Note 2 — Chapter XXVI · ACROSS LAKE BAIKAL TO TROITZKOSAVSK.

The basin of the lake is about 400 miles in length and 35 miles in width, covering an area of 14,000 square miles. It has a circumference of nearly 1,200 miles. This, therefore, is the largest fresh-water lake in the Old World; and, next to the Caspian and the Aral, is the largest inland sheet of water in Asia. Several travellers have crossed the lake en route from or to Irkutsk, but Mr. Atkinson did more. He spent several days exploring its coasts, and, turning to the east from Listvenitznaya, he found the shore became exceedingly abrupt for 20 miles, with many striking scenes, in which waterfalls played a part. The north shore is the most lofty. In some parts the precipices rise 900 feet, and, a little beyond the Arga, to 1,200 feet. Basaltic cliffs also appear rising from deep water to an elevation of 700 feet. A little more than a boat’s length from shore, soundings have been taken to the depth of 900 feet. Greater depths than this, however, have been reached. The captain of the steamer informed Mr. Atkinson that on one occasion he had run out 2,100 feet of line without finding bottom; and in 1872 soundings were taken at the south-west end, showing 3,600 feet: hence the common saying that the Baikal has no bottom. The shore exhibits, besides the basalt just named, other unquestionable evidences of volcanic action, and in some of the ravines are great masses of lava. Hot mineral springs likewise exist in several parts of the surrounding mountain-chain.