Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 004.djvu/199

 Halfe an English mile nearer the Lake than the town of Zirchnitz, stands a village named Seadorf, and neigher to the Lake than this, another village called Niderdorf: between these two there are Corn-fields; yet sometimes these lands are also drown'd; and 'tis conceived, that there are divers subterraneous Caverns under them: for, it happens sometines at Niderdorf, that the ground sinks in several places upon the sudden retiring of the Lake; and the aforesaid Prince of Eckenberg was once so curious, as to descend into one hole, through which he passed under an Hill, and came out out on the other side; as I was informed by Monsieur Andreas Wifer the present Judg of Zirchnitz, and also by Johanes Wifer, who hath formerly held the same place.

The people who are acquainted with the Lake, wet and dry, know where they are, and have a particular knowledge of the eminences, vallies and inequalities of it: for, the bottom of the Lake is not even, or near about the same depth, but sometimes two foot, and then suddenly twenty yards deep. And because the Fish haunt the deep places more than the shallows; they have given names to the 7. chiefest cavities or valleys in the Lake.

I took boat at Niderdorf; and went divers miles on the Lake, passing over the five first valleys. I went also to a noted Stone, commonly called the Fishers-stone, which hath somewhat of the use of the Nilescope-pillar at Grand Cairo; for by a certain appearance of that, they conjecture how soon the Lake will retire. I also passed by a noted Hill, which, when the Lake is high, becomes a pleasant island, and so I returned, &c.

Venice June 20. 1669.