Show I I I b t 1 o Y 0 0 c a l frS sk p A Lake of Asphalt Trinidad Prepared by the National Geographic Society Society So- So D. D C. C The Island ot of Trinidad British possession possession pos pos- session oft off the mouths ot of the OrInoco river which barely escapes being a apart apart part ot of South America affords a close close- home to-home opportunity to study the Ori Ori- ent Columbus Columbus' mistake has been made the truth It If he landed again on TrInidad he would meet true East Indians as he thought he did when his vessel first touched land in the Western Hemisphere and the red man was given his Incongruous name IndIan Indian In dIan For to this island thousands thousand ot of Hindus have been brought and they have made large parts ot of the country miniature copies ot of their home land Trinidad has been called one ot of the most favored most beautiful and most interesting isles in the world and whether the vIsitor ot of today be bea a naturalist an artist an ethnologist a business man or an ordinary garden variety ot of tourist he will probably find the phrases accurate To begin with the soil is s exceedingly ferUle fertile Though in the tropics the Island has a pleasant pleasant pleas pleas- ant climate for it is in the trade wind belt and is covered with hills which catch the breeze There is abundant moisture and thanks to Importations Importations' from all parts ot of the world dating back in many cases several centuries practically every plant the tropics know grows there luxuriantly It Is far enough south to escape the destructive de- de hurricanes that periodically devastate most ot of the other West Indian In In- dlan dian Islands With its stable British government It Is a haven for political refugees from turbulent parts o of South merl J t Nor does Trinidad lack a world wonder Near the Islands Island's southwestern southwest southwest- ern extremity Is the famous Lake ot of Asphalt from which has come paving material for many ot of the cities ot of America and Europe More than acres Is covered by l tie asphalt t like Ike Ikea a a huge hug paved field though the area areas Is s dotted with some pools ot of muddy water and a few patches of tion One may walk upon the material ma- ma but he must keep moving or his feet will slowly sink Into It Negro laborers dig the asphalt and a long ot of buckets transports It to the nearby coast where It Is dumped Into freight steamers This Is one ot of tile Ufe most unpleasant parts ot of Trinidad climatically low sizzling hot and odorous for a sulphurous sulphurous sul- sul smell Is constantly rising from the asphalt There are other low 1 portions ot of the Island given over to swamps alligators and malaria but the the- greater portion ot of the area Is either well drained lowland or rolling hills hUls Where the latter have not been cleared the packed close vegetation sweeps up In a vivid green mantle from the seashore to highest pInnacle It Is on the large cacao plantations In the rolling uplands that the pleas pleas- rural conditions are arc found Port of Spain a Busy City Port ot of Spain capital and metropolis olis lIs ot of Trinidad Is one of the busIest cities ot of the CarIbbean and one ot of the most delightful to live In If one takes the ordInary precautions ot of the tropics to shield himself from the hottest hottest hot hot- test rays ot of the sun The population ot of the elt city Is about but It Is Isas R. R cosmopolitan as many a city of half a million On the streets one meets Deets Britons citizens ot of the United States Portuguese Latin Americans negroes Hindus Chinese and natives nati ot of various mixtures ot of blood IncludIng includIng Ing that of the old Port ot of Spain's roadstead Is constantly crowded crowd crowd- ed with ocean steamers and Its huge warehouses are filled with varied goods for this Is the principal depot for trade between Great Britain and the northern countries ot of South Amer- Amer Ica On the Inland edge ot of Port of Spain s 8 the city's beauty spot Queens Queen's park ar r the Savannah adjoining which Is the lIke palace residence of the governor Oer gover- nor and one ot of the finest botanIcal gardens In existence The latter with Its wonderful collection of trees shrubs and flowers all of which apparently ap- ap have found Ideal growing conditions Is a paradise for botan- botan It Is a fIeld as well for the ornithologist because ot of the wealth of Its binds Including wan many ot of time the dainty little creatures which gave Trinidad its It native nathe name It was called Iere Land or of the Birds J I Columbus discovered Trinidad on Lis third voyage In 1495 1408 and gave Spain Its claim on the Island which it maintained wIth small breaks break Until until un- un til 1797 1787 when a British fleet seized It It was formally annexed by Great Britain In 1802 1502 and has remained a British possession ever eyer since There was no great prosperity In Trinidad under early Spanish rule but about 1780 with a marked Influx ot of French settlers who fled from turbulent turbulent lent conditions In Haiti Martinique and Guadaloupe the colony flourished The French greatly outnumbered the Spanish from this time on and French became for a time the prevailing lan lan- guage East Indiana Are Numerous Numero After Atter the British assumed control the population Increased rapidly and with It prosperity The prosperity was dependent however on sugar and slavery When emancipation came In 1834 even though the government gov cov- reImbursed the slave owners to the amount of nearly prosperIty took wings until the government government gov- gov began Importing East coolies a step whIch has restored prosperity and vastly altered the population population pop pop- ot of the island These Orlen Orien have brought with them their home customs dress and religion One delights In studying them since the verdant Isle seems a pleasing setting for the grace and beauty ot of the dusky women the strength ol of feature and pity of bearing qt of the turbaned ed edme 1 me men I Perhaps it Is by contrast with the coarse AfrIcans who form the greater portion 1 tae population ot of the West Indies that these people of an ancIent race stand out in the travelers traveler's remembrance remembrance re- re as a more fitting type inlands In Inlands lands of such great natural beauty DurIng the Christmas holiday season season sea sea- son the great Savannah or park of the city Is thronged with the coolies as the East IndIans are locally termed I It Is a brilliant the picture eyed dark haired dark women women draped In their I brightly colored their plump arms covered with heavy sliver silver bracelets brace brace- I lets their ears noses necks s and ankles an kles decorated with gold and sliver silver ornaments ornaments or- or the men In somber shades but equally picturesque in their huge white turbans and abbrevIated loincloths loincloths loin loin- cloths their thin legs bare Tempo booths are erected under the I great spreading saman trees where brass ornaments from Benares are displayed displayed dis- dis played while as another reminder ot of faraway India zebus or sacred oxen graze nearby The coolies who are employed on plantations scattered over the Island meet in town on such holidays to greet friends and relatives to gossip and to trade At other seasons one may see them throughout the country laborIng In t the e cane fields bearing burdens along time the well kept roads or busily employed In or about theIr thatched cabIns Their activity Is a decided contrast to time the Idleness ot of the blacks and Indeed indeed In- In deed to the Indolence ot of the Africans may be traced the cause ot of coolIe Immigration to this portion ot of the New World Customs of the Coolies Incomprehensible to the western mind are the ways ot of these people The husband not only owns the Jewelry Jew Jew- elry with which he decks his wIre wife but appoInts himself Judge ot of her right to live Defying the law ho he chops oft off her head It if she proves unfaithful or resorts to the more refined method ot of sprInkling powdered glass In her food Mysterious deaths are ot of frequent occurrence oeo- oeo currence and and the tho government chemists are kept busy investigating such cases The women are attractive In appearance appearance ap- ap with appealing eyes rounded round round- ed arms anns and lithe bodies It Is their thelt custom to massage dally with coconut oil The They have a passion for colors and In gala gain attire resemble n a flock fiock of rainbows Time men are solemn lookIng crea creatures tures with those knowing all eyes of time the I Far ar East and the long haired priests are positively uncanny The cross or of the East Indians In New World is the enforced association with the Africans These lords ot of all creation look with contempt upon time the orientals lIe only a coolie man says the laz lazy Ignorant negro disgust written on every lIne ot of his face tace The fhe brown this man lant ot of nn an old and proud race ruce who regards the no ne- nog g re as little more than a savage e- e does not retaliate but go goes steadfastly on with bIn hIn work |