The universal geography : earth and its inhabitants

272I1; -ssl A IN EUROPE.Water Systems.In the south the Ukranians arc skilful in collecting the waters of the smallerstreams and rivulets, but have not yet learnt to utilise the large rivers. Therewill be no lack of moisture as soon as the upper basins are tapped, and thestagnant waters, now corrupting the atmosphere, drained to the arid tracts farthersouth. Nearly the whole of Polesya, forming the upper basin of the Pripet, isone of those half-lacustrine regions which may yet be reclaimed and convertedinto extremely fertile lands. It forms a perfect labyrinth of lakes, swamps, peatbeds, and upheaved rocks, known collectively as the Pinsk Marsh.Prevented byFig. 130.—Lake JiScale 1 : 300,000.LofP.E5°P0', " „°-.'_' , '.' . '-j^lSBaainoVfctfi,,^"Eof G.the Yolhynian granite heights from flowing freely to the Dnieper, the waters havelodged in the low grounds, where they formerly expanded in one vast lake, nowreplaced by sluggish streams whose banks can scarcely be distinguished amidstthe surrounding sedge and aquatic vegetation. Ilere the Pripet ramifies into athousand channels, ultimately finding their way to the marshy Lake Lubaz, belowwhich the main stream is again lost in innumerable drains, reuniting 60 milesfarther down at the junction of the Yalsolda. During the rains nearlv all thesestreams overflow their banks, flooding the land for miles. In this watery realmthe characteristic fauna are the beaver, otter, leech, and a hare differing in its