Cornet Alexander on the Saline Lake of Loonar . S09 
mn. It was of a circular form, and hemmed in by an amphi- 
theatre of cliffs, which rose, in precipitous ridges, to an elevation 
of about 500 feet from its shores, environing it on every side, and 
preventing completely the egress of its waters. The rocks which 
surround this interesting piece of water cannot come under the 
denomination of hills, for they do not, in any part, tour above 
the level of the surrounding country; they merely form the 
sides of an immense caldron, the circumference of which is 
about three miles. In short, the scenery, taken collectively,, is 
a small counterpart of the celebrated Lake Avernus, differing 
from it in this respect, that no river 
“ Laco se condidit alto.” 
In lieu of which, a solitary spring of some magnitude dashes in 
a small cascade from the eastern face of the rocks, and pours its 
waters into an artificial stone tank, surrounded by temples and 
pagodas, dedicated to the god Siva ; issuing from which it forms 
another cataract, of about 50 feet in height, before it rushes on 
its turbid course to join the waters of the lake. 
The whole landscape, though confined, is extremely pleasing *. 
The dark green surface of these sunken waters strongly reflects 
the graceful forms of the princely Palms (Borassus fabellifbnnis, 
or fan-leaved), which fringe the margin, and advance into the 
waters of the lake their lofty stems. The sloping inclosure of 
rocks is covered half way up with Mango and Tamarind trees, 
interspersed with the Rhododendron maximum , or laurel-leaved 
Rhododendrum, which here attains a height of 10 feet. A little 
picturesque temple, on the opposite side of the lake from the 
fountain, advances its white walls to the brink. It is seldom or 
never visited by the inhabitants of the adjoining village, from 
the dread of tigers, which inhabit the jungle around it, which 
also forms a shelter for numerous herds of Sambers or Neel-gaes 
(a species of Cervus, and known in menageries by the appella- 
tion of the Horned Horse). The audacity of our small party in 
tasting of the waters of the lake, was looked upon by the villa- 
gers as the grossest presumption and fool-hardiness. 
Superstition, always delighting in dark ideas, early and eager- 
ly seized upon this spot, and hither she led her votaries to cele- 
* See Sketch in Plate X. Fig. 4. 
