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The Inhabitants aflured our Author, that fome 
frefh-water Lakes have been by degrees dry d up, 
and that others have appeared, where formerly it 
was dry Ground; and that even fome of thefe new- 
formed Lakes, which at fird had no Fifh in them, 
are now very plentifully (lock'd. They have notre- 
courle to fubterraneati Caverns or Paffages, for a So- 
lution of this Bhanomenon ; but affert, that Ducks, 
Sea-Mews, &c. that live upon Fifh, carry the Eggs 
from one Lake to another. 
I11 the Defcription which our Author gives us of 
the Courfe of Rivers, Situation of Lakes, &c. he 
takes notice of the Soil, its Barrennefs, Fertility, 
foe. Thefe are different, as it may be fuppofed, in 
the different Parts of fuch an extenfive Climate un- 
der fuch Latitudes. About the Lake Bat cal is the 
mod fruitful Trad, and thence is called the Gra- 
nary of that Part of Sibiria . They grow fome lit- 
tle Corn about the Latitude of 6 1. They have 
made of late Trials (till further; but the Suecefs„ 
was not known. 
In his Paffage thro’ Sibiria, he tells us, that he 
could fcarce think himfelf in Afia, till he got over 
the River Jenifea : Till then, he faw no Animals, 
but fuch as are common in Europe , at lead may be 
feen in the Plains wafhed by the lower Part of the 
Volga: The Plants and Stones were of the fame 
kind, and the Face of the Country in general, like 
other Parts of Northern Europe . But from the 
Jenifea, both to theEad, North, and Wed, the Cli- 
mate feemed to be wholly different, and as if it 
were enlivened with new Vigour. It is mountain- 
ous ; but thefe Mountains are intermixed with rich 
delightful 
