130 Description of a Lake of Sulphuric Acid. 
few years ago killed a man and upwards of fifty horses, 
which had been sent to transport the sulphur that had 
been extracted from the solfaterra. 
We slept at Ohonponoph, and next day, on the 20th of 
September, M. Vikerman and mysclf set out to visit the 
west side of the mountains. The objéct of this journey 
was to examine the White River, aud the causes of the 
changes it undergoes. I shall give an account of the result 
of my observations, as well from my own inspection as 
from the information which I received from the Pati of 
Bagnia-Vangni, who in his younger days had tr aversed all 
these mountains, when the company was at war with the 
inhabitants of this province. 
To elucidate my narrative, I have sketched a map of 
the country (Plate II.) from the summit of Mount Seloupo, 
from which I had a view of the, whole. This map may 
not be perfectly accurate as to the geographical positions, 
but it will be sufficient to serve as a guide to the perusal of 
my narrative. 
The White River (in Javanese, Sorge pouti) takes its 
source at Mount Rao: its course is rapid, and it flows 
northward parallel to the mountains of Kuendan, leaving in 
the west the mountain Soukat; the mountains of Kuendan 
have at first their direction from south to north, but they 
afterwards turn to the east, leaving a passage to the waters 
of the White River which continues to run northward, and 
washes the country situated between Pannaroukan and 
Sombraron. Its waters from tbeir source have a milky 
colour, but it is only visible when they are in a large mass ; 
for, if we put some into a glass, they appear perfectly trans- 
parent and limpid; they are insipid to the taste: the 
Javanese assert, that in this state they greatly fertilize the 
country through which they pass. ‘I ‘he country adjoining 
the source of this river was formerly peopled ; but it is now 
absolutely deserted, from the same causes which have de= 
populated the greater part of Baguia-Vangni. 
The waters of the White River, on leaving Mount Rao, 
flow over a white clay which communicates its colour to 
them: the changes which they undergo arise from another 
yiver which joins them about three leagues from their 
source. This river is called by the Javanese, Songt poutt 
its waters saturated with a great quantity of sulphuric acid 
are pungent and caustic ; they i issue from Mount Idienne, 
and have their source in the volcanic gulph of this moun- 
tain, as will be seen in the subsequent part of my narrative. 
This sulphuric river, when it is not increased by the rains 
whieh 
