A LITTLE HELL.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2704, 9 November 1889, Page 6 (Supplement)

A LITTLE HELL.

Some strange natural phenomena are described in a recent report from the United States Consul at Maraenibo, in Venezula. That part of the departmaut of Colon situated between tho iiivers Santa Ana and Zulia and the Sierra of the ColiimbiitH frontier is very rich in asphalt and petroleum. The information we have regarding this extensive and interesting region, which is au uninhabited forest, is derived chiefly from the reports of the searchers after balsam copaiba, which abounds ; but the following data were taken from the personal observations of an American gentleman who made a special exploration. Near the Rio de Oro, at the foot of the Sierra, there is a very curious phenomenon consisting of a horizontal cave which constantly ejects thick bitumen in tho form of large globules. These globubles explode at the mouth of tho cave with a noise loud enough to bo heard at a considerable distance; and the bitumen, forming a slow current, falls finally into a large deposit of the same substance, near tho river bank. The territory bounded by tho rivers Zulia nod Catatumbo and the Cordillera is rich in deposits and flows of asphalt and petroleum, especially towards the south, where the latter is very abundant. At a distance of a little more than seven kilometres from the confluence of the Tarsi and tho Sardinett there is a sand mound of from twenty-five to thirty feet in height, with an area of about 8,000 square feet. On its surface are a multitude of cylindrical holes of different sizes, which eject with violence streams of petroleum and hot water, causing a noise equal to that produced by two or three steamers blowing off simultaneously. For a long distance from the site of this phenomenon the ground is covered or impregnated with petroleum. The few explorers for copaiba who have visited this place call it the " Infernito" (little hell). Among other things it is stated that from only ono of these streams of petroleum was filled in one minute a receptacle of the capacity of four gallons. This represents 2-10 gallons in au hour, or 5,760 gallons in twenty-four hours ; and even if this calculation be somewhat exaggerated, tho fact remains that such a considerable number of petroleum, jets in constant active operation must produce daily an enormous quantity. This petroleum is of excellent quality, with a density of So degr., which is a sufficient grade for foreign markets. Considering the immense amount of inflammable gases which must be given out by the flows and deposits of petroleum as described above, it may be easily believed that this has u direct bearing upon tho phenomenon known since the Conquest as the Fare of Maracaibo. This, consisting of constant lightning without explosion, may be observed towards the south from the bar at the entrance to the lake, and Coddazzi in his geography explains it as being caused by the vopours arising from the hoD water swamp situated about one league to the east of the mouth of tho Escalantc, at thn southern extremity of the lake. Near tho mountains, and not far from the River Torondoy, there are various flows of a substance which seems to be distinct from either asphalt or petroleum. It is a liquid of a black colour, with little density, and strongly impregnated with carbonic acid, and is almost identical with a substance met with in the United States among the great anthracite fields.