NATIVE  CARBONATE  OF  SODA. 
35i 
The  Hollow  is  not  completely  filled  with  water,  only  about 
one-third  of  its  surface  being  so  occupied.  A  belt  of  palm  trees 
(Borassus  flabelliformis)  surrounds  the  margin  of  the  lake,  and 
beyond  them  is  a  thick  jungle  of  forest-trees  and  creepers  of 
vigorous  growth.  The  water  of  the  lake  is  intensely  bitter,  is 
green  in  color,  and  contains  neither  fish  or  other  instances  of 
animal  life.  To  leeward  a  very  strong  odor  of  sulphuretted  hy- 
drogen is  perceptible,  more  so  at  some  times  than  others.  The 
water  varies  in  depth  over  the  lake,  the  deepest  part  being 
towards  the  west,  where  it  is  as  much  as  twenty  feet ;  but  this 
depends  entirely  on  the  moonsoon,  as  a  stream  from  the  hill  side 
falls  into  the  lake,  which  is  thus  influenced  by  the  rains. 
The  saline  spring  is  in  the  centre  of  the  hollow,  and  although, 
in  dry  seasons  the  crater  is  nearly  free  from  water,  there  is  al- 
ways a  puddle  around  this  spring.  The  deposit  of  salt  is  found 
in  layers  under  the  mud,  being  the  richest  immediatley  around 
the  spring.  It  can  only  be  procured  when  the  water  in  the  lake 
is  low,  a  circumstance  that  has  not  occurred  for  the  last  few 
years. 
The  natives  collect  it  and  store  it  up  in  heaps  by  the  side  of 
the  lake,  with  only  a  thatching  of  palm  leaves  to  protect  it  from 
the  weather.  It  is  used  in  making  country  soap,  glass  bangles, 
and  for  washing  silk. 
Although  the  lake  itself  is  brackish,  and  strongly  saturated 
with  saline  matter,  still  springs  of  fresh  water  flow  close  to  its 
margin ;  but  a  little  consideration  shows  that  there  is  nothing 
astonishing  in  this  circumstance,  although,  at  first,  it  appears  so 
to  visitors.  The  fresh  water,  after  percolating  through  the  hills, 
finds  vent  here,  whilst  the  saline  spring  rises  from  the  bowels  of 
the  earth. 
The  vegetation  of  the  spot  consists  principally  of  Tamarindus, 
Bauhinia,  Conocarpus,  Flacourtia,  Grewia,  Combretia,  &c.  Upon 
the  sides  of  the  crater  are  Boswellia,  Sterculia,  Bombax,  Dal- 
bergia,  Clematis,  &c.  Great  numbers  of  wild  fowl  resort  here, 
but  it  cannot  be  a  feeding  place  for  them.  Green  pigeons,  orioles, 
peacocks,  monkeys,  and  hares,  abound  in  the  belt  of  jungle,  with 
animals  of  less  quiet  behaviour,  for  I  frequently  saw  the  foot- 
prints of  panthers  in  the  sandy  soil ;  and  a  gallant  colonel,  some 
few  years  ago,  had  a  narrow  escape  with  his  life  at  this  place, 
being  severely  injured  by  a  tiger. 
