Nikifor Begichev

Nikifor Alekseevich Begichev (Bigichev) (Russian: Никифор Алексеевич Бегичев (Бигичев); February 7 (N.S.

He was twice awarded gold medals by the Russian Academy of Sciences Begichev was born in Tsariov, Astrakhan Governorate, to a family of Volga River fishers.

In 1895, he was called up to the service in the Russian Navy and traveled three times as a sailor and a boatswain to the Antilles islands.

He was a participant in Baron Eduard Toll's 1900–1903 "Russian Polar Expedition" as the bosun of ship Zarya.

During this voyage, he saved the life of his commander - lieutenant Aleksandr Kolchak, a future admiral.