On the Pitch Lake of Trinidad. 157 
scribed, but that, solid as the material is, it is still boiling although 
with an indefinitely slow motion. As the descent of the glaciers 
may be considered the slowest instance of flowing in nature so 
the revolutions of the scarcely less solid bitumen of this lake 
may be set down as the slowest example of ebullition. 
The water which fills the crevices of the pitch is clear and very 
pure, especially towards the margin of the lake. It is the favor- 
ite resoft of all the washerwomen for miles around. 
So completely does the lake occupy the summit of the penin- 
sula on which it is situated that water was observed flowing from 
the connected network level at eight nearly equidistant points of 
the circumference. 
s the water is flowing now the pitch has formerly flowed from 
the lake in nearly all directions. It covers almost the whole pen- 
insula like a mantle, reaching down to the sea and forming 
almost three miles of coast. The entire surface covered by it is 
estimated at three thousand acres. The lake itself contains one 
undred acres. At the village of La Braye the stream of pitch 
has been dug through in several places, averaging from fifteen to 
eighteen feet in depth. Its depth at other places is not known. 
owards the center of the lake several detached areas are met 
with which are still quite soft. These have a glossy black sur- 
ace.- None of them are more than two or three rods in breadth. 
Those adjoining are rough and hard though not as hard as those 
hearer the margin, 
he surface of these softer areas yields under the feet. On 
Standing a few minutes one feels that he is gradually settling down, 
and in the course of ten or fifteen minutes he may find himself 
ancle deep. 
In a few places indeed where streams of fluid pitch were oozing 
through the more indurated surface, a few minutes standing would 
Sink one to the knees. 
agreeable odor. A strong smell of bitumen is perceivable in the air. 
