REACH GUNGUNTUR. 127 



small streams that flow into it on all sides during 

 the wet season, is not allowed to collect in suf- 

 ficient quantity to re-dissolve the crystals formed 

 during the hot dry summer before. The northern 

 extremity of the lake is, however, free from salt in 

 mass ; but the water is such a concentrated solution 

 of it, that when tasted, it almost blisters the tongue 

 by its intensity. In extent it cannot be more than 

 twenty miles around, being longer in one direc- 

 tion than another, in the proportion, I thought, of 

 about five to three miles. We were about twenty 

 minutes in passing across the salt crust of that 

 extremity over which our march lay, and then 

 crossing an extensive deposit of a large hard crys- 

 talline rock (sulphate of soda), we entered a narrow 

 dark ravine along the bed of a small stream of 

 brackish water, which was but a few inches deep, 

 and ran very gently into the lake. As we pro- 

 ceeded the water became sweeter, till at length, 

 when we reached Gunguntur, our halting-place for 

 the day, we found it quite fresh and in little con- 

 nected pools, that admitted the luxury of a bath, 

 which I very soon took advantage of. The brackish 

 taste of the stream at the gorge of the ravine was 

 owing to its impregnation by the atmosphere, 

 which bears considerable quantities of salt particles 

 for some miles inland, and which had also very un- 

 pleasant effects upon the skin of my face and lips 

 whilst I stayed in the neighbourhood. 



The camels now coming up, I had my house built 



