1657.
For his services to the state, the traveler and brave military man received the rank of Cossack ataman. Shortly before his death, heended up in Moscow, where he died. In the modern Far East, several settlements and streets are named after Stadukhin. Expositions of local museums are dedicated to his travels.
