File:The earth and its inhabitants (1894) (14579852357).jpg

Identifier: earthitsinhabita941recl (find matches)
Title: The earth and its inhabitants ..
Year: 1894 (1890s)
Authors: Reclus, Elisée, 1830-1905 Ravenstein, Ernest George, 1834-1913 Keane, A. H. (Augustus Henry), 1833-1912
Subjects: Geography
Publisher: New York, D. Appleton and company
Contributing Library: MBLWHOI Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Boston Library Consortium Member Libraries

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peninsula are seen beds ofporcellanite, clays, and vitrified sands which have assumed the appearance ofjasper. These beds, which are of no great thickness, and which occur in themidst of the quicksands, have evidently been exposed to the action of fire, likethe slag of smelting furnaces, and they are supposed to have resulted from theburning of asphalts or lignites. This part of the coast also appears to be in process of subsidence like thatof the east side. Thus two forces acting in opposite directions are continuallymodifying the contour-lines of the island—that of the currents depositing sedi-ment on the beach, and gravity or some other agent causing certain parts of thecoast to sink. The Asphalt Lake, In the same south-western peninsular district is also situated the marvel of the island, the so-called Brea, or As^jhalt Lake, one of the greatest natural * G. P. Wall and J. G. Sawkins, Report on the Geologij of Tiinidad.t Charles Kingsley, At Last, a Christmas in the West Indies.
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TRINIDAD.. 61 curiosities in the world. The basin, which occupies rather more than 100 acres ona slight rising ground about 85 feet above sea-level, usually presents the aspect ofan exposed coalpit ; but during the great heats the surface liquefies to a depthof about an inch. Even before the contents began to be worked for industrialpurposes, the surface underwent frequent modifications ; islands were formedand rapidly covered with agaves, wild pineapples and other vegetable growths ;then they were swallowed up by the surging flood of pitch, to reajjjjear on thecircumference of some sluggish eddy in the viscous substance. The underground forces acting on the asphalt cause it to rise in masses ofimequal size, rounded off like huge toadstools and separated by narrow spacesfilled with water at the normal temperature of the surrounding atmosphere,in which fishes disport themselves. The visitor may walk without any riskon the solid asphalt round the margin of these channels, although, acco

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