The record-union., 1893-10-12
TRINIDAD's LAKE OF PITCH.
a Valuable Tropical Possession of tn
Queen of England.


Queen of England.
Beyond any doubt Lake Trinidad is the
most valuable lake in the world. 1t is an
absolutely Inexhaustible mine of wealth,
says the Boston Herald, and in these days
Of asphalt the revenue from the lake
shows so startling and rapid an annual
increase that it can be question of only
a few years when the present lessees
from Queen Victoria, who owns the bulk
of the lake. will rank among the worlds
millionaires. Columbus discovered Trim
idad on his third voyage, in the year 1888,
and as every schoolboy knows who stud
les his western hemisphere, the island
lies off the Venezuelan coast, about 600
miles north of the equator. There is no
reason to doubt that what is now an
island belonging to her majesty of Eng
land was centuries ago part and parcel of
the South American continent. The ac-
ton of the sea has created narrow breaks
in what was once the neck of a peninsula,
and these are indeed SO narrow that get
ting safely into the gulf must always
prove difficult undertaking for shippers
unfamiliar with the lay of the rocks and
varying depths of the channel
The famous lake lies about mile from
the beach, and is reached by road
through typical forest. Monkeys. par
rots and snaks Of the deadliest kind are
here in abundance. The roadbed is as
phalt unadulterated. A sudden break in
the forest discloses the lake. The surface
is dotted here and there with little clumps
of foliage, which form shelters from the
SUMS terrific heat for naked coolle picka-
ninnies, whose mothers, equally minus
clothing, are washing the household linen
in the pools that abound on the lake.
Fine, sinewy negroes, wearing only a
waistcloth. lack but spear to become
formidable savage warriors. The lake's s
surface during the rainy season is at
times completely submerged. when the
work of digging IS, OF course, more COM
plicated; but in the dry season it looks
for all the world like vast baseball dia-
mond covered with elephant hide. This
seems the one and only simile which COW
ers the case. In some places the asphalt
is firm and hard, in others the foot sinks
to the instep, and in the center of the lake
the pitch bubbles, sulphurous fumes arise
and threatening, sizzling hiss betokens
the existence of subterranean fires. Many
of the natives believe that here is the cap
ital of his satanic maiesty's dominions,
When the pitch is brought alongside
the receiving vessel it forms q compact
spOngy mass that reSists everything but
a pick. Baskets holding a quarter of a
ton are passed up and down over the YES
sels side, filed by the lightermen and
emptied into the hold, the asphalt then
appearing III irregular blocks about the
size of an adult watermelon. 1t presents
assures and holes like those in a sponge.
Once in the vessel the asphalt again forms
a compact mass and becomes "a by no
means popular cargo with the average
skipper. a vessel loaded deep with asphalt
may hold the fine trade wind for four or
five days, during which time she of
course ''lists" to leeward. Then it is
that the asphalt lists" too, and when
the trade wind is gone so also is the yes
sells perfect balance. Such cargo is a
great strain upon the timbers, and know
ing mariners would think twice before
they would willingly breast Cape Hat
teras gale in an any way old vessel carry
ing pitch"