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Komodo National Park located in a komodo Island, between the islands of Sumbawa and Flores. The total area of Komodo National Park is currently 1,817 km2. Offered of 25 km2 of land (Banta Island) and 479 km2 of marine waters would bring the total area up to 2,321 km2. Komodo National Park was built in 1980 and was expressed a World Heritage Site and a Man and Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1986. The park was at the start built to conserve the unusual Komodo (Varanus komodoensis), first exposed by the scientific world in 1911 by J.K.H.Van Steyn. Since then preservation destinations have got ahead to protecting it is entire biodiversity, both marine and terrestrial.

Komodo National Park lets in among the world’s most colorful marine treasures. such as forams, cnidaria (includes over 260 species of reef building coral), sponges (70 species), ascidians, marine worms, mollusks, echinoderms, crustaceans, cartilaginous and bony fishes over 1,000 species), marine reptiles, and marine mammals (dolphins, whales, and dugongs).

Popularity: 1% [?]

Introduction to Bunaken Island

The Bunaken National Marine Park was formally established in 1991 and was among the first of Indonesia’s growing system of marine parks. The park is just under 80,000 hectares of land (3%) and sea (97%), located in Manado in the province of North Sulawesi, Indonesia. It comprises the 5 islands of Bunaken, Manado Tua, Siladen, Montehage and Nain. It is part of the Indo-Pacific region which supports the highest marine biodiversity on earth.

What makes Bunaken National Park special?

The park was established because of the marine bio-diversity it supports, because it is a migratory route for protected animals and because it is of high economic value for fisheries and tourism. There are over 20,000 residents in the area who depend on the natural resources of the park. The fear was that if the area was uncontrolled then over-fishing, destructive fishing practices and unchecked pollution would ruin the marine habitat which would be to the detriment of everyone concerned.

In addition to its huge biodiversity Bunaken is also a place where rare and endangered animals can be found such as coelacanths, dugongs, whales, dolphins and turtles.

The park has a unique bathymetry, which is an attraction to tourists diving at Bunaken Island. The absence of a continental shelf in the northern part of North Sulawesi allows the coastal area to drop directly down the continental shelf

• There are at least 58 different genera and sub-genera of corals in the park.
• The number of different fish species is estimated at 2,000.
• The deepest water is around 1,360 metres between Manado Tua and Montehage.
• There are about 25 dive sites in Bunaken

The Management Plan

In 1994 a management plan was created to put the structures and systems in place to achieve the objectives for which the park was created, including 4 main branches:

• Zonation and Enforcement – dividing the park into sections and enforcing the rules governing each section.
• Communication with and education of the public living inside and outside park boundaries.
• Scientific research to develop, evaluate and improve natural resource use policies in bunaken National Park and to evaluate the impacts in the park caused by development activities from outside.
• Co-ordinating activities of government and non-governmental organisations, police, educational and research institutions, mass media, local communities, and the private sector (such as dive operators) to enhance management activities in the park.

Heavy fines and potentially long jail sentences await those who breach the most stringent rules governing activities in Bunaken. For example in parts of the Nature Conservation Zones activities such as fishing or tree cutting can be punishable by a maximum jail term of 10 years and a fine of up to 2 million rupiah.

Human activity still needs to carry on however and this is recognised by allowing Support Zones where economic activities may take place such as traditional fishing, restricted mangrove harvesting and seaweed culture under license. Similar zones on land allow for housing, community development, and efficient agricultural practices with controlled use of pesticides and herbicides and commercial fertilizers.

Pressure on the coral reefs

In 1996 28% of people living in the park were full time fishermen. There are also thousands more who fish part-time and between them it is estimated that they caught 5,616 tonnes of reef and pelagic fish in that year. Reef fish such as groupers, snappers, rabbitfish and sweetlips made up 57% of the total weight of this catch. Activities that put the most pressure on the reef in addition to traditional fishing are gleaning (collecting reef-flat animals by prying and overturning corals on the reef flat at low tide), coral mining, and occasional illegal bomb and cyanide fishing.

This all meant that the fisheries in Bunaken National Park were already functioning at their maximum and any increase in takes may cause severe eco-system degradation.

What can and is being done?

Educational programmes are underway to inform the local population of steps they can take to preserve their livelihoods and environment yet still sustain themselves. There are some simple rules that can be followed which will allow for preservation of the habitat for future generations:

• Young, undersized fishes, lobsters and sea snails should be returned to the water so they have a chance to reproduce juvenile stock for the future.
• Illegal fishing methods such as bomb-fishing and cyanide fishing should never be used as they destroy reef eco-systems by killing numerous corals, fishes, and other animals that are not utilised by people, but are important to a healthy reef ecosystem.
• Gill nets and reef fish traps should be used carefully to avoid damage to corals
• Live coral should never be used for building materials nor broken or overturned to find reef animals.
• Protected species such as giant clams, turtles and their eggs should never be taken from the water as their numbers are already precariously low.
• The most highly protected zones must be respected and guarded to allow animals to reproduce and allow their off-spring to re-populate surrounding reefs.

How do visiting divers help?

As a visiting diver you are clearly bringing money into the local economy in terms of your spending on food, transport, accommodation and shopping needs. Provided you are an ecologically aware diver your presence will not impact upon Bunaken’s marine park in any negative way. In fact your presence is one of the reasons Bunaken is being protected and all divers must also pay an entrance fee for the park which further adds to the positive impact visiting divers make. In fact the diving industry provides alternative employment opportunities for local people, many of whom would otherwise be fisherman.

All proceeds from sales of the entrance tags and tickets are managed by the Bunaken National Park Management Advisory Board. The BNPMAB will utilise these funds to finance a number of high priority conservation programmes in the park. These programmes include patrols and enforcement to abolish destructive fishing practices such as blast and cyanide fishing, village improvement programs within the park, collection and disposal of plastic and other wastes entering the park’s waters, marine conservation education of both village children and adults, and reef and mangrove rehabilitation. Conservation of Bunaken’s spectacular marine habitats requires funding, and your entrance fee is a valuable contribution to saving Bunaken’s incredible but fragile reefs.

Popularity: 3% [?]

Danau Toba, or Lake Toba as we know it, is the largest lake in Southeast Asia. It was created by the eruption of a super volcano 75 thousand years ago. It is still surrounded by the crater edge of that volcano, and in the middle of the lake, volcanic activity created Samosir an island as big as Singapore. Attached to that island is a small peninsula, with the village of Tuktuk on it. This is the tourist destination of the area, where we enjoy the cool air, a dive in the lake, the relaxed atmosphere, and the local Batak culture.
After the exciting bus and bemo ride to Parapat we meet Liberty. He tells us that the last ferry to Tuktuk leaves in an Hour. But not to worry, there is a small restaurant where we can eat something while Liberty tells us all about Tuktuk and his hotel Lekjon cottages. It appears that the ferry will drop us off at any hotel on Tuktuk we want, and since we like the leaflet of Lekjon, we decide to let us lead by Liberty.

In the dark the ferry brings us over lake Toba. It takes about half an hour during which we only see some lights and a small fire along the crater edge. The ferry stops at the bay next to the peninsula first, and then moves along the coastline to drop everybody at their desired destination. We see a lot of hotel names, but it is too difficult in the dark to see what they are like. Just in the middle of the peninsula is Lekjon, and we are easily convinced to at least spend one night here. We get a clean room, a warm shower, and a nice view for a low price, what else do we want?

At night we drink something in Lekjon’s restaurant. The personnel is friendly, and one of them starts playing the guitar. A few English guests know some songs, and Sabine also starts playing. It is a good start for our stay at Lake Toba, which promises to become a holiday during our world journey.

Where are the tourists et Lake Toba?

The next morning we make a walk around Tuktuk. Although Lekjon is okay, we like to know what alternatives are around. And we also like to explore the surroundings. We pass many hotels. Big ones, with large buildings, and small ones, with cosy cabins along lake Toba. Especially the big ones make a desolate impression, they seem to have almost no guests. And some of the small ones are closed all together, and so are many of the restaurants. It appears to us that lake Toba must have seen much more tourists in the recent past. Many stay away now because of September 11, and the independence struggle of Aceh in North Sumatra, not very far from Lake Toba.

The peninsula is larger than we expected. At different hotels we inspect the rooms, but it is all similar to Lekjon. We also stop at some souvenir shops. Many nice woodcarvings for low prices. The vendors are urging us to be something, they also feel the lack of tourists.

To the market

In the afternoon we take the ferry across lake Toba back to Parapat. There is a market there, and we have to go there to get some money. This time we have a seat on top of the boat, and inspect the hotels again, this time from the water. There are a few that could not be seen from the road. It is clear that Hotel Carolina is the most fancy hotel on Tuktuk. Nice cabins in traditional Batak style, including cane roofs, and a private pool created in the lake.

The market of Parapat isn’t much of an attraction. We quickly find the ATM and go back to the ferry with a bemo. Parapat isn’t very interesting, but it is a pleasant town. There are some hotels here as well, but again only a few tourists.

Historic Ambarita

We decide to rent a few mountain bikes to explore Samosir island, the main island in Lake Toba to which Tuktuk is attached. The main road goes around the island, and we enjoy great views until we reach the historic town of Ambarita. We enter the wall around the historic center via a small gate. We have to fill in our names in a guestbook, and pay a small fee. We are the only tourists in here, and from the guestbook we learn there are not many visiting these days. We wonder how the personnel here can live from the fees. Then a guide comes along offering his services. He tells us we can decide for ourselves how much we pay him afterwards. Yeah, right.

There are a few traditional Batak houses in a nice row. Although they’re not that traditional, since they have tin roofs. But at least they have the traditional shape, that resembles the traditional shape of the Minangkabau houses, or these of the Toraja people in Sulawesi. They all had the horns of the water buffalo for inspiration. One of the houses doubles as a small museum and the guide explains some tools there. From his explanations, we only remembered the Batak calendar, so is wasn’t much.

Cannibalism at the old courtyard

Most important part of Ambarita is the old courtyard. Under an old tree are a number of stone chairs in a circle where the village elders held council. Criminals who were convicted with the death penalty were led to the execution yard 50 meters further. This is a larger circle with stone chairs, and a large boulder on which the convicted would be tortured to scare away the evil spirits. Then, the victim would be killed, beheaded, and cut in pieces. The heart and liver were eaten by the king and elders, and every witness had to eat something as well. The blood served as a drink for everybody.

We pay our guide, not surprised he asks for more, and move on to the souvenir street. Lots of stalls with woodcarvings and vendors who are desperate to sell something. And only 2 tourists (us) as their prey. But we carry very little money, so we have to disappoint them all. Another sad result of the tourist decline at Lake Toba.

Graves of Tomok

We hop on our bikes and follow the road to Tomok. Main attraction in this village is the grave of the king. Or actually there are more graves, and it is unclear to us which one is which. There are some stone figures around the graves, but no guide to explain things. A little further is a large doll on a stage. The story goes that a former king was so sad for the death of his son, that he ordered a dancing doll. The dancing of dolls became a tradition at funerals.

In Tomok are a lot of souvenir stalls as well. This time especially with clothes and other stuff. But again, no tourist around, and we are the only prey. So we don’t stay long, hop on our bikes and go back to Tuktuk, enjoying the views over Lake Toba.

Cinema

Tuktuk has its own cinema. An Englishman who lives here permanently, created a business with the copied video CD’s which are for sale everywhere in Southeast Asia. He has a large collection for rent, or you can watch them in a small room with large TV. We are watching “The Lord of the Rings” here. The copy was obviously made in an actual cinema: we can hear the laughter of the audience, and once in a while there is a shadow passing by. Amazing how the illegal copying industry works here.

In order to explore more of Samosir, we hire some motorbikes. After some instructions, we leave while the people shout at us to drive on the left side of the road, something we would already forgot. Easily we pass the many hills on our way to the first target: Samanindo. Here is a the Batak museum of Samosir located. After a little search, we find it just in time for an dance exhibition.

Batak dance

In front of an open terrain a more tourists are gathered than we saw in total the last couple of days. And in front of a scale model of a traditional Batak house are a group Batak people dancing. Well, dancing is a big word for the small movements they make. The program indicates multiple dances, but we see little variation. When some tourists join them, we hardly see a difference. And then a dancing doll enters the scene, making more moves than the dancers themselves. The tourists are supposed to give a donation to the doll, which is rewarded with a loud “Horas”. And that is the most exciting part of the exhibition.

The accompanying Batak museum isn’t much either. A little disappointed we hop pack on our motorbikes and move on. What amazes us most is that this place attracts most of the tourists around Lake Toba.

We move on along the outside of the island, passing many traditional houses, most of them with zinc roofs. Also many impressing grave towers, with on top of them a miniature traditional house.

Hot Springs

As we approach the other side of the island, the mainland comes in sight. A large white spot on the crater edge draws our attention. It almost seems like a ski trail, but we suppose it must be chalk or sand. A little later we arrive at the village where the island is connected to the main land by a small bridge. In fact, the bridge was only needed since the Dutch dug a canal to separate the island from the main land in 1906. We pass the bridge and drive up to search for our next goal: the hot springs. The closer we get, the more we realize the white spot is where we will find the hot springs.

The hot springs are accompanied by a number of restaurants and a large parking lot. But there are not many tourists. At one of the restaurants we park our motorbikes and order a meal. While we wait we see a little girl playing with to chicks, one of them bright yellow, the other bright green. Funny little animals, although it is sad that they probably have no mother and are obviously artificially colored.

After lunch we search for the hot springs. Every restaurant appears to have a bath of swimming pool fed with hot water from the springs, but we want to find the springs themselves. So we climb up, until we reach a restaurant that only lets us through if we order something. Here is a pool as well, but also a natural bath in the rocks. And as we climb up, we reach the actual source of the hot springs. In some kind of white moon landscape there is a stream of hot, yellow water. It is boiling up from the rocks, although we cannot see exactly where.

After a lovely, purifying, very hot bath, and a cola at the restaurant, we descend to our motorbikes. Although there is a market in the village we pass, we decide to go back to Tuktuk. It takes us two hours to go back, including a few stops for a beautiful view and a drink. We are back before dark, so we can cool off in the lake.

More Batak dance

That night there is a traditional dance performance in one of the restaurants of Tuktuk. We are convinced that there should be more to it than the slow motion dance we saw that morning, we decide to have a look. But what we see is even worse than that. Odd, since the traditional music sounds happy and dynamic.

After the dance there is a singing performance. Five men are putting all their energy in a few nice songs. Quite a contrast to the dance performance. The surprise is complete when the dancers invite the audience to swing with them. So they can actually dance enthusiastically, although it is not very traditional.

Popularity: 4% [?]

The Legend of Sangkuriang

The legend of Bandung begins here…
(According to the story of Sundanese Folk)

From passion, desire, love, and angry of Sangkuriang, The Eruption of Mountain Tangkuban Parahu, until now become a city…

Here is the short story…

There is a kingdom in Priangan Land. Live a happy family, a father in form of dog (his name is Tumang), a mother (her name is Dayang Sumbi), and a child call Sangkuriang. Tumang is demigod possessing magic powers.

One day, Dayang Sumbi asked her son to go hunting in the nearest jungle and she wanted some deer liver or venison. So Sangkuriang went hunting with his lovely dog, Tumang, to please his mother. After hunting all day with empty-handed, Sangkuriang began desperate and worried. Think shortly, Sangkuriang took his arrow and shot his dog. Then he took the dog liver or flesh and carried home.

He gave dog liver or flesh to his mother. Soon Dayang Sumbi fine out that Sangkuriang lied to her. She knew Sangkuriang had killed Tumang. So, She angry and hit Sangkuriang head. Sangkuriang got wounded and scar. Sangkuriang cast away from their home.

Years go bye, Sangkuriang had travel many places and on one day, he arrived at a village which is used to be his home. He met a beautiful woman whom actually his mother and felt in love with her.

Their love grew naturally and one day, when they were discussing their wedding plans, Dayang Sumbi suddenly realised that the profile of Sangkuriang’s head matched that of her only son’s who had left twenty years earlier. How could she marry her own son? But she did not wish to dissapointed him by canceling the wedding. So, although she agreed to marry Sangkuriang, she would do so only on the condition that he provide her with a lake and a boat with which they could sail on the dawn of their wedding day.

Sangkuriang accepted this condition and built a lake by damming the Citarum river. With a dawn just moment away and the boat almost complete, Dayang Sumbi realised that Sangkuriang would fulfill the condition she had set. With a wave of her supernatural shawl, she lit up the eastern horizon with flashes of light. Deceived by false dawn, the cock crowed and farmers rose for the new day.

With his work not yet complete, SangkuriaNg realised that his endeavor were lost. With all his anger, he kicked the boat that he himself had built. The boat fell over and, in so doing become the mountain TANGKUBAN PARAHU (in Sundanese, TANGKUBAN means upturned or upside down, and PARAHU means boat). With the dam torn asunder, the water drained from the lake becoming a wide plain and nowadays became a city called BANDUNG (from the word BENDUNG, which means Dam).

Popularity: 57% [?]

Situated on the Indonesian island of Java, Yogyakarta is both the name of a province and the capital city within the province. Yogyakarta is commonly called the ‘cultural heart’ and ‘soul city’ of Java, thanks to its rich history, heritage and commitment to preserving Javanese tradition.

The city is reached easiest via its own airport (Adisucipto International Airport), which services a number of domestic connections as well as limited international flights. For most people, the easiest way to reach Yogyakarta is via an international flight to Jakarta and then a domestic transfer to Yogyakarta. Alternatively, there are direct flights from Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.

If you decide to visit in the rainy season, be sure to pack a waterproof jacket. Daytime attire for any season needs to be modest on account of local etiquette and religious views. Lightweight and loose-fitting cotton clothing that covers your body is suitable.

Popularity: 3% [?]

Popularity: 3% [?]

In the most remote past the island of Java was floating in the ocean, and had to be nailed to the centre of the earth before it could be inhabited. The huge nail became a small hill, called Tidar, at the southern outskirts of the present city of Magelang. And only some fifteen kilometres south of Tidar hill is Chandi Borobudur situated. The region around the ‘Nail of Java’, better known as the ‘Kedu Plain’, forms the geographical centre of the island. Its extreme fertility, and very
industrious population, explain why it is often called the Garden of Java. The undulating plain is bordered on practically all sides by rugged mountain ranges. And as if to beautify the landscape, two sets of twin volcanoes soar into the sky: the Merapi (2911 m) and the Merbabu (3142 m) at the northeast, and the Sumbing (3371 m) and the Sindoro (3135 m) at the north-west. The Merapi alone is now active. A wreath of smoke is the daily embellishment of its conical top, and the small eruptions that occur every two or three years, are a reminder that it is still active. The western and the southern sides of the plain are closed by a long chain of hills, that form a rugged skyline of towering masses of indefinite shape. Hence the denomination ‘Menoreh range’ (menoreh stands for menara and means ‘tower’). Especially interesting is a particular hill south of Chandi Borobudur (for the use of the word ‘chandi’, see page 13). Viewed from the monument it looks very much like the profile of a man lying on the ridge of the hill. The nose, lips and chin are clearly delineated. This peculiarity has not escaped notice. The story goes that the ridge depicts Gunadharma, architect of Chandi Borobudur according to tradition, who is believed to keep watch over his creation through the ages. The south-eastern corner of the plain is the only one not blocked by a mountain range; at this point, the Menoreh chain bends southwards before
reaching the foot of the Merapi. And it is through this passage that the waters of the Kedu region leave the plain and flow to the Indian Ocean. The Kedu plain is intersected by the two main rivers of the region: the Progo and the Elo. Both run nearly parallel from north to south, forcing their way through narrow but deep trenches. Arrested by the slopes of the southern ridge of the plain the two rivers flow together, after which the Progo carries the waters to the ocean alongside the southward-bending Menoreh range. The area around the confluence of the Progo and the Elo rivers was in ancient times a holy place of particular significance. A considerable number of the Kedu plain monuments were founded here. Hindu and Buddhist sanctuaries were, so to speak, packed together within a radius of less than three kilometres from the point where the two Kedu rivers meet. It is remarkable that, whereas the Buddhist monuments are relatively well preserved, the Hindu tempIes have all disappeared. Of Chandi Banon (which has given the Central Museum in Jakarta its best specimen of classical sculptural art) for instance, nothing at present remains but a rice-field dotted with broken bricks. The scanty remains of Chandi Ngrajeg, scattered among the fields and the village houses, give little idea of the vast compound it originally constituted. The Buddhist ruins were rediscovered in better condition, so that the restorations attempted in the beginning of the present century were able to rescue them from total loss. From west to east, the main Buddhist monuments of the area are: Chand Borobudur, Chandi Pawon, Chandi Mendut, and the Chandi Ngawe compound which consists of five structures. The first three sanctuaries arc assumed to have formed one compound also; though standing at a considerable distance from each other, a straight line drawn from Chandi Borobudur
to Chandi Mendut through Chandi Pawon suggests the unity of the triad. A chandi compound is normally laid out as a whole. The structures are built close together, the main building being clearly distinguished from the ancillary temples. A surrounding wall borders the common courtyard. This kind of lay-out, however, is not to be found at Borobudur. Chandi Mendut is some three kilometres from Chandi Borobudur, while Chandi Pawon is approximately half that distance away. It is hard to imagine a common courtyard covering so large an area. No traces have ever been found of any enclosure keeping the triad together and bordering the common courtyard. Nevertheless, there is good reason to assume that the three monuments belong to one single grand design. According to oral tradition the triad was once linked by a paved processional
path, flanked by richly decorated balustrades. Unfortunately, land and aerial surveys so far carried out have produced no convincing evidence of this. Some hewn stones found in the fields east of the village of Borobudur many decades ago are supposed to be remains of the pavement. Further evidence is still lacking. The exceptional composition of the triad has led to much speculation about the relation between Chandi Borobudur, Chandi Pawon and Chandi Mendut. The most plausible link is religious, if the denomination ‘compound’ is interpreted in a particular way; the three monuments can be taken as a whole to represent one religious conception. Chandi Borobudur has no inner space, no place where devotees could worship. Most likely it is a place of pilgrimage, where Buddhists can seek after the Highest Wisdom. The passages all around the edifice, successively mounting to the uppermost terraces, are evidently meant for ritual circumambulations. Guided and instructed by the narrative reliefs, the pilgrim proceeds from one terrace to another in silent contemplation. Chandi Mendut, on the other hand, does seem to have been a place of worship. In semi-darkness, the Buddha is represented by a formidable
monolith, seated with hanging legs on a throne and flanked by the accompanying Boddhisattvas Avalokitesvara and Vajrapani. The depiction of the Buddha preaching the first sermon in the deer-park at Sarnath is apparently meant to recall right conduct in life to those who seek their
refuge in the Compassionate Buddha. The very small Chandi Pawon also has an inner space, but it does not reveal what deity might have been the object of worship. Not a single statue has been found, not the slightest indication that could be traced back. It is therefore impossible to say what was the actual function of the temple in relation to Chandi Mendut or to Chandi Borobudur.
The assumption that the pilgrim had to pass Chandi Pawon as he made his way from Chandi Mendut to Chandi Borobudur along the paved processional path might suggest that Chandi Pawon was a kind of station on the long journey; after being purified through the required ceremonies of
worship at Chandi Mendut, Chandi Pawon allowed him to pause and reflect before proceeding on the pilgrimage to Chandi Borobudur where a tiresome series of circumambulations awaited. The sequence followed by the pilgrim in ancient times remains the same for the present-day visitor. The normal route to Chandi Borobudur, either from Yogyakarta or from Magelang, passes Chandi Mendut anyway, so that the first monument which emerges before reaching Chandi Borobudur
is Chandi Mendut. Chandi Pawon, however, is reached by a side-way, since the present road does not follow the ancient processional path. The popular belief in the existence of a processional path does not tally with the hypothesis, put forward by Nieuwenkamp in 1931, that the Kedu plain
was once a huge lake. He suggested that Chandi Borobudur originally represented a lotus flower floating on the surface of the lake, the mythical lotus from which the future Buddha will be born. This idea was based on his discovery that the ground-plan of the monument depicted a lotus rosette and petals around a circular flower-bed, while its situation on top of a hill suggested a lotus floating in the air. Moreover, soundings and levellings indicated that villages in the area that had names commencing with the word tanjung (‘cape’) are all located just above a common elevation line, viz. 235 m above sea-level. And so, remarkably enough, are the monuments Chandi Pawon and Chandi Mendut. Nieuwenkamp came to the conclusion that the Kedu plain beneath the 235 m elevation line was once a lake on which the Borobudur monument. ‘floated’. Chandi Pawon and Chandi Mendut were situated on the banks of the lake. The identification of Chandi Borobudur with a lotus flower floating in the middle of a lake sounds fantastic, but there was in fact a lake near the monument. Fierce opposition to Nieuwenkamp’s hypothesis provoked further geological investigations in the area around the monument which produced some further evidence in favour of the hypothesis, though not in regard to the extent of the lake. In this respect, a final conclusion still awaits more extensive and specific research.

Popularity: 100% [?]