A Soda Lake

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7847, 8 July 1911, Page 15

A Soda Lake

There is an old parody of a well-known hymn lino which speaks of Attica’s

"soda fountains" that "roil down their golden sands." Tho following ' account of a lake of solid soda gives an amusing application to the phrase; Wonderful as have been the reports of the vast soda deposit at Bake Alagadi in East Attica, the tendency hitnerto has been to deem the stories fantastic. Now, however, the mystery is cleared up by the report of an expedition which penetrated quite to the interior of Brittain's remote possession —as far, indeed, as fifteen miles from the frontier of German East Africa. The ascex'tained facts, according to the Chemical News," are more surprising than were the first repox*ts. W nat, in the case of an ordinary lake wouid be water consists at Magadi of a solid deposit of soda, with a hard surface looking like pink marble. During the wet season which in this region is very short —the surface is covered with a few inches of water. , Immediately after the cessation of the rains the whole of the suxiace becomes dry with tho exception of a margin about thirty yards wide. Even, during tho wet season the amount of water on the sunaco in no way renders impracticable the working of the deposit.

"I say, Archie,” says the M. P.’s wife evolved by Mr Punch, "it's a shame to abuse poor lloddy as you did. in your speech last night. Alter all he's your best pal, although ho is on. the other side.” Tho M. P. replies; "My dear girl, that's nothing to what he’s going to say about me to-morrow. He’s shown mo his speech, and I’m jotting down a few additional epithets for him to stick in.” Two heads are better than one when two hearts are in close communion. Barristers used to be the signal example of quarreling in. public and fraternizing in private. Politicians are now going one better; for much truth is concealed imder Mr Punch’s joke. But the game grows stale. X s eopie aro tired of it. Some day even friends will be forced to refrain from abusing one another on the platform. Life in a suite isn’t always sweet, nor life in a flat always fiat. An old offender was introduced to a new country' justice as "John Timmins, alias Jones, alias Smith.” "I'll try the two women first,” said tho justice. "Bring in Alice Jones,”.