Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-09-24
ACCOUNT or THE INTERIOR or
ECUADOR


AT the present time, when the opening Of the vast an
almost unknown districts Of the interior Of South Anne
RIGA engages the attention only Of the various ma
tons that claim the jurisdiction these lands but ais
Of commercial men in Europe and the United States
any thing that throw light upon the subject canno
fail to be Of interest to the public With this view W
have translated the following letter, which we found
! the Official Gazette Of Guayoquil
ORIENTAL MISSIONS.
/ REPUBLIC OF THE ECUADOR
(EccLEsIAsrIcAL GOVERNMENT
CUEsoA, APRIL ., 1853.
70 The konoys5te the Minister Of State for Home Affairs:
| Sin: hare been much gratiHcd by the despatch d
your ExsellcBCy q ItR and 9th OF last monthly motto.
the decidsd interest the Supreme Government takes
the Concentrations OF the Oriental Missions which offer very
signal Advantages both to the province of Lola and
this, whose snancia position is amentable Since
indicted into this diocese proposed TO myself the colo
nizaton Of Lajaquira convinced oay that it would
be useful Of the rich and abundant fruts
be extracted from these rich and virgin mountains
but principally bccauSs resolved by extraordinary and
personal efforts, open communications with Bro I'll by
Tabanga, by the navigation of the river Santiago
os the grand tributaries of the Amazon Reasons which
it would be useless to mention retarded the reszatoa Of
my wishes until 25th of November last AS this tire
consrehended that Divine Providence entrusted me
the great work Of the social and religious crzaton Of
the savage tribes of the EAST and the moment that
heard the voice Of God which called from the bush
took UP the travellers staR and without allowing nay
togenarian age to form an impeachment, ourneye with
hrm step, by paths scarcely passable until with
pleasure my desires crowned. have slept and eaten
with the snbceyer type Of his primitive race fierce for
independence and who presents himself the sovereign
OF the desert; have examined into his character his
life, his maaners and his religion have observed his
rivers his mountains and his shores convinced that in
the course OF time the nature Of these savage tribes
capable of a.eoration by intercourse and necessity
have managed to open ways Of communication and
merce; and for this purpose AaTe directed, from the
centre OF the country OF the Jvaros four commissions
one to Lola, and the remaining three Manas Macas
and to the DarTaaca the Pongo The Governor OF
LOLA correspondent to my desires With zeal worthy Of
magistrate who wakes interest in the welfare Of his
country Up to the present Lam Ignorant of the result
of the other missions.
would have done something of more marked utility
had not being oppressed by the winter, myself in
the necessity of abandoning these 10 delicious places
but resolved to return in the ensuing summer have
distributed abundance of agricultural tools the Jvaros
who cheerfully lent their aid cultivate the fields Your
Excellency is ignorant that missions are charge
which weighs not only the conscience of the bishops
but also that of the Government For nay part have
commenced my task, as your Exceency will see by the
following relation:
From the town of Sigsig which serves as a stopping
place, commenced my journey, following the route
shown by the map, which have the honor enclose to
your Excellency, in which delneaed the views which
presented themselves as far the point of embarkaon
in Zamora itself.
After my arrival at Granadillos descending the long
hill of the Portada commenced to observe the
Wheming vegetation of these lands the vigorous yegeta
full substances of the first of which that called my
attention being the cinnamon. Arrived at Chihuinda,
surprised at its fertility in the very little space that
had been cleared. The want of beaches, the humidity
OF the air owing to the constant rain the difficulty of the
read and, above ALL the mpetuous and difficult river,
have contributed without doubt destroy estab
lishments at the bridge called Rosario where there
formerly more than hundred inhabitants which at
present reduced to three scattered families. This
river offers particles ofgold doubtless carried away
from the heights and borne down by the waters Atten
ton called to the circumstance in the other
rivers and creeks. Perhaps troublesome process Of
labor might render these arGshingS useful.
After most craggy journey arrived at Gilalaquisa,
whose woods enclose many riches of the vegetable and
animal Kingdom that the enumeration of them would be
tedious. Suffice it to inform your Excelency that we
found in an almost wild state, magnificent Ltoqulla)
good cotton tobacco exquisite sugar cocoa, coffee
carrot almond, sweet smelling vanilla, various classes of
PALM fit for sundry purposes rein gums divers basams
bees medicinal herbs and woods amongst others the
famous wood of the Cross pao de 10 Cruz and fine woods
for cabnetmaking birds, singular and rare either for
their singing their snowy pUmage the delicacy and
jucines of their fesh The rivers abound in fish of diff
ferent kinds.
It is remarkable fact that Notwithstanding the fire.
quen and often strong rains the snake only rarely
doubtless owing to the quantity Of guaco grass which is
met with every STEP There is also multitude Of wild
hogs bears and other animals which for food TO the
Indos who penetrate these woods
The Indians called Jivaros, dwell in Cuchibamba and
principally the banks of the Zamora, far the
other side of the Chcani, which the landing
ney from Guaaqusa in ascending and only two in de-
scendng The Jvaros live in that complete natural
liberty hurtfu both to the body and mind since from
it arises pogamy, which the vigilance and efforts of the
parochia clergy is not enough to restraint hence results
the repugnance to embrace the Christian religion and
the slavery and abec condition Of the
men, victims of the incidence, INCONSISTENCY and luxury
Of the and it may be affirmed that these three pas
sions form the distinctive characteristic Of these unfor
tunate people.
Their dwelling places which they change at least every
six years, exactly elliptic and occupied by separate
families each of which occupies sort Of cabin made
OF bamboo cane, in which may be cerbatana, Ia
tube of great length to blow clay pellets through they
sometimes eight to nine feet long the Indians kill
birds by means Of these with great expedition lance
q shield some feather ornaments black and red beads
and four or six game dogs Round about is plantation
of yucca, pantan, cotton toquilla and huayusa They
abandon these dwellings sometimes before the six years
if Jivaro dies whose body seated with lance and shield
at his sde and surrounded by yands and drinks remains
shut up, and to inhabit the place
which proves according to their confession the
tally Of the soul and the existence Of Divine Being
judge of good and bad actions who Furnishes through the
medium of bad spirit called Yhuanch Their language
poor, and supplied with many words from the Quichua
their Enumeration only up four and to express
higher number they make Of their fingers and toes
As descendants of the ancient insurgents Of Lagrona &c.,
they preserve the maxim Of not fighting national
body but in detached parties amongst the woods reduc
ing their tactics to assassination Their dress consists
Of piece Of CLOTH which covers from the waist down to
the thighs.
There are about forty cuadras cleared between Guna
quisa and fumaza, cultivated by twelve people, between
men and women, who have remained in spite of the fear
inspired into them by the pagans Many families have
dwelt there but they had security either for their
persons or for their goods Of the want Of
cia ORDER which could offer them positive guarantee,
them abundanty with provisions for life 1t remains for
the Government to remedy this evil In the it