has a dark green colour. As so many other lakes in the interior of Asia, the Jarin-nor and Orin-nor diminish in size or, in other words, dry up.» Prshevalskiy finds several proofs of this theory; as: »The gradually drying pools in depressions along the shores which formerly have been bays and inlets, the extended swamps along Saloma, at the sides of the lower course of the Jagiyn-gol and along the river entering near its mouth, finally both recent and old beach-lines, the latter being here and there visible at some distance from the present shore line.»
Prshevalskiy also talks of much rain in the middle and end of July. The Jagiyn-gol had then at the fords a breadth of 5o to 65 m. and a depth of one meter. At the same season Prshevalskiy was told that the Hwang-ho after having left the Orin-nor could not be forded, so he had to desist from a planned visit at that important place. Kosloff crossed the river just where it leaves the lake.'
While the Satlej has been cut off from the Rakas-tal since 150, or 200 years, the Yellow River still uninterruptedly flows out of Orin-nor. The Ngangga channel is only periodically in function, whereas the channel between Jarin-nor and Orin-nor always has flowing water. The source lakes of the great Chinese river give us an excellent idea of the state of things which prevailed at the source lakes of the great Indian river only a few hundred years ago. At that time the Ngangga continually carried water , and the Satlej uninterruptedly streamed out from the Rakas-tal. On the other hand, the Manasarovar and Rakas-tal show us the fate awaiting the Jarin-nor and Orin-nor if the dryness of the climate will continue for a sufficient length of time. For then the superfluous water of the Orin-nor will not be sufficient to feed the Hwang-ho, the river will dwindle, and finally no water will flow out through its bed. Later on the surface of the Orin-nor will continue to sink until the difference in absolute altitude between it and the surface of the Jarin-nor which is now only 3 meters, will approach the present difference in the altitude of Manasarovar and Rakas-tal, which is 13 meters. But even at that period the channel will periodically, that is to say, during moist years, carry some water. Simultaneously the two lakes which now are somewhat larger than the Manasarovar and Rakas-tal, will lose in area, especially the Orin-nor.
The two pairs of lakes are surrounded by regularly folded mountain ranges and ramifications from them, the main ranges running from N. W. to S. E. or from W. N. W. to E. S. E. Between these ranges stretch latitudinal valleys with rivers. Immediately along the exterior shore of the exterior lake, or west of Rakas-tal and east of Orin-nor, ramifications from the main ranges are running, and in both cases the outgoing rivers, the Satlej and the Hwang-ho, have found an escape to the latitudinal valleys they follow through the peripheric regions.
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