4H 
THROUGH ASIA 
lake, numerous small erratic blocks of gneiss projected 
above the surface of the water. Close to the south-eastern 
shore, under the steeper cliffs, the sounding-line touched 
bottom after uncoiling about 5 or 6 feet ; whereas every- 
where in the northern half of the lake it ran out to 
1000 feet or more. Near the middle of the west shore 
there was a small island, Kindick-masar, every spring the 
breeding-place of innumerable wild-geese. In the same 
quarter too we discovered two large shallow creeks, and 
some submarine dunes of drift-sand, formed in the shelter 
of certain projecting rocks. 
With regard to the changes of colour in the lake, the 
deeper parts were a deep blue, the shallow parts light 
green, and the strips along which algae grew dark violet. 
The Kirghiz were very decided in their statements, that 
there were no fish in Little Kara-kul ; and in point of fact 
I only found one, a small one, floating dead on the water. 
It was of the same species as those of which I collected 
specimens from the neighbouring Bassyk-kul, and was 
probably dropped in Little Kara-kul by a bird. 
The water was fresh, and good to drink. During our 
stay the temperature near the shore varied between 53'’6 
Fahr. (12° C.) and 37°4 (3° C.), and in the middle of the 
lake, at the bottom, it was 46°4 Fahr. (8° C.). 
In several places numerous small springs entered the 
lake ; and in all such places there were open holes in the 
ice nearly the whole winter. Little Kara-kul freezes in 
the middle of November, and the ice begins to break up 
in the middle of April. The Kirghiz described the ice 
as resembling a sheet of looking-glass, so smooth that 
the wind sweeps away every particle of snow. They 
also told me, that they could see broad woods and 
pastures (algse) at the bottom of the lake through the 
ice, and that on winter nights the images of the stars 
twinkled as brightly as the actual stars did in the sky 
above. 
Now that we had work to do every day, our life passed 
as quietly and peacefully as it did during our former stay 
beside the lake. Sometimes, when the day’s work was 
