CASPIAN SEA

From Agepedia

CASPIAN SEA ; a large lake, or inland sea, in Asia; bounded N. by Russia, E. by Tartary and Persia, S. by Persia, and W. by Persia, Circassia and Russia; 646 miles in length from N. to S., and from 100 to 265 in breadth; supposed to be the largest lake in the eastern part of the globe. The water is less salt than that of the ocean, of a bitter taste, and of an ochre color, without ebb or flow. In some places it is exceedingly deep, yet it abounds in shallows, so as to prevent the navigation of ships which draw more than 9 or 10 feet of water. Among the rivers which flow into it are the Volga, Ural and Kur. It has no outlet. The fisheries here, which are very valuable, occupy and train many seamen. The coasts are divided among the Russians, Persians and Tartars. The Caspian sea was, by the ancients, called the Hyrcanian sea; the Tartars call it Akdingis, i e. the White sea; the Georgians call it the Kurtshensian sea; and by the Persians it is styled Gursen. The level of the Caspian sea is 375 feet lower than that of the ocean. The Truchmenes, on the shores of the Caspian sea, assert, that the lake KuliDaria, which is connected with the gulf of Karabogaskoi, a part of the Caspian sea, contains a whirlpool, which takes in the water of the latter. In fact, the current from the Caspian sea into the gulf of Karabogaskoi is very great. The most recent information respecting the shores of the Caspian sea is that given by Murawiew in his Journey to Khiwa, in the year 1819, in Russian.