VOL. IV.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 40Q 



found difficult; for, travelling from the borders of Croatia by Lovitch, I was 

 forced to pass over great mountains ; and, coming from it, I passed over 

 Swartzenberg, or the Black mountain, from whence I descended 10 miles in 

 a rocky country, and far more stony than the Crau or Campus Lapidosus in 

 Provence ; and so to Aidoschini and Goritia, and leaving the Scalvonian be- 

 hind, entered into the Lingua Fullana, and so on to Palma Nova in Friuli. 



On the Uncommon Lake, called the Zirchnitzer Sea, in Carnwla. 

 By the same. N" 54, p. 1083. 



Having crossed the river Drave, and passed mount Luibel in the Carnic 

 Alps, by that noble passage, cut through the rocks, and vaulted like that of 

 Pausilippo near Naples, I had a desire to take a view of the lake of Zirchnitz. 

 With this view I went to Crainburg on the river Save, and so to Labach, the 

 chief city of Carniola ; from whence I continued my journey in Carniola be- 

 tween the hills and a great marsh, till I came to Brounizza, two leagues from 

 whence and beyond the hills is seated the said lake, receiving that name from 

 Zirchnitz, a town of about 300 houses. 



This lake is near two German miles long and one broad. On the south side 

 of it lies a great forest, wherein are many deer, and wild boars, wolves and 

 bears. On the north side the country is flat ; but the whole valley is encom- 

 passed with hills at some distance from it. This lake is well filled with water 

 for the greatest part of the year ; but in the month of June it sinks under 

 ground, not only by percolation or falling through the pores of the earth, but 

 retires under ground, through many great holes at the bottom of it : and in 

 the month of September it returns by the same, and so in a very short time 

 fills up the valley again. As the time of the water's descent is short, especially 

 when the lake grows lower, and has for a while shown some abatement, so the 

 ascent and return is speedy ; for at these holes it mounts with such violence, 

 that it springs out of the ground to the height of a pike, and soon covers the 

 track of earth again. This piece of ground, in the time of the retirement and 

 absence of the water, is not unfruitful ; but by a speedy and plentiful produc- 

 tion of grass, yields not only a present sustenance for the beasts of the field, 

 but a good provision of hay for the cattle in the winter. Nor have the inhabi- 

 tants thereabout only the benefit of the ground by these commodities, but also 

 the recreation and profit by hunting. For at the time of the waters absence, 

 hares, deers, boars, and other animals come into it, from the neighbouring 

 forest and country. The lake is not only filled with water, but every year 

 well stored with fish. The Prince of Eckenberg is lord of it and of much 



VOL. I. 3 F 



