page_title: Russian polar expedition of 1900–1902
section_title: First navigation
hierarchical_section_title: Russian polar expedition of 1900–1902 / Expedition / First navigation
caption_attribution_description: Русский: Участники северной экспедиции на "Заре". Крайний слева -- А.В. Колчак
context_page_description: The Russian polar expedition of 1900–1902 was commissioned by the Saint Petersburg Academy of Sciences to study the Arctic Ocean north of New Siberian Islands and search for the legendary Sannikov Land. It was led by the Baltic German geologist and Arctic explorer Baron Eduard von Toll on the ship Zarya. Toll and his three assistants vanished in late 1902 while exploring Bennett Island. One of the key members of the expedition was Alexander Kolchak, then a young researcher and lieutenant of the Russian Navy, and later a ruler of Russia. Kolchak also led the rescue mission to find Toll and his crew.
context_section_description: On 8 June 1900, Zarya left St. Petersburg heading for Kronstadt and the Gulf of Finland, where it had a minor problem. While it was being fixed in Tallinn, Toll left the ship, crossed the gulf, and went by train to Oslo to consult with Nansen, and then to Bergen to meet Zarya. From Bergen to Tromsø the ship was guided by a specially hired local pilot. In Tromsø, while the crew was waiting for the coal resupply from England, it had two major incidents: Malygin got arrested for a drunken brawl, whereas Semyashkin contracted a venereal disease and was found unfit for his duties by Dr. Walter.
  The day after passing North Cape, on 11 July 1900 Zarya approached Polyarny to replenish its coal supplies. There Toll and Kolomeitsev had a first major quarrel over their roles in the expedition, which ended in a request by Kolomeitsev to relieve him from his duties. Toll, in line with the spirit of the contemporary Russia, longed for comradeship, and treated sailors as equals. Meanwhile, Kolomeitsev, a classic naval officer of the Russian Imperial Navy, tried to keep a distance with the men and impose harsh punishments for unruly behavior (of Malygin and Semyashkin). Kolomeitsev thought that Toll's attitude undermines his authority as commander of Zarya.
  After unsuccessful mediation attempts, Kolchak offered his resignation too, which partly quenched the conflict, as Toll could not afford losing two of his key assistants. Next morning, the expedition took on board 60 sled dogs, and replaced Malygin and Semyashkin with two mushers, Peter Strizhev and Stepan Rastorguyev.
  On 18 July Zarya left Kola Bay, and the next Kolchak and Byalynitsky-Birulya conducted their first hydrological and zoological observations. Kolchak was helped by Begichev and Zheleznyakov who expressed interest in his studies.
  By 22 July Zarya passed Kolguyev Island, and on 25 July approached Vaygach. There Toll had an appointment to meet a schooner, which should have been purchased to deliver coal for the expedition from Arkhangelsk to Yugorsky Strait. Not seeing the schooner, Toll decided not to wait for it, but reach Cape Chelyuskin as soon as possible. This would allow the expedition to winter on the eastern Taimyr and explore the poorly studied areas nearby. The next day, Zarya met ice fields and was forced to deviate from its route southwards.
  On 30 July outlines of Sibiryakov Island appeared on the horizon. Toll decided to make a stop there to rest and clean up the boilers. There the travelers met a pack of polar bears and killed a few of them for food.
  On 5 August, the expedition changed its route towards Taimyr Peninsula. From then on it had to make stops as long as 19 days being stranded in icefields and shallows. On the night of 3 September it saw its first aurora. Soon sailors noticed a light ahead, and decided that it was icebreaker Yermak, but astronomer Seeberg realized that it was Venus.
caption: Members of the expedition on Zarya
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