An entry from the Guide to Ruritania, 1889 Edition

[Graf Falke von Falkenhorst]

The Mückensee (Midge Sea) is a marshy region lying southeast of Strelsau at the confluence of the rivers Strelsau and Elbe. The area is generally avoided by all but the most hardy, for lives have been lost here. Of the area is has been said: “The Mückl (as the lake is sometimes called) is a treacherous foe, for here it was that the monks of old threw the idols of the ancient gods and so thought to vanquish them. But they live on in the vast, serpentine pools and choked channels; and in the cold hours before dawn they again rise and think it is their time.” For those that dare the place, it is a rich treasure house of life and to the lovers of bogs and fens, it is a thing of rare beauty.