File:The earth and its inhabitants (1894) (14579955447).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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the reports of the fortunesmade in the oil districts of the United States induced the local projirietors to turnto better account the treasures contained in the Amotape rocks. The chief reservoirs, occupying a space of about 2,500,000 acres, are distri-buted in the hills and along the coast from Tumbez to Sechura, and are farmore extensive than the famous oil region of the upper Alleghany basin in WestPennsylvania. The asphalt occurs at an average depth of from 100 to 400 feetbelow various strata of sands, sandstones of marine origin, decomposed limestonesand schists more or less charged with oil. In many places the oleaginous matter THE PERUVIAN COASïLANDS. 285 is brought to the surface by filtration through the upper strata, and sometimeseven gases and fatty substances ooze up. South of Sechura some hills of similar formation are perhaps even richer stillin underground reservoirs of petroleum, while the surface on the coast plains Fig. 110.—Amotape Mountains.Scale 1 : 1,200,000.
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Dephs. Oto 10Fathoms. 10 to 50Fathoms. ftO to 500Fathoms. 18 Miles. 500 Fathomsand upwards. bubbles up, so to say, in miniature volcanoes, 30 feet high and 650 in circum-ference, from which the bitumen escapes in a liquid state, often mixed with saltwater, and rapidly solidifies on the ground. The Garita and Reventazon plainsnear the sea are dotted over with hundreds of these hillocks of hardened pitch. 286 SOUTH AMERICA—THE ANDES REGIONS. Submarine streams of petroleum are even carried seawards, and iridescent films ofoil are often seen glistening on the surface of the water. Along the seaboard follow other hilly groups separated either by fertilealluvial valleys, or by ravines which cannot be cultivated for lack of fertilisingwater. The Sierra de Paita, between the E-ios Achira and Piura, has an elevationof scarcely 1,300 feet ; but farther south the coast range skirting the Sechuradesert attains a greater height in Mount Ilescas. The headland projecting fromthis point north-westw

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