The Pitch Lake has been very interesting to explorers and scientists. It was re-discovered by Sir Walter Raleigh in his expedition there in 1595. Raleigh himself used the asphalt to caulk his ship. The native Amerindians told Raleigh where he can find the lake. The native Amerindians had their own story about where the lake came from. The story goes that the people living there were celebrating a victory over a rival tribe when they got carried away in their celebration. They then cooked and ate the sacred hummingbird which they believed possessed the souls of their ancestors. According to legend, their winged God punished them by opening the earth and calling the pitch lake to swallow the entire village. So, the lake became a reminder of their sins. The local villages believe this legend because found many Amerindian artifacts and a skull that have been discovered and preserved, in the pitch.