In search of the mysterious geographic ghost, Sannikov Land, more than one expedition went. But nobody managed to find the mysterious island. The rocky mountains, clearly distinguishable from a distance, seemed to dissolve in the air when approaching them.
There are many secrets in the history of the exploration of the North. To this day, it has not been possible to find the answers to many of them.
Opening
Yakov Sannikov was born in 1749 in Ust-Ilimsk. He headed an artel for the extraction of mammoth tusks, and then became interested in researching the Novosibirsk archipelago. The brave fisherman discovered several islands, including Bunge Land.
While fishing on Kotelny Island in 1810, Sannikov noticed inaccessible mountains in the north. Realizing that it was not a mirage in front of him, the explorer decided to get to the ground, but a huge hole blocked his way.
The discovery was reported to Matvey Gedenstrom, head of the expedition to the Novosibirsk archipelago. The unknown territory appeared on the map with the mark “the land seen by Sannikov”. All further research was interrupted by the war in 1812.
A new expedition, led by Peter Anjou, was equipped only a decade later. It was possible to get to the indicated place, but it was not possible to get closer to the island: it was constantly moving away. Having concluded that before him a mirage, Anjou decided to return.
Futile efforts
In 1881, the American George Delong's statement about the land, approximately in the place indicated by Sannikov, became a sensation. An expedition led by Baron Toll went to them in 1900. Descending from the barque "Zarya" to the shore, the sailors saw steep cliffs.
Toll was firmly convinced of the correctness of Yakov Sannikov. The baron assured that the discovery of the industrialist was part of the Arctida mainland. Despite all efforts, it was not possible to enter the territory either from the sea or from land. And the traces of the expedition were forever lost in the ice.
In 1893, Fridtjof Nansen headed for the location of the stubborn territory. To his amazement, there was no sign of dry land. Academician Obruchev became interested in the mystery at the beginning of the twentieth century. He knew the legend of the mysterious continent.
According to local residents, the Onkilons went there. Scientists have noticed that polar geese fly away in the northern direction every autumn; they returned back with a brood of chicks. It was clear that they could not nest in the ice. This means that there was no doubt about the warm earth, where the birds waited out the cold.
New attempts
Obruchev suggested that geese winter on the islands from the Chukchi legend. The academician explained the mild climate by a volcano warming the earth. According to hypotheses, the scientist wrote the novel "The Land of Sannikov or the Last Onkilons." The book was published in 1912.
In 1937 the icebreaker "Sadko" did not find any signs of land. Gradually, a version appeared that they took stamukha for the ground, an iceberg covered with dust. The ice floe melted without waiting for people.
The theory was confirmed by the islands discovered at the beginning of the 19th century, which disappeared by 1950. Sannikov Land could have had the same fate. A sandbank was found on the spot. It was named Sannikov Bank.
The mysterious dry land has never been marked on any map. The island lives only in Yakut legends and in a book and a film based on it.
