220 A NATVBALIST IN CELEBES » ch. ix 



And then as we approached the shore : 



Give honour, all ye villagers, 



eh-h-h. 

 Here comes the great Tuan, 



eh-h-h-h.6 



The lake, although situated among mountains of vol- 

 canic origin, is probably not an old crater, as some persons 

 have supposed. It is about nine miles long from Tondano 

 to Kakas, by about three and a half broad at Eemboken. 

 It is 696 metres above the sea-level — that is, approximately 

 2,000 feet. The depth is said to be nowhere more than 

 ninety feet, and over the greater part of the area the 

 waters are very shallow. These facts suggest then that 

 the lake is simply a portion of the tableland of the central 

 mountain range, which lies at a rather lower level than 

 the land immediately surrounding it, and has in conse- 

 quence accumulated the waters of the neighbouring water- 

 sheds, and thereby formed a lake. The crater theory is 

 not supported by any feature that I can call to mind. 



It has been pointed out that it would not be a matter 

 of insuperable difficulty to drain the lake, leaving in its 

 place a vast plain of fertile land admirably suited for coffee, 

 rice, or Indian corn culture. No one can truly say that 

 the district of Tondano is as yet so densely populated that 

 it is necessary, or even desirable, to undertake any such 

 stupendous engineering work for the sake of a few square 

 miles of fertile land. Apart from questions of economy, 

 however, what a pity it would be to interfere in any way 

 with this beauteous spot ! The thought of turning this 



' Molemo wo mapatoromo 6h 

 Maam bangko im balolongan & 

 Eh londej nami 

 Tember i pamajang 

 Sumigi ^h makawanua Sh 

 Ijaimo si Tuwan wangko 6h.— (22) 



