The universal geography : earth and its inhabitants

372 RUSSIA IX EUROPE.The actual level of the Caspian, which seems to have varied little throughoutthe present geological period, is ahout 85 feet below that of the Euxiue. Duringits subsidence the water has left in the middle of the steppes a number of salinemarshes, such as Lake Yelton ; but most of the land formerly submerged,including even certain depressions lower than the Caspian, has been completelydried up by evaporation. The general inclination of the plains stretching northof the Caspian is almost imperceptibly continued below the surface, so that onemust wade for miles from the shore before reaching deep water. Off the Yolgadelta large steamers are obliged to anchor in the so- called "Nine Fort " roads,Fig. 197.West Maxich Riveb.Scale 1 : 2,140,000.almost out of sight of land, and the whole of this northern section of the basinmay be regarded as a flooded steppe, which a slight upheaval would convert intoplains similar to those of Astrakhan.North of the Terek mouths and Manghishlakpeninsula the depth scarcely exceeds 8 fathoms, and the navigation is heremuch impeded by numerous sand-banks. This part of the sea, comprising aboutone-third of its entire area, is so low that during the prevalence of the northerngales the waters retreat at times some 20 miles southwards, and when this occursin winter the ice gets broken up, causing the destruction of myriads offish.Owinn- to its deficiency of salt, the Caspian is poor in shell-fish, but extremelyrich in other fishes, a circumstance due to the abundance of vegetable food in the