ZIRCHNITZER SEE, otherwise called the lake of Zirknitz, in Carniola, is about one German or four English miles in length, and half as much in breadth, contains three beautiful islands, and is encompassed at some distance with mountains and forests. But what is most remarkable is, that it disappears generally once a year, about St John or St James's day, running off through holes or pits in the bottom; sometimes it will disappear twice or thrice a year, and sometimes even in winter, if the weather be dry. On the other hand, it has been known to continue two or three years without running off. Of the holes or pits, there are five much larger than the rest, each of which successively, when the water runs off, stands empty five days; so that the whole lake becomes dry in 25. As soon as the beginning of the ebb is observed, the fishing in the pits begins, which belong to five signories. The fish, which are carp, tench, pike, eels, and two other sorts, called schleien and ruten, are caught by laying nets over the holes. Mr Keysser tells us, that upon the ringing of a bell at Zirknitz, when the waters begin to fall, the peasants, both men and women, run to the pools quite naked, notwithstanding both the clergy and magistrates have used their utmost endeavours to suppress so indecent a custom. When the water runs off early in the year, in about three weeks after it is gone there is good grass on the bottom, which is mowed down, and the bottom afterwards ploughed, and sowed with millet. If the water runs not off early, nothing can be sown; and if it returns soon, the seed is lost. With respect to its return, the water at first bursts out of some pits on the south side with great violence, a little rain always falling at the same time; but after-
wards (when the rain falls heavier, and it thunders at the same time so loud as to shake the earth) it breaks out through all the apertures with great force, so much that the lake is filled in 18 or 24 hours, at which time it is in a manner covered with wild fowl; such as geese, ducks, &c. After the millet-harvest, all manner of game is hunted, caught, or killed in it. On the south side are two caverns, out of which, when it thunders, water issues with astonishing violence; and if it happens in harvest, a great many naked, black, and blind, but fat ducklings, are brought up with the water, which in 14 days receive their flight, and are covered with feathers.