244 
EASTERN ETHIOPIA 
XIX 
The lake has probably been formed by the piling up of 
volcanic debris across the valley and damming back these 
two streams. The freshness of the water in spite of the 
absence of an outlet may indicate that the lake is of 
recent origin. 
Along the southern shore of the lake there are many 
pinnacles and fragments of rock, but on its western 
l)orders, especially along the slopes of the Man escarp¬ 
ment, there is more vegetation. The grass along its 
southern shore affords food for the Masai cattle, sheep, 
and goats, as well as for kongoni, zebra, and 
gazelles. 
There are two islands in the lake, but as the Masai 
know nothing about canoes, they remained long un¬ 
visited. The first explorers found the game unusually 
tame. There are hippopotamuses, but no crocodiles. 
Papyrus rush grows freely around the lake shores, which 
are visited l)y many varieties of birds, some of which are 
very beautiful. 
Lalve Eleme7iteita .—This lake lies between the Nai- 
vasha and Nakuru lakes at an altitude of 5,860 feet, and 
is very beautiful. The water is salt, though it receives 
two rivers, the Kariandusi and the Guaso Nagut. The 
level of this lake is being lowered by evaporation, and, 
like Lake Nakuru, it is slowly shrinking. When march¬ 
ing towards these lakes the traveller becomes aware of a 
peculiar physical condition of the valley. When the 
sheet of water is first seen it appears to be near at hand ; 
suddenly the traveller finds himself on the edge of a 
precipice with an abrupt face, standing above a lower- 
lying plain, or plateau, which may be one or two miles i 
wide, separating him from the lake, and at the end of ; 
this lower-lying plateau he may find himself standing on I 
the edge of a wall of rock, high above the water of the j 
lake. This formation is common throughout the Rift j 
Valley. The south-eastern end of Lake Elementeita 
is studded with trees and abounds in animals and 
birds. 
