HUMBOLDT'S THEORY.
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LAKE ALA-KUL.
Humboldt's theory on the lake — Topography — Meaning of the name — Geographical position and height — Alternation in level — Bivers flowing into it — Subsidiary lakes ; Sassik-kul, or 'the stinking lake;' Jélanash-kul, or 'the open lake' — Island of Aral-tiube — Russian settlement — Fate of Chuguchak — New Russo-Chinese trade-route — Ala-kul in summer — Barlyk range — Russo-Chinese frontier — Arasan, or mineral springs — The Ehbi wind — Legend concerning it — Inhabitants.
Next to Lake Balkash, and until comparatively recent times connected with it, is Lake Ala-kul, or, more correctly, Alak-kul, well known through the writings of Humboldt as the supposed centre of the volcanic forces of Central Asia until Schrenck personally visited it and found no trace of eruptive rocks either on the islands or round the lake. Lake Ala-kul is not easily mistaken, for it is the third largest lake as you travel east from the Caspian, the Aral coming first, Lake Balkash second, and then Ala-kul.[1]
A belt of desert marked with desiccated lake-beds and sand-waves, about sixty miles in extent,
- ↑ Issyk-kul, of much greater extent, lies several degrees farther south.
