CARTOGRAPHIC
RESULTS OF G.L. MAJDEL’S EXPEDITION IN THE YAKUT PROVINCE IN 1868 – 1870
O.A.Lazebnik1,
O.S.Romanova2
1
- St.-Petersburg State University, Faculty
of Cartography, St.-Petersburg, Russia
2
- Institute of History of Natural Sciences and Engineering after Prof.
S.I.Vavilov of the Russian Academy of Science, the Department of History of Sciences
about the Earth, Moscow, Russia
ol_r@mail.ru
German Ljudvigovich Majadel
(1835-1894), graduate of Derpt University, was the official under the special
commissions at the Irkutsk Governor in 1860, and law-enforcement official of
Kolyma and district Vilyuisk of the Yakut province in 1862-1870, Head of the Chukotski
expedition of the Russian Geographical Society Siberian department, in
1868-1870.
Results of expedition have been
published in St.-Petersburg in 1896 in two volumes. The atlas containing 4 maps
and the systematic list of the rivers was included in the second volume. The
volume contains the extensive information on geography of Yakutia and is the first
capacious and detailed geographical description of the Yakut Province in a
whole as administrative unit of the vast, remote province difficult in access.
Presence of the atlas as the composite
part of published scientifically geographic work was a characteristic feature
of that time. Atlases of such kind usually included maps of various territorial
scope and the contents, also others not cartographic materials. Majadel’s Atlas though it is small on volume, is especially
valuable, as it contains the most complete and correct for that time common map,
a map of astronomical points, the systematic list of the Yakut Province Rivers.
Deeply perceiving significance of a
map in geographical knowledge and management of so extensive spaces, G.L.Majadel
gives in his work the important place to the information on compilation of a
general map of the Yakut Province. Being aware of Province study geographic and
cartographic level
Majdel conducts detailed revision of earlier cartographic works, seeking to
state them an objective evaluation.
For compilation of the Yakut
Province new general map in scale of 100 versts in one English inch, as initial
basis Majadel took pages III, IV of the 1884 General Staff Maps of the Asian Russia.
Critically estimating this map, the author has set the task, first of all, to
update and add orography of the Yakut Province.
The common map of the Yakut Province
should be accepted indissolubly with the systematic list of the rivers on basins
whereas «to inscribe on a map all names of the rivers it has appeared impossible».
The Majadel’s system of the rivers considerably surpasses earlier sources,
including maps by quantity of the rivers and their names.
For demonstrating confidence level
of the Yakut Province general map, Majadel has compiled «The Special Survey Map»
- «The Map of the Astronomical Points Determined in Both Coordinates, and
Travels Accomplished in the Yakut Province». All the Astronomical points known
for that period and paths of the travelers and researchers who made measurements,
observations and surveys are in it designed.
Large-scale (25 versts in English
inch) cartographic maps of the atlas - «Limnetic Province Between the Rivers
Kolyma and Large Kovthethj (Ulakhan Khomos Irjakh) and on the Left Coast of Kolyma», «Limnetic Province Between the
Rivers Ujandinoj and Selencnj - Khom», «The Taryn Map along Rivers Kyra and Njekhan» are also not less interesting.
Cartographical results of G.Majadel expedition
have fixed a level of Yakutia geographical study by the end of XIX century. His
work remained the unique summary of scientific activity on geography of Yakutia
up to the middle of XX century, completing the period of semi-instrumental
cartographical activities. Then, in the
first half of XX century, in terrain of Yakutia surveying
and cartographic works have been organized in full force.