3.56 
LAKE. 
tains, without the possibility of a natural outlet; a water-mark all 
around shows the maximum of the collection when the snows have 
entirely melted, which is in the spring; since that time we observed 
that it had decreased several feet, in consequence of evaporation alone. 
Some of the old inhabitants of Demawend assert, that whenever the 
waters of this lake decrease below their usual quantity, several springs 
in the neighbourhood of the town become dry. This lake or bason, 
whose water is quite fresh, and of a most piercing cold, is about li mile 
in circumference. Its depth is great, and in the winter it is frozen; 
were it possible to drain it for irrigation it would be invaluable to 
the country, but now the surrounding region is a complete desert, and 
no habitation is to be found within many miles. It is entirely enclosed 
to the northward by an almost perpendicular chain of high moun¬ 
tains, the snows of which afford it the greatest supply of water; an 
earthquake might open it a passage on the westermost side, but it 
would require a mighty effort of nature to dispose the mountains, so 
as to produce a channel. When the snows cease to melt, the accu¬ 
mulation of water ceases, for the rains are never plentiful enough 
to supply what the evaporation takes away. It does not appear that 
at any time the inhabitants of Persia, could have drained off its 
waters for the uses of agriculture. To get at this lake, we were obliged 
to travel 12 to 15 miles, taking a very circular direction over steep hills, 
and on the shelving sides of mountains, where a false step would have 
demolished us long before reaching the bottom of the precipice. We 
returned by the nearest road, which saved us indeed half the former 
distance; but the sort of path over which we paced is almost inde¬ 
scribable. It led on tire side of nearly a perpendicular hill, for about 
three or four miles, scarcely ever more and generally less than two feet 
wide, whilst a rapid stream was foaming in a rocky bed under our feet. 
The firmness and dexterity with which our mules and horses kept on 
the path were quite marvellous. Nothing but a sense of their own 
danger, if once they made a false step, could have given them such ex¬ 
traordinary sure-footedness. Close to the lake here described is situated 
a second but smaller one to which we did not go. 
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