LAKE LINU. 353 



lieight, west of that of Empung, attaining nearly that 

 height, and in the northeast Gunong Api with its 

 three peaks. Somewhat farther on we rode down 

 into a little valley, where the road ran along the side 

 of a small lake, whose muddy water was of a dirty- 

 white color, and fi-om which strong, almost strang- 

 ling, fumes of sulphur were rising — a most unearthly 

 place, and one that would remind the traveller of 

 Bunyan's picture of " the Valley of the Shadow of 

 Death," where the way was narrow, and on either 

 hand " ever and anon came up flame and smoke in 

 great abundance with sparks and hideous noises." 

 In one place a flock of ducks was swimming in this 

 sulphurous pool, and on its margin I noticed a few 

 waders running to and fro seeking food. Its banks 

 Avere mostly covered with ferns, the leaves of which 

 were of a bright red, reminding one of the brilliantly- 

 colored leaves of our maples in autumn. 



Near the next village, Lahendong, we made a 

 short excursion to the left, up a high but not a 

 steep hill, to see the remarkable lake Linu. The 

 hill is the top of an old volcano, and soon, as we de- 

 scended and turned a sharp point, we found before 

 us the lake now filling the bottom of the crater. On 

 our way down to a house near its edge, we passed 

 a place where much sulphurous gas was escaping. It 

 looked indeed much like the top of a great half- 

 slaked lime-kiln. The lake is about half a mile in 

 diameter, and has an outlet on the southwest, through 

 a former sj)lit in the old crater-wall. In most parts 

 the water has a blue color, but in some it has a 

 whitish tinge from gases that rise up through tlie 



