The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1867-11-15
THE KALEIDOSCOPE
~ map OF busy life
Its fluctuations and Its vast concerns.
NO. XIV.
GuANAOCJI,,


principal provinces or States of Ecuador,
and it extends from the Pacific Ocean
back to the Andes, containing about l5,-
600 square miles. Guayquil City, its
capital, is the principal port in the Re
public. Its inhabitants number about
| %, 900 souls. 1t is built in rather strag-
Cling manner along the river and con-
tains very few buildings of architectu-
raj beauty or merit. In fact so frequent
are the bombardments, revolutions, fires
and earthquakes, that its growth has
been much retarded, although 1t Is the
leading City in all respects, save popu-
lation. The buildings are either of adobe
Ia species;ofmud bricks bakedlin the sum
or bamboo canes, built in the same style
as those in Panama. Theclmate is ter
ribly hot and as IL rains steadily six
months in the year, there is not much
inducement for foreigner to sojourn in
that region.
During the rainy season-which they
call winter, although it is the hottest
time of the whole year-the lowlands
from the base of the Andes to the Ocean
are flooded from three to ten feet deep,
and the cattle are driven to the higher
lands until the waters subside.-
The inhabitants along the "bottoms"
build their huts on piles eight or ten feet
high, and communicate with each 9TH
er by means of canoes. At this time the
whole land is infested with vermin and
reptiles, generated or brought into ac-
tivity by the heat and rains, and the
very air is impregnated with malaria.
Indeed, so rapid Is the decomposition of
vegetable and animal matter, that pes
thence would soon dcpopulate the land
If nature had not provided remedy in
the shape of innumerable gauindsos, or
buzzards, which occupy the land" and
gratuitously, yet efficiently perform the
duty of scavengers, so that mass of
garbage, dead horse, or murdered
man are soon stripped Of all offensive
qualities. In fact, so highly apprciat-
ted are their services, that they are pro-
tected by local laws, and tits an offence
punishable by fine and Imprisonment
to kill them.
These buzzards, however,a are aided by
the chain-gang,o or criminals, who march
through the streets with iron balls
attached to their feet, and chains to
their wrist, armed with brooms and
coffee sacks with which they sweep up
the dirt and deposit it in the river.
They are guarded by the soldiers of the
Republic-negroes of course-dressed in
flaming red, with an occasional rent in
their trousers, with bare feet, and who
indolently lean upon their muskets, OF
prog some unfortunate with their hayo
net, to show how vigilantly they per
form their duty.
Notwithstanding the intense heat We
enjoyed ourselves throughly, visiting
the principal places of interest, learning
the customs, manners and language o
the people, and gormandizing upol
strange dishes, and such fruits as th'
pineapple, ,cherimoye; banana,plaintain
yuca, and alligator pear.
On our journey towards Quito, W.
ascended the Guayaquil river as far a
Bodegus in little steamer called tn
Bolivar, which at the time was owne
and controlled by Captain, -, a
American. On my return, however, tn
steamer had been withdrawn, on at
count of the blockade of the river by tn
Peruvians, with whom Ecuador was
war. For various reasons ! prefer dt
scribing the downward trip.
| reached Bodegus from Quito i
company with Mr.. Villamus, the Frenc
Cnurye, and DIR. Wagner, n Germa
naturalist. The natives refused to ris
themselves or their canoes at Guays
quill, fearing that they and their proper
ty would be seized by the Government
although Mr.. Villamus assured them
his power to protect them from drai
and their property from capture. Final
ly, we took by force canoe suthcientl
large to contain our party, and got
crew consisting oftwo Indians, Il Negro
and a squaw,-the latter to act as cook
Our boat was about twenty-five fec
long, three feet wide, and at the prov
had sort of calaboose of wattled cane
which was used for Il cabin.
About noon the tide began to ebb, IAN
we embarked for Guayaquil' Froi
Bodegus to the coast the country Is
most dead level, through which tn
river wanders in innumerable channel
: forming fine system of inland con
municaton. So very winding W.
its course that frequently in going tt
Z distance of halfa mile we rowed towar'
1 all the differents points of the compass
Abut five o'clock in the evening Il
y tide commenced running up, WHEREBY
u on the oarsmen ceased from their labor
VI and pulled in to the shore under Il
cover of deep, dank forest, filled wi
If parrots, monkeys, and other troplc
g animals, whose sharp, quick cries,
n gether with the music and at tontions
= millions of large sized yet hungry me
ouitoes, precluded all hope of slice
l. About II p. NJ. the tide again col
g menced ebbing, and the boatmen stea,
10 ly piled their oars until near mornin
20 when we reached San Bolendon. I'll
& proved to be rather large place, b
A. evidently an unhealthy one, AS all t
y inhabitants except the Negroes had
siclly appearance. A small sloop
H. war was lying here which once constit'
Id ed the Navy of Ecuador, but it h
: been sold toan American residing
~ Guayaquil to save it from capture by t
Id Peruvian fleet, and in consequence
al Republic Of Ecuador was without
no Navy! Many Of the houses were flo
ce ing on the river that is, a number
er logs were lashed together, upon VIII
he they were built This is not only @