Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-12

iaR through a narrow channel, called the
Dragons Mouth, the steamer enters the
beautiful Gulf of Paria, the great embroeh-
ure of the Orinoco, itself mighty harbor,
80 miles long by 40 miles wide completely
land-locked, and shallow enough for ship
to anchor anywhere. On one side are the
low plains Of Trinidad, covered with glisten-
ing cane, while on the other rise the
monstrous mountains of Cumana, rugged,
mysterious and impenetrable, clothed from
top to bottom with immense trees and
crowned with wreaths of vapor. Here is
the emo of the great chain of the Andes, the
spinal column of the Southern continent,
which, when they reach the south end of the
Isthmus of Darien, turn to the eastward
and follow the line of coast so closely that
the passing ships can often see the snow
banks near their submits when far out at
sea.
The island of Trinidad has population
very nearly the same as that of Martinique
although it has an area many times as
great. The principal city, called Port of
Spain, with about %, 900 inhabitants, has
poor harbor, or rather, no harbor at all, for
ships have to anchor fully a mile from the
shore, and the freight that reaches and
leaves the port has to be transported to and
from the ships in lighters 1t is a nasty
place, full Of vultures, which sit like evil
spirits upon the housetops and feed upon
the refuse that is cast into the streets, but it
is said that they are the most valuable and
industrious of all the inhabitants. and
without them. lacking any system of sewer
age, the city would suffer from a perpetual
plague. The ground as well as the air is
full of loathsome creatures vesmin of all
kinds, tarsntulas, scorpions, centipedes,
deadly serpents, lizards, vampires and
chigoes, or jiggers," as they are called,
little worms that harbor in the cracks of the
tile floors and bore into the feet of whom
ever walks about barefooteG, producing
painful and often dangerous ulcers. Like
most of the cities in South America, Port Of
Spain has straight, level streets, badly
paved, with lines of low houses without
architectural pretensions, evil smells,
Bwarms of dogs, chickens, goats and naked
children. One is struck at once with the
number of people who seem to have nothing
to do, and is not surprised when told that
there are at least 5000 beings in the city
without visible means of support. They
are too lazy 10 work, but all seem to be eat
ing something, generally fruit, which is as
cheap and plenty as dirt, and when they are
not eating, like the burglar who sis not
burgling, they lie basking in the sum-"
A LAKE OF PITCH.
The most interesting place in Trinidad is
the famous pitch lake from which comes the
worlds supply Of asphaltum. It covers 80
acres, and contains millions Of tons of pitch
which never grows less In amount. for that
taken out during the day is renewed by
nature every night. In the neighborhood of
this Stygian pool the air is heavy with the
most sickening odors, and the surrounding
country is covered with its overflow. SO that
the earth is as hard as the pavenents of
Washington; but neither the steam and
fumes that aisle from the pitch roasting in
the sun, nor the asphaltum in the soil. seem
to injure vegetation, for flowers and fruits
actually grow in the midst of them. and
pineapples are there brought to the greatest
Perfection. The lake is a floating mas Of
asphaltum, scanned by narrow channels Of
clear water, with a few struggling islands
covered with thin, low shrubs. AT the cen.
ter. the fountain of all the ioulness. the mitch
is at boiling heat, and covered with yellow |
and white sulphurous foam, upon which are |
floating innumerable bubbles filed with |
1oathsome gas The old proverb that one |
NAV not touch pitch without being defiled |
does not hold good here, for this substance /
will not stick to the hands, and you can |
take M a chunk and mold it like cfay with. |
out soiling your fingers. The supply for
shipment is chopped from the surface. where
it has been hardened and dried by the eyap- |
oration OF tine moisture, but like the ice on
the ponds o. the frozen zones, the quantity
cut away during the day is always replaced
during the night, for some action of nature
keeps forcing the nasty substance out of the
earth
The pitch lake is mystery which scien-
tisn have discussed for many years. Sir