EXCJntSJON TO THE 



117 



Lamboos, arched over from side to side. There is room 

 also for a portmanteau and gim-case. Two or more people 

 may be accommodated in thh way. Tlie kind friend, who 

 had given om- party a letter of introduction to a gontle- 

 irian residing on the hordci-s of tlie lakes, liko\?ise took 

 care to see that they should have a well-supplied 

 commissariat. 



The following account of the excursion is taken from 

 the notes of ono of the party 



" We took canoe, and paddled up the river, on either 

 side of which the country-houses and gardens of the 

 juhabitants extended for miles. 



"It was dark ^hcn wo reached the entrance to the 

 lakes ; and our boatmen took it easy during the night : 

 but at daylight, when we rubbed our eyes and looked 

 around us, the cliange seemed magical. Instead of the 

 narrow and very muddy iiTer on which we were 

 paddling when we ^ent to sleep, we found oui-sekes 

 oix the bosom of a magnificent lake measuring several 

 miles across, and in water whit-h, although frosh, was 

 deep an<l blue iu appearance. The hills, or rather 

 mountains, came slopiug down from the clouds to the 

 water's edge ; wo could see the fish rising in all 

 directions. As wo passed by headlands, or emerged 

 from groups of islands, fresh expanses of the lakes 

 opened before us, all of the same bcautifiiJ character. 

 It was in fact one large lake, thougli in many places 

 nearly separated into several iliflerent bayins* by narnnv 



