and that I could not expect to reach the bottom with
that, for all the fishermen who live on its shores declare
that it “ has no bottom,” that is, is unfathomable.
It would be something to know that it was
more than twelve hundred feet deep—so a coolie
was ordered to carry the line. From Kakas we
rowed over a short distance toward the high shore
opposite, that being said to be one of the unmeasurable
places. A heavy sinker was put on, and the
whole line cleared, so that it would run out freely
to the last foot. I gave the man at the bow the
command, and the cord began to rattle over the
boat’s side, when suddenly it stopped short. “ Is the
sinker off?” “ No, it’s on the bottom.” “ How
many fathoms are out.” “ Eleven fathoms and five
feet.” After this we sounded eight times, and the
deepest water, which was near the middle, between
the two high capes, is only twelve fathoms and two
feet. The water not only proved shallow, but the
bottom was found to be as even as the lowland at
the northern and southern ends of the lake. The
basin is therefore only a slight depression in the
lower part of the plateau. The only fishes known
in this lake are the same three species already mentioned
as existing in the sulphurous waters of Lake
Linu. Leaching the large village of Tondano, at the
northern end of the lake, I was kindly received by
the controlewr, who had accompanied me already
from Tomohon to Sonder. A heavy rain set in, and
I was obliged to defer the rest of my journey till the
next day.
Ja/nua/ry 2d.—The thick rain-clouds of yesterday
jroke away this morning as the sun rose, and the
iky is now perfectly clear. The amtmhur provided
me with a horse, and a hukom tua accompanied me
as a guide. Our course was nearly west, and soon
the road became very steep, and extremely slippery
from the late rain. As we rose, the view over the
plateau beneath us widened, until we wound round
the mountain to the little village of Rurukan the
highest négri in this land. The head of this village
guided us to the top of a neighboring peak, where I
found a large.part of the Minahassa spread out before
me like a great map. From the point where I
stood, there stretched to the south a high mountain-
chain, forming the western border of the lake
Tondano. A little more to the east were seen the
lake far below, and the level land along a part of its
shores, while on the opposite side of the lake rose
the mountains that form the other end of the chain
on which I was standing. This chain curves bke a
horseshoe, the open part being tu rn e d t(™ d tìie
north. At the same point where all the details of
this plateau were comprised in a single view, y
turning a little toward the north, I could look down
the outer flanks of this elevated region away to the
low, distant ocean-shore, where the blue sea wa
breaking into white, sparkling surf. A little ferther
toward the north rose the lofty peak of Mon
Klabat, covered with a thick mantle of fleecy
which had a hue of ermine m the bright light. _ _ .
mantle was slowly raised and lowered by the invisi-
ble hand of the strong west wind. Beneath it low
on the sides of the mountain, was seen a line of tree