The Region of the Eternal Fire: An Account of a Journey to the Petroleum Region of the Caspian in 1883

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Allen, 1891 - Baku - 406 pages

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Page 207 - Baku. When the first outburst took place the oil had knocked off the roof and part of the sides of the derrick, but there was a beam left at the top, against which the oil broke with a roar in its upward course, and which served in a measure to check its velocity.
Page 163 - Amongst others is a little temple, at which the Indians now worship. Here are generally forty or fifty of these poor devotees, who come on a pilgrimage from their own country. A little way from the temple is a low cleft of a rock, in which there is a horizontal gap, two feet from the ground, nearly...
Page 164 - ... so uncovered immediately takes fire, almost before the coal touches the earth ; the flame makes the soil hot, but does not consume it, nor affect what is near it with any degree of heat.
Page 164 - If a cane or tube, even of paper, be set about two inches in the ground, confined and close with earth below, and the top of it touched with a live coal, and blown upon, immediately a flame issues without hurting either the cane or paper, provided the edges be covered with clay ; and this method they use for light in their houses, which have only the earth for the floor ; three or four of these lighted canes will boil water in a pot, and thus they dress their victuals.
Page 397 - Charles Marvin's services in respect of the Russo-Afghan Question have been invaluable. He has heard with his own ears the opinions expressed on the subject by Russian generals and diplomatists, and, for the love of England, has spent his own money to warn England's people."— Opinion of Colonel Malleson, " The llusso-Afghan Question,
Page 161 - Georgiania there is a fountain from which oil springs in great abundance, insomuch that a hundred shiploads might be taken from it at one time. This oil is not good to use with food, but 'tis good to burn, and is also used to anoint camels that have the mange.
Page 208 - ... the lakes of petroleum that had been formed on the surrounding estates. Now and again the sand flowing up with the oil would obstruct the pipe, or a stone would clog the course. Then the column would sink for a few seconds lower than two hundred feet, to rise directly afterward with a burst and a roar to three hundred.
Page 165 - Some of the springs which have not been long open form a mouth eight feet or ten feet in diameter. The people carry the naphtha by troughs into pits or reservoirs, drawing it off from one to another, leaving in the first reservoir the water or the heavier part with which it is mixed when it issues from the spring. It is unpleasant to the smell...
Page 207 - ... yards broad on the other. A strong southerly wind enabled us to approach within a few yards of the crater on the former side, and to look down into the sandy basin formed round about the bottom of the derrick, where the oil was bubbling around the stock of the oil shoot like a geyser.
Page 208 - ... had been formed on the surrounding estates. " Now and again the sand flowing up with the oil would obstruct the pipe, or a stone would clog the course; then the column would sink for a few seconds lower than two hundred feet, to rise directly afterwards with a burst and a roar to three hundred feet.

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