244 EASTERN ETHIOPIA xix 



The lake has probably been formed by the piling up of 

 volcanic debris across the valley and damming back these 

 two streams. The freshness of the water in spite of the 

 absence of an outlet may indicate that the lake is of 

 recent origin. 



Along the southern shore of the lake there are many 

 pinnacles and fragments of rock, but on its western 

 borders, especially along the slopes of the Mau escarp- 

 ment, there is more vegetation. The grass along its 

 southern shore affords food for the Masai cattle, sheep, 

 and goats, as well as for kongoni, zebra, and 

 gazelles. 



There are two islands in the lake, but as the Masai 

 know nothing about canoes, they remained long un- 

 visited. The first explorers found the game unusually 

 tame. There are hippopotamuses, but no crocodiles. 

 Papyrus rush grows freely around the lake shores, which 

 are visited by many varieties of birds, some of which are 

 very beautiful. 



Lake Elementeita. This lake lies between the Nai- 

 vasha and Nakuru lakes at an altitude of 5,860 feet, and 

 is very beautiful. The water is salt, though it receives 

 two rivers, the Kariandusi and the Guaso Nagut. The 

 level of this lake is being lowered by evaporation, and, 

 like Lake Nakuru, it is slowly shrinking. When march- 

 ing towards these lakes the traveller becomes aware of a 

 peculiar physical condition of the valley. When the 

 sheet of water is first seen it appears to be near at hand ; 

 suddenly the traveller finds himself on the edge of a 

 precipice with an abrupt face, standing above a lower- 

 lying plain, or plateau, which may be one or two miles 

 wide, separating him from the lake, and at the end of 

 this lower-lying plateau he may find himself standing on 

 the edge of a wall of rock, high above the water of the 

 lake. This formation is common throughout the Rift 

 Valley. The south-eastern end of . Lake Elementeita 

 is studded with trees and abounds in animals and 

 birds. 



