. Karakoram and western Himalaya 1909, an account of the expedition of H. R. H. Prince Luigi Amadeo of Savoy, duke of the Abruzzi. Dal lake leaves the memory of one of thefairest scenes of nature which we have l)een piivileged to behold. Theshikara boat flies swiftly before the strokes of a dozen oarsmen, whouse short paddles with a wide flat blade shaped like a heart. Theychant as they low, following the rhythm with the stroke of theii oars ;and now and again the head boatman, who gives the time, changesthe measure abruptly from quick to slow or from slow to quick, so as torest the rowers by
. Karakoram and western Himalaya 1909, an account of the expedition of H. R. H. Prince Luigi Amadeo of Savoy, duke of the Abruzzi. Dal lake leaves the memory of one of thefairest scenes of nature which we have l)een piivileged to behold. Theshikara boat flies swiftly before the strokes of a dozen oarsmen, whouse short paddles with a wide flat blade shaped like a heart. Theychant as they low, following the rhythm with the stroke of theii oars ;and now and again the head boatman, who gives the time, changesthe measure abruptly from quick to slow or from slow to quick, so as torest the rowers by a change of motion. The strange vegetation of thelake bottom shows like a miniature forest gently swaying in the currentsof the limpid, bluish-green water. It seems like navigating in a canal,because, with the exception of. the ways channeled out by the current. 42 Chapter III. the whole surface of the lake is clothed with a uniform mantle ofvegetation, through which the water is hardly visible. There are widefields of soft green lotos leaves, above which will rise later on the exquisite milky - white blossoms %, k«*A^A^-^-. A LONELY CANAL. detached from the lake bottom with their delicately-shaded pinktips. Between the lotos float theliuge round flat leaves of theAnncsJeya horrida, whose levelsurface of velvety green gives nowarning of the cruel hooked spineswhich clothe the under side of theleaf and stem. The long filamentsof the Singara, or ed>ible water-chestnut, twist and tangle roundinnumerable other varieties ofaquatic vegetation. Many partsof the lake are dotted with floatinggardens, like islands. These havebeen often described. They consistof tangled masses of water plants,and floating freely. Upon the surface thus obtained mud is spread, upon which grow beans, pumpkins,water-melons, melons, cucumbers, and in fact every species of vegetable,in great abundance. Here you meet great barges full of natives seated in a circle roundthe narghile, poled slowly along by a b
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Keywords: ., bookauthorsavoialu, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookyear1912
