These bubbling, oozing black pools found on the island's north-eastern side have a sinister appearance. Largely avoided by the miners, the tar pits are found in a grassy expanse of land with a few signs posted containing warnings; over the years, sunlight and rain has worn and corroded some of these signs almost but not quite to the point of unreadability.The biggest pits are obvious at a glance, but smaller patches or tar sometimes burst through the surface unexpectedly, and a number are hidden beneath underbrush. What cannot be mistaken, however, is the strong odor of tar which permeates the whole area.