LAKES.
Tal, Cho, T'ao, . Boor. I nil, HIND.
Ing, Bum Danau, Taaek, . MALAY.
Throughout British India there are few natural lakes, most of them only fit for purposes of irri gation ; the largest natural waters in the country are equalled, and in many cases surpassed, by the magnificent tanks which have been formed in several places by throwing embankments across great valleys. Valuable marine lagoons or back waters, however, occur along all the eastern and western coasts of the Peninsula of India, and there are large jhils near the river banks of the Ganges and Brahmaputra. For the most part they are not very deep, and their surface is very variable. Artificial lakes or tanks are numerous throughout the country, and testify the importance attached to them by the natives. In the Himalaya, also, there are but very few lakes. Tho Vullar lake in Kashmir (5126 feet), and the Chinar lake, near Srinuggur, at about the same height, suffice to exhaust the category of those deserving mention. Of those in Karmen, Naini Tal is 6409 feet (6520?) above the sea, and has a circumference of 2+ miles. Bhim Tal is 4500 feet ; Nanku chiya is 4000 feet; and Malwa Tal, 3400. In September 1880, a landslip at Naini Tal destroyed many Europeans and natives.
Glacier lakes, which are accumulations of water formed by one glacier obstructing the outlet of a higher one, are of frequent formation. At times the wall of ice breaks away before the pressure of the swollen waters, when the lower lands become suddenly inundated, and the torrent rushes on with uninterrupted violence for miles, exercising a marked influence even down to the lower parts of the rivers. Two of the most elevated glacier lakes known are the Deo Tal, in Garhwal (17,745 feet), and the Namtso or Yunam, in Lahul (15,570 feet). The following are lakes of Western Tibet and Turkestan : Aksae Chin, . . 16,620 ft. Tao Moriri, . 15,130 ft.
Tao Gyagar, . . 15,693 Nima Kar, . . 15,100 Tao Kar, or Hanle, . . . 14,600 Khauri Talau, 15,684 Teo Gam, . . 14,530 ?ure Teo, . . 15,517 Teo Rul, . . . 14,400 Kiuk Kiol, . . 15,460 Teo Mitbal, . . 14,167 Mansaraur, or Upper Tsomog Tao Mapan, . 15,250 nalari, . . . 14,050
Rakus Tal, or Lower Teornog Tao Lanag, . 15,250 nalari, . 14,010 Nearly all the trans-Himalaya lakes seem to contain salts of various description.
Ab-Istada, literally standing water, between Hamoon and the Kabul river, is a receptacle for the waters of Afghanistan. It varies greatly in size at different seasons.
Aral Lake is in the western part of Central Asia. Its surface is 117 feet higher than the Caspian.
Ala-Kul and Balkhash Lakes probably at no distant period formed one common water basin, and during spring inundations, Ala-Kul, accord ing to the testimony of the Kirghiz, coinnmnicates indirectly with that of Balkhash by a marshy, saline belt of land. This belt forms, in Mr. Semenof's opinion, the natural boundary of the Kirghiz steppe, beyond which Central Asia com mences, together with a new soil and new flora and fauna.
Baikal Lake, in 'Mongolia, is an expansion of the Angura river. Its length is nearly 400 miles (according to Bell, 300 miles), with 45 miles of average breadth from north to south. It has steamboats plying on it. Its seal and sturgeon fisheries are valuable, and also the oil of the fish called the golomynka, the Callionymus Baicalensis. Mountains encompass the lake entirely. The river Selingue falls into it from the S.W., and here the lake is about 50 miles broad ; the Paeur ku-simo from the S.E., and the Gong-ko-la (Upper Angura) from the N.E. Towards the N.E. end of the lake is an island called Oleao-han (Olchon), about 50 li in breadth, and 200 or more in length. This island is frequented by families of the wandering tribes of the Mongols and the Pa-la-te (Buraty of Bell), and they bring hither with them their horses. Baikal lake is 1715 feet above the level of the sea ; Seling hinsk, 1779 feet; and Kiakhta, 2400 feet. A fish called omully, in shape and taste resembling a herring, but broader and larger, comes in vast shoals from the Baikal, in autumn, up the river Selingue to spawn. These fish advance up the river about 10 miles a day, and the people catch as many as they need either for present use or winter provisions.