S. A. Nikonov. The ability to survive: methods of adaptation and mortality of Russian hunters
in Svalbard and Novaya Zemlya in the second half of the 18th — early 19th century // Petersburg
historical journal, no. 2, 2022, pp. 48–69

Abstract:

The article deals with the problem of the influence of extreme factors on the wintering of Russian
industrialists on Novaya Zemlya and Svalbard in the second half of the 18th — early 19th century. Wintering, assumed a one-year stay of artels in the polar archipelagos, which could provide significant income from hunting sea animals, but posed threats to human health and life. The risks included the climatic conditions of the Arctic (polar night, cold) and diseases caused by vitamin deficiency (scurvy). For wintering, fishing huts (camps) were built, the building material for which was regularly brought from the mainland. Prevention of scurvy was carried out in various ways, both developed over the centuries (the use of plants, honey, etc.), and by means of medicine of the 18th–19th centuries. However, the ways of adaptation could not completely avoid the death of industrialists. The causes of death of industrialists were various factors — diseases, accidents at sea and during hunting for sea animals, death during blizzards. There are cases of criminal deaths caused by clashes between Russian industrialists and European whalers. A significant danger was represented by scurvy disease, the victim of which was not only individual industrialists, but also entire artels. Analysis of the materials of the Belomorskaya Company of 1804–1808 shows that up to a third of the artels became victims of wintering
by industrialists. The significant mortality of industrialists, the inability to calculate the risks of wintering in the polar archipelagos, can be considered as a factor contributing to the reduction of fisheries on Novaya Zemlya and Svalbard. By the second half of the 19th century, the hunting of sea animals on Svalbard by Russian industrialists was curtailed.

Key words: fishing, wintering, Novaya Zemlya, Svalbard, scurvy, adaptation, artel, mortality, White Sea company, feeder.

Author:

Nikonov, Sergey Alexandrovich — Dr. of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor, Professor of the Department of History of Law of Murmansk Arctic State University.
E-mail: snikonov‑77@mail.ru
ORCID 0000-0003-2523-7365

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