Energy and might of volcanoes: Kamchatka Territory is illustrated in the Presidential Library

October 17, 2018 marks the 278th anniversary of the founding of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky - the city of Russian military glory, the administrative center of the most remote region of our country. Its history is featured in a particular collection of rare and truly unique materials, which are available on the Presidential Library portal.

The accession of the Kamchatka Peninsula to Russia began at the end of the 17th century, when the expedition of the Cossack Pentecostal Vladimir Atlasov landed at the mouth of the Kamchatka River. And in 1703, another Cossack expedition led by Rodion Presnetsov discovered Avacha Bay, where Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky would later be founded. The well-known traveler Mikhail Kozhukhov gives a detailed information at the radio program from “Our Geography” series (2015), which is stored in the Presidential Library's collection: “The bay was an excellent haven, safely sheltered and provided with fresh water. However, there was silence almost four decades after its discovering. The foundation of Petropavlovsk is associated with the organization of the Second Kamchatka Expedition. On October 17, 1740 the packages “Saint Peter” and “Saint Paul” under the command of Vitus Bering arrived in Avacha Bay. This date is considered the day the city was founded”. By the way, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is named after these ships.   

As for Avacha Bay, which is often called the sea gate of the Kamchatka Territory, it is impossible not to mention its scale and convenience for navigation. The Russian Reporter magazine (2013) states: “As taught in Kamchatka schools, either the entire world merchant fleet or the fleet of any one country can be accommodated in the Avacha Bay. This is a bay that goes more than 20 kilometers into the mainland”. 

The development of the region, its detailed study began in the run-up to the Bering expedition. One of the first who visited and described in detail the Kamchatka Peninsula was the outstanding Russian scholar, researcher, ethnographer and traveler Stepan Krasheninnikov. His two volumes of "Description of the Land of Kamchatka" (1755), prepared during this trip, are available on the Presidential Library portal. First of all, Krasheninnikov describes the climate of Kamchatka amazed at its severity: “... It’s hard to say at all whether it’s more disadvantages or advantages there. That it is a lifeless place and immodest, that the great dangers from frequent earthquakes and floods are susceptible, that most of the time passes there in turbulent weather, high mountains covered with  snow that does not melt while listening to the noise of sea, and looking at different sea animals to notice their morals and mutual enmity and friendship; it seems that this country is more capable of dwelling animals than people are capable of. ”At the same time, the traveler recognizes that, despite all the difficulties, the region is rich in its resources and good for health: “But if, on the contrary, we take into account that there is healthy air and water, that there is no unrest from the summer heat and cold winter, there are no dangerous diseases, as for example, a pestilence, fever, fever, and the like; there is no fear from thunder and lightning, and there is no danger from poisonous animals, then I must confess that it is as convenient for human life as the country which is rich in everything”.    

A special place in the work of S. Krasheninnikov belongs to the famous Kamchatka "fiery mountains". They, according to the researcher, are quite a serious danger to the people. In addition, local residents are confident that volcanoes can warn humanity of the approach of great disaster. Here is what Krasheninnikov, who personally witnessed the eruption of the Tolbachik volcano, writes about this: “In the beginning of 1739, for the first time, a fiery ball was thrown out of that place by the butto, which however burned the whole forest along the lying mountains. Behind the ball, there was thrown out like a cloud, which spread from hour to hour more to the bottom, and the snow was covered with ash by 50 miles in all directions. Combustion of fire-breathing mountains not only Kamchadals, but also the Cossacks worship for the foreshadowing of bloodshed; and their superstitious opinion is proved by many examples that not a single case when the mountain has not thrown a flame has ever passed: they also say that the more it burns, the more blood is shed”.

Everything can be attributed to superstition. However, studying the history of the activity of the “fiery mountains” in Kamchatka, you begin to believe that coincidences are not accidental. For example, the eruption of one of the largest volcanoes in the world, Shiveluch in 1854. It was then, in the midst of the Crimean War, the forces of the combined Anglo-French fleet with a Marine corps attacked Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The invaders hoped to take the city right off the bat — he seemed so weak and unprepared. However, seemingly Petropavlovsk then really was a far from reliable fortress. Here is what the English-French squadron in 1854 attacked the Peter and Paul port in 1854 (1884) of the Reading for the Soldiers edition says about this: “There are very few buildings in the city: state-owned shops and an admiralty are located on the shore, leaving and heading along the hollow, along the main street, you will come to a dilapidated church, the only one in the city: this is the Peter and Paul Cathedral. Aside there is  the governor’s house, behind which the barracks and the officers' wing are located; finally, on the slopes of the mountains, towering to the east of the city, scattered a few philistine houses. In addition to Russians, the population of Petropavlovsk is made up of Americans of merchant and whalers and Kamchadals”.  

But the city had access: its first governor was Admiral of the Russian Imperial Navy Vasily Zavoyko - a brilliant strategist and tactician, an experienced sailor and a fearless warrior. Largely thanks to him, Petropavlovsk was able to defend. The city was defended by only two ships — the frigate Aurora and the brigantine Dvina — and about 900 people: military sailors and local residents, of whom Zavoyko managed to form units. The enemy had forces exceeding three times! But the fierce resistance of the defenders of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky failed to break. As a result, the British and French retreated in disgrace. This defeat seriously angered the Western press. M. Kozhukhov quotes one of the articles of that time in his program: “The Russians created a stronghold in such insignificant place as Petropavlovsk, where the British swallowed such a pill, which will remain a shameful spot in the history of enlightened navigation”.

Taking into account the cultural characteristics of Kamchatka, it should be noted that this region is one of the most distinctive in our country. The morals of the indigenous peoples — the Chukchi, the Itelmen, the Eskimos, the Koryaks, the Tunguses, and the Kamchadals — have interested scientists all the time. Curious observations are included in the notes of Hieromonk Nestor, who at the beginning of the 20th century was sent to the region as a missionary. His work is available on the portal of the Presidential Library.  Traditional for these places riding a dog and reindeer sled are reflected: “I traveled to foreigners on sledges pulled by dogs, from 12 to 20 and on sledges harnessed by deer from 2 to 4 ... Good dogs run per hour to 20 miles . The device of a sledge is such that the traveler must be in it in a recumbent position, as in a coffin, and by arranging props behind the sledges, it is possible to half-sit. I always read books during my journeys. Riding on deer is better, although the device of reindeer sledges is extremely inconvenient, you need to sit astride the sled, but on the other hand, the deer are clean and during the trip are more decent and tidy than dogs. 

Nestor tells in detail about the life of the Tungus, who were not changed with the development of civilization: “I had to spend the night in Tungus yurts; the inconvenience is that having dressed in a doll you have to lie on frozen ground, on one side an inextinguishable fire (fire) burns in the yurt, and on the other you have to freeze from the defenseless wall and from intolerable frosts, after which rheumatic ache is felt for a long time. Eating in yurts comes from the Tunguska cups, for great respect for me, with me, I wiped the pupa with the hem, and in the case of dry dirt, caring Tungusska washed it off with its saliva”. 

Despite all this, the missionary believes that the indigenous peoples of Kamchatka have managed to preserve some primordial moral purity: “Among the Koryak and the Tungus there are never major quarrels, fights, murders and thefts. They live peacefully, amicably and Russian people coming to these distant suburbs should learn the peaceful life of these wild, but good-natured aliens”.

One way or another, over the years, Kamchatka Territory has become one of the most advanced, developed regions of Russia, and its capital, the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, has become the largest economic and tourist area. Every year thousands of travelers come here to enjoy the local landscapes and touch the carefully preserved culture of Kamchadals. In addition, Petropavlovsk is also a military center - the base of the Pacific Fleet is placed in the city.