Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-08-31
TRlNiCAD'S LAKE OF PITCH.
Singular Quality OF che Asphait-Legend
of Its Origin.

of Its Origin.
Right and left, fat surface extends
| over forty acres of space, dull black in
color and intersected every few rods by
| gullies or assures whose sides fall into a
| point four or five feet down, filled with
sweet water. slightly favored with as
| phalt. Here and there O few scrawny
bushes mark where little soil has been
blown into a fssure and given them a
chance to cling, and a pole or two. half
| sunken, is guide to forgotten cxcavs-
lions. There are no birds, no fishes in
the water, and the whole scene is singu-
larly desolate and uninviting.
Near the edges. the pitch is so hard as
| to fracture with blow, will support
carts that carry it away and feels as firm
as rock under foot. Yet il is possessed
of singular quality. If heap of frag-
ments is piled up. it slowly levels down
fat again: and great hole left by work
men engaged in quarrying it for removal,
gradually fills until no trace is visible Of
the depression. Where my camera
stood was apparently quite solid. but
the short time needed to make two or
three exposures proved sufficient for tho
tripod TO make half inch deep holes be-
meath its weight where the feet had
rested.
Toward the center of the lake, this
| mobility increased until it assumed visi-
bic speed, seeming to advance toward the
middle with motion like that of land
slide-slow. steady and gliding. Here the
pitch grew so soft as to be perfectly
liquid and hot enough to char paper, yet
devoid of adhesive quality stick
thrust into the mass was withdrawn
without any pitch adherent to it. and a
ball could be nodded in the hands that
remained quite undefled
The amount exported last year was
about sc, 900 tons, without the smallest
apparent diminution Of quantity, and it
may well prove what it appears to bean
inexhaustible source of future supply and
of income to the colony.
From the lake lovely road brought MS
back to the village, winding between tho
richest display of tropical verdure had
ever seen, natural pavement through q
natural park Wonderful orchids BIOS
somed on wonderful trees. gayly painted
birds futtered amongst wild flowers OF
gorgeous hues and unknown names, and
clear brooks of sweet water wound their
way down to the near sea between banks
whose dark brown color told of pitchy
origin; and when we emerged from those
thick recesses upon the beach. our horses
feet sounded hollow as they swiftly trod
shore that was of the same material.
Even under the sea it still exists, and
possibly forms oceans bed across to Ven
ezuela, upon whose shores. only a few
miles away, similar deposits Of like ma
ture occur. The Indians had pretty
legend OF its origin:
Ages ago the place where is now the
lake was land Of such marvellous fertility
in yield of pineapples that it was chosen
by the Chaima tribe for their home
Actuated by some evil spirit, they began
to kill the pretty humning bird ('fere'
in their musical tongue), although they
knew them to hold IL shining coats OF
feathers their ancestors spirits, and the
Great Father. enraged at such impiety.
sank their town and its people in single
night, replacing it with this monument
Of asphalt as a warning to future sinners
DR.. William z. Hutchinson IN American
Magazine.