opened, the only confequence would be, to render them fub-
je it to a more feniible alteration o f the flux, and reflux o f the
fea. ■ - ' ■
Itds certain, that the gradual rife o f the level o f our fea (whether
it proceeds from a depreflion o f the ground, as is the opinion
o f fome, or whether it ought rather to .b e derived from
fome more univerfal eaufe, as I am apt to think) will always,
diminlih the difcharge o f the waters, and confequently enlarge
the extent o f the lake, though imperceptibly, from year to year;
and in the ipace of fifty years, the increafe will appear very evident.
The valuable papers o f Gliubavaz fhew, that the lake of
Vrana was quite frefh till the year 1630; and it is the opinion’
o f this writer, that certain fubterraneous pafiages, were
opened by an earthquake, from whence proceeded a communication
of waters, whereby alfo fiihes found their way. But
whoever has made any diligent obfervations along the ihores, and
weft o f the Adriatick, and knows the nature of the marble ftra-
ta in Maritime Dalmatia, muft be fenfible, that this change
could hardly be derived from an accidental caufe, fuch as an
earthquake, but from fomething more durable and progrefiive,
as the rife of the level o f the fea ; in which cafe, the undertaking
before defcribed, muft appear ridiculous.
I do not, however, think it impoflible, to recover many
hundred acres from the inundation, which left to itfelf, will be
daily fpreading, and will reduce the beft lands near the lake to a
■ marfh, and, at the fame time, render the, air o f the neighbourhood
very unwholefome. The method which I would propofe
is this : T o confine to their ancient channel the waters o f Smocovich,
which, probably, were conveyed to the fea. Alfo to reflrain,
ilrain, within fome bounds, thofe which defcend from the hills,
near the village of Vrana; I mean, the ftream o f Scorobich,
and the larger water of Biba, both which run in the fame direction.
It would likewife be expedient to turn the waters o f Ri-
cina, and Pecchina, a long the ikirts o f the valley, inftead o f fuf-
fering them to take their prefent diforderly courfe into the lake,
and fo producing a real evil, when they might be ufefully employed
in watering the circumjacent fields, that are parched by
heat. It would be further neceflary, to cut deep trenches and
ditches, that the water may have- iome courfe thiough t H
marlhes ; and to raife banks, where needful, to defend the lower
grounds. This is the true and only way to draw advantage from,,
thefe plains, now under water; and to render the pailage, a lready
- cut, perhaps, not altogether ufelefs; for at prefent, it
ferves no other purpofe, but to facilitate a little the difcharge o f
the water after immoderate falls o f rain.
After all, in whatever ftate this lake is, the greateft advantage
that can be drawn from it is, by fiihing. Eels, which are found
there in vaft quanties, and are at prefent left to the aukward method
of th“efe fiihermen, would fupply our internal commerce -
with a confiderable number of barrels, i f they were ikilfully.
caught and fecured in Lavorieri, * and from thence taken out,
and falted, or pickled at the proper feafons. One o f the fiihing
boats, employed in catching the eeis m our Lagunes, might be
fent thither, to teach the inhabitants o f Pecoftiane, and the
neigh-
* Lavorieri is a term ufed in the Lagunes of Venice, and Comacchio, and fig-
nifies, certain enclofures made with reeds, and fo contrived, that the eels, when
once within them, cannot find the way out. T h e art of Lavorieri, which wa»
once proper to the Lagunes of the Adriatick, is now introduced with equal fuc-
cefs in other parts.