Martin Sauer (explorer) facts for kids
Martin Sauer was an English explorer who lived and worked between 1785 and 1806. He was also a civil servant (someone who works for the government) and a stockbroker (someone who buys and sells stocks).
Life
We don't know much about Martin Sauer's early life. He lived in Saint Petersburg, Russia, from at least 1792. He was very good with languages, speaking English, Russian, French, and German.
In the 1780s, Sauer met Joseph Billings and Peter Simon Pallas in Saint Petersburg. Billings and Pallas asked Sauer to join Billings's big exploration trip. Sauer agreed to go as Billings's secretary and translator (interpreter). He had one condition: he wanted to be allowed to publish a book about the trip when he returned. The expedition lasted nine years and successfully completed its goals.
The expedition returned to Saint Petersburg on March 10, 1794. At this time, Sauer was very sick with a painful joint condition called rheumatism. He had hidden a diary, some notes, and possibly other secret materials from the trip in his apartment. Billings warned officials that Sauer might publish his notes before Empress Catherine the Great wanted him to. Because of this, Billings was allowed to search Sauer's room. However, he only found a few draft notes. Sauer claimed he had burned the rest of the material.
Doctors told Sauer he should go to a warmer place for a while. So, he was released from Russian service and left for England. There, he published the first printed book about the expedition. There's some debate about what he did after returning to Saint Petersburg in 1794. Some people thought he rushed to England to publish his book before Russian officials and scholars could check its details. The Russians suspected his illness might have been faked. They thought it was a trick to get out of Russian service and prevent his apartment from being searched too closely. Sauer later worked as a stockbroker in the Saint Petersburg exchange.
Work
In 1802, Sauer published his book in London. Its long title was An account of a geographical and astronomical expedition to the northern parts of Russia: for ascertaining the degrees of latitude and longitude of the mouth of the river Kovima, of the whole coast of the Tshutski, to East Cape, and of the islands in the eastern ocean, stretching to the American coast, performed ... by Commodore Joseph Billings, in the years 1785, &c to 1794. In simpler terms, it was about mapping the northern parts of Russia, including the coast and islands near America.
Sauer said his report was "taken from the journal written for Captain Billings." He also said he copied it from the ship's journal kept by the Master Batakoff and his mates. However, his story also came from his own notes and memories. He explained, "During my travels, I was frequently necessitated to take notes on small pieces of paper; those I have faithfully transcribed; but in some instances I have been obliged to refer to memory." This means he often took notes on small pieces of paper and wrote them down carefully, sometimes using his memory. William Beloe also helped him write the book clearly.
Before Sauer's book, not much information about the Billings expedition was known in Europe since 1790. People even thought it was a secret mission. Because of this, Sauer's book was eagerly awaited and well-received.
Sauer's book isn't the only one written about the expedition at that time. Two other people, Gavril Sarychev and Carl Heinrich Merck, also wrote accounts. However, Sauer's book is thought to be the most complete one.
