loped in the middle; but at the north end they recede from the water's edge, and become flat and indistinct; in fact, it is only the highest of the four that could be followed all the way up to the foot of the little range mentioned above. I estimated their several altitudes above sea-level at I o, 3o, 45, and 5o m. respectively (fig. 15). These strand-ramparts consist of barren gravel, though a little grass was growing in the hollows between them; yet they did not embrace any lagoons. The summit of the highest terrace commanded an excellent view of this attractive and beautiful scene. Close at our feet were the strand-ramparts of which I have been speaking, which by reason of their situation, their shape, and their regularity put me in mind of the benches in an amphitheatre. The lake extends its greatest length towards S. 79° E. The water was blue and limpid. In the far off distance were smaller mountain-. ranges. The summit of the highest rampart is at the same time the highest part of the peninsula; it forms as it were a flat platform, although upon a closer examination its relief turned out to be rather capricious. We crossed it diagonally towards the south-west, for at that time we had no idea that we were on a peninsula. As we proceeded we passed on the right the slope of a terrace, which inclines towards the north-west and marks the position of an older bay. In about the middle of the peninsula rises a small and quite isolated butte of brick-red sandstone, and southeast of it lies a curious hollow in the ground, an elliptical area, with its longer axis stretching from north to south. The surface inside its periphery inclines evenly and regularly towards the central depression, and at the bottom of this were some small freshwater pools surrounded by good grazing. Here we found a nomad encampment with flocks of sheep. The bottom of the depression was a good deal higher than the then existing level of the lake. During the course of our further march towards the western extremity of the escarpment-range that barred our path, we passed eight other strand-ramparts of the same kind as the first-mentioned, only smaller. Below the lowest of them was an elongated lagoon. The escarpment-range in front of us, the western end of which I had already reconnoitred, presented some magnificent scenery. Its flanks are practically everywhere vertical and at their base great masses of detritus have accumulated, making the southern shore of the peninsula gravelly and difficult to travel on. Altogether it was like a cyclopean wall.
Thence we marched north-north-east to a district called Tang-le, where we found one or two nomad tents beside a couple of freshwater pools near the shore of the Selling-tso. The western shore of the peninsula is flat and marshy and very irregular, being broken by numerous bays and promontories. In several directions we saw a number of small lagoons. The only place in which we came across strand-ramparts as distinct and as beautiful as these was the isthmus between the Sellingtso and the Naktsong-tso. Generally they are either indistinct or are altogether
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