H. Schlagintweit on the Salt Lakes of the Himalayas. 245 
With regard to the physical geography of the country, it is 
remarkable that all the adjacent rivers fall into the great Tan- 
ganyika lake, which was formerly supposed, on the contrary, to 
afford the sources of the Zambesi river. All theory, therefore, 
on this subject is now set at rest. Lastly, we come to the subject 
which is likely, as I said, to give rise to much discussion, and 
_ that is the theory upon which I think my friend Captain Speke 
may rest his claim to our most decided approbation. On my own 
part [ am disposed to think that he has indicated the true 
southernmost source of the Nile. Now, in saying this I do not 
mean to deny that the great mountains flanking the lake on the 
east, of which a point or two only is marked on the map before 
us, do not afford the streams which flow into this great lake. 
That must probably be the case on the east, just as Captain 
ke ascertained from the Arabs that the so-called ‘Mountains 
the Moon” feed the same lake from the west. by other streams. 
You must here recollect that the same Arab sheik who gave him 
the information which turned out to be correct concerning the 
existence of the lake Tanganyika ‘also told him of the existence 
oof the Nyanza, which lake was found to be exactly in the 
position indicated. As Captain Speke has determined that this 
great lake Nyanza is nearly 4000 feet above the sea, it may well, 
indeed, be the main source of the White Nile. Everything 
-(@s far as theory goes) being in its favor, this view is farther 
rted when we reflect on the fact that the tropical rains 
aise these upland lakes and rivers to swell and burst their 
banks at a period which tallies very well with the rise of the Nile 
at Cairo, hese, then, are grounds which I think must go to 
strengthen the belief of Captain Speke, and I may, therefore, 
os SCHLAGINTWEIT ON THE SALT Lakes oF THE Hiana~ 
apne a recent meeting of the Royal Geographical Society 
London, Mr. H. Schlagintweit exhibited some chromo-litho- 
0 sketches of the Himalayan Mts., and in commenting up- 
‘ the remarkable erosion which takes pare upon that range, 
re as follows of the salt-lakes which form a peculiarity of 
on: 
“Another consequence of the erosion is the gradual drainage 
It fresh water lakes, or their conversion into salt water lakes, 
they dug eatacteristic for the Himalayas, and in this respect 
World ut essentially from most other mountain systems in the 
World, that hardly any fresh-water lakes now occur. The only 
