S. F. Peckham — The Pitch Lake of Trinidad. 417 



twisted or sunk on one side. In many places it seems to have 

 actually overflowed like lava, and presents tlie wrinkled appearance 

 which a sluggish substance would exhibit in motion. In some parts 

 it is black, with a splintery or conchoidal fracture ; in other parts 

 so much softer, as to allow one to cut out a piece in any form with 

 a spade or hatchet, and in the interior it is vesicular or oily ; this 

 is the character of by far the greater portion of the whole mass : 

 in one place it bubbles up in a perfectly fluid state, so that you may 

 take it up in a cup." 



" In the south-eastern part of the island there is a similar collection 

 of this bitumen, though of less extent, and many small detached spots 

 of it are to be met with in the woods ; it is even said that an evident 

 line of communication may thus be traced between the two great 

 receptacles." 



Dr. Nugent devotes considerable space to a discussion of the geology 

 and origin of the bitumen. As his opinions are based on theories 

 no longer accepted by geologists, I will only remark en passant that 

 he associates the mud volcanoes of Cedros Point with the agencies 

 that have been active in bringing the bitumen to the surface. 



The next notice that appeared was written in September, 1832, 

 by Capt. J. E. Alexander, 42nd Koyal Highlanders.^ He says : " At 

 the small hamlet of La Braye a considerable extent of coast is 

 covered with the pitch, which runs a long way out to sea, and forms 

 a bank under the water. The Pitch Lake is situated on the side 

 of a hill ; a gradual ascent leads to it, which is covered with pitch 

 in a hardened state, and trees and vegetation flourish upon it. The 

 pitch at the sides of the lake is perfectly hard and cold, but as one 

 walks off towards the middle with shoes ofl", in order to wade 

 through the water, the heat gradually' increases, the pitch becomes 

 softer and softer, until at last it is seen boiling up in a liquid state, 

 and the soles of the feet become offensively warm. During the 

 rainy season it is possible to walk over the whole lake, nearly, but 

 in the hot season a greater part is not to be approached. The lake 

 is about a mile and one-half in circumference ; and not the least 

 extraordinary circumstance is, that it should contain eight or ten 

 small islands, on which trees are growing close to the boiling pitch. 

 In standing for some time on the lake near the center, the surface 

 gradually sinks until it forms a great bowl, as it were ; and when 

 the shoulders are level with the general surface of the lake, it is 

 high time to get out. The flow of pitch from the lake has been 

 immense, the whole country round, except near the Bay of Guapo, 

 being covered with it ; and it seems singular that no eruption has 

 taken place within the memory of man, although the principlff 

 of motion still exists in the center of the lake." 



Speaking of Point Cedros, he says : " What renders this point 

 so interesting to the stranger is an assemblage of mud volcanoes, 

 of which the largest may be about one hundred and fifty feet 

 in diameter. At times the old craters cease to act, but when that 



^ Journal of the Franklin Institute, 1833, xv, 337. New Edinburgh Philos. 

 Magazine. 



DECADE IV. VOL. TI. NO. IX. 27 



