New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-03-26
EQUATORIAL AMERICA.

CONTINENT OF SOUTH AMERICA. By JAMES ORrON
NJ A. Professor Of Natural History III Nassar college
l2mo PIP $50. Harper d Brothers.
Professor Orion was one of the members of an ex-
petition sent TO South America in 1861 under the
auspices OF the Smithsonian Institution, to explore
| the almost unknown region which lies about the
| central basin of the Amazon Three of the party
struck into the interior of Venezuela assembled the
Orinoco crossed by portage of nine miles to the
| Rio Negro an afLuent of the Amazon. and finally
reached the great river, making canoe voyage OF
| over 1000 miles. Professor Orion and four other
gentlemen crossed the Isthmus of Panama and began
their explorations from the Western coast, passing
through Guayaquil and Quito, crossing the Western
and Eastern Cordilleras. reaching one of the head
streams of the Amazon, after a journey on foot
through the forest and then taking canoes. 1t is
only the second party whose adventures are told in
| this volume; the others are vet TO be heard
Professor Orton's narrative is composed partly Of
letters contributed to the newspapers, and the wholeo
it is written in the popular style suited rather to the
general reader than the scientific student 1t abounds
however in valuable information touching the natu-
raj features the climate and the fauna and flora of
the country; it adds great deal to our knowledge
of the geography of equatorial America; 1t is accom-
panied with good map; and its sketches of the In
dian tribes and mixed races who form the pOpula-
ton are both important and entertaining. 1t is in
a
value is enhanced by number of wood-cuts Of fair
quality taken either from photographs or drawings
made on the spot. Asa specimen of the Professors
STYLE we extract the following passages from chap
ter on Quito:
Ecuador boasts OF one University aud eleven colleges
vet the people are not educated. Literature. science
philosophy law medicine, are only names. Nearly all
young gentlemen doctors of something; but thelr
education is strangely dwarfed defective, ana dlsofeu
and their knowledge, such they have without power
IL
two hundred and eightyiye students. OF whom thirty
eleven professors They receive fees from the stu
deus, but annual salary OF $500 The library contains
thousand vOlHmes. nearly all old atn, spanish
ard French works. The cabinet is bushel Of stones
cast into cOruerof umberroom covered with DUST
and CRYING out in vain for man in the University 10
name them The College Of Tacuuga has forty-fye stu
dents fine chemical and philosophical apparatus bnt
only handful FROM Ecuador. The College of Riobanbs
has four professors and hundred and twenty stu.
cert aloud Arab fashion. There four papers in the
Republic two in Guayaqui one in Cuenca, aud one in
| not a newspaper; 1t contains fourteen duodeeimO
| pages, aud is published occasionally by tho Minis
Ter Of the Interior. Lake the Gdseta OF Madrid IT, one
of the greatest deliberately published by any
| people itself. There j. likewise but one paper ~
| CuzcO, III TriuaJo del Pueblo.
The anuseMents OF quito few, and not very anus
ing IndoCastilian blood too slowly for merry max
ing There are no operas or concerts no teates OF eo
lures museums or menageres. For dramas they have
MOI "a bnfelt There is no coliseum or amphitheater
| no natador gives the scientific deathwound. Unlike
|
doomed TO de the animals only doomed to be pOth
cred they are "scOtched not killed" They are teased
and tornened by yelling crowds, barking dogs, brass
| bands red ponclOs, tarpung, firecrackers, wooden
ances and such like. The Plaza de Torres the Plaza dc
able DAYS IN the calendar Christmas, Years lnau
gurstiOnday, and Independenceday-thelo 10Th of August
Cock fights next IN popularity ana are bona Nde
fights Often the ROSTERS 80 heroic that both leave
blood in the arena. and never crow again Little
knives are fastened the natural spurs with which the
fowls cut each other up irghtiuly The interesting
scene takes place Sundays and Thursdays near the
| (hurph of Santa
pal tribunal The admission fee OF hve cents and me
tax OF two per cent on bets, yled Inc CITY mohtiiy
other pastimes are carnivals and masquerados. Car
yal ia 1bseryed by pelting one another with eggs and
snrnkling with water Whoever invented tins prelude
TO Lent should be canonzed Masquerades occur during
Tho hodays when ali classes in Disguise fancy dress,
gel up little fun at each others expense The monet
ony Of social life is frequently disturbed BY fash
ioabe funerals than by these ADJUSTMENTS and rs the
prlnupal families interrelaed the rules OF condo
ience keep the best part OF society III mourning ana the
pianos and guitars silent for at least Blk months IN
A word about the ladies of Quito. We concur in the
remark OF our minister, Mr. Hassaurek that their nat
ura dignity. gracefuness, and poiehoss their ehie
sepossessloD their elegant but unaffected bearing ana
the chOiceness OF their language would enable them 10
make a creditabe appearance in any foreign drawing
room" Their natural talents are oi high oiaer Dut
we must add that the sehOas are uneducdted an are
incapable OF either great vices or great virtues. lhe
minds like tho soil Of their native coun,ry, IRE iere,
but uncultyaed aud Their hearts, IKE ,ne cnao, arc
OF mean temperature. Prayerbooks ana ffench poVer
Imported wanted for there is not IN Inc
city, the alpha and the OMEGA OF the !eratuie
Pars Is considered the center OF CIVILIZATION Ihey are
cOIucly but not beautiful venus has gwen hc Bhuo VI
fascination TO few. Sensible OF tins, they pant.
The ladies Of Quito gave few entertainments iof laos Vi
ready money. 1hey spend much oil tle tiIo III hoede
work and gossip, sitting like Turkish sutans on dvans
or the They do not rse at your entfhhce or ue
| paftute They converse IN very lOud, WHIMSICAL
voice We never detected basfuiness III tne street OF
parOr They ~ to in1ss every morning, shd make fs
a.. etiquette on Sundays They take more interest in
political than In domestic affairs Dust ana coDweps arc
unist able signs OF indifference. BroOIos are rres
sic AS exist btsOms made Of Spit hteh sihco our
return we have sent TO Quitonla gentleman. Dy re-
quest. package of broon.corn seed, which. We trust
viii be tue Of harvest Of brooms ana cleaner
floors III high city Not only the lords, but also inc
rdi. are uytterato smokers LiItle used for
| sIntiOODs.
The second volume of JAMES COwPER GRAY's
Tops lor Jslohers has just been published by Carlton
Lanaban In small space II contains an Immense num-
her of ..geste sugvstons aud BIBLICAL references for