National Republican., 1883-09-13
The Trip from Panama to CallaO, Peru, via
Guayaqull
The Isthmus City and Its Surroundings
as Seen from the Sea.
4 Day in President Vientemillas Last Ditch" in
Ecuador--How tho War Goes On.
The Ex-President's Financial Methods
The Ex-Presidents Financial Methods
Providing for Green old Age.
Sntrir Teyrr.


anna is most picturesque as seen from tho bay,
and long after we wero on board the steamer
Lima, which 10y waiting for US of Flamingo
islands, sat watching the picture which tho
city and bay presented. The city is on low
point that runs well ont into tho sea, ap-
proachable only by boats of light draft at
high tide, because Of the shallow water Tho
houses are nearly all Of adobe colored yell
low, with red tile roofs, and the towers of the
churches, rising above all, were oddly shaped,
n high wall ut the waters edge hemming in
the whole
In the near background rose high hill
covered with tropical verdure that, washed
in the shower of a few hours ago, seemed of
an especially brilliant and vivid hue Along
the shore lay fishing boats, high and dry,
where the tide had left them. In the water,
or soaring about in the air, were numbers of
pelicans busy fishing. Way down to the right
where tho shore curved, % solitary ruin was
to bo seen which marked the site of old
Panama, that was taken and destroyed by the
noted pirate Morgan, who approached in his
vessel. Hence the new town was built on a
point that is practically inaccessible to vessels
of any size, especially when the twenty-seven
foot tide is out. The three Flamingo islands
are owned by the Pacific Mail company, and
on one Of them, called Naos, there is quito q
settlement and a yard for repairing their
vessels
The next morning found us we'll out at sea,
with quantities of large green turtles to be
seen upon tho water, evidently asleep, and
many of them, during tho day, drifted by
quite close to the steamer A most curious
sight was school of porpoiscs. There must
have been several thousand of them, and
they moved in % curving line, that seemed q
quarter of milo in length Breaking the
water constantly they made grand commo.
tion, the foam looking like long breaking
wave rs it faded away in the distance.
We passed the equator in the night, and
the nextmorning sighted the coast of Ecuador
and passed quite close to Plata or Silver
island, off which there arc pearl fisheries,
and which gets its name from the silvcry
looking streaks of gunno on the hill sides.
There two whnlcrs lying in blight, and out
side we saw several whales blow.
The next morning found us quietly at an
chor in swift river OF the city of Guaya-
quill, which looked at with especial interest
because it was in II state of siege, and here
was to get my first glimpse of war. At first
sight we saw u large city, gray in tone, situ-
ated on u fertile plain which terminated ab-
ruptly in four hills, behind the town, which
were fortified in measure, two by each
party, and from which every now and then a
puff of smoke arose which told of cam
non or small arm fired. Upon reaching
the shore we found the street along the
water front wide and quite gay, filed
with natives and donkeys with a row of
shops for background. Penetrating the
town we found it n very fine city. The
streets were broad, and some of them nicely
paved with large fiat stones. The houses
were solid aud substantial in Appearance
many pretty courts that we caught gimpses
of through the iron CRATES that led from the
street giving promise ofhandsome residences
within. Thore were a great many good
sxnA
place ordinarily. Now, however, very few
places were open, and these were mostly
protected by foreign flag hung over the
door. IH- ".-
1t is city of some $4,000 inhabitants
Some people that wo saw gliding about
seemed, as far rs texture of their garments
was u sign, we'll to do The men wore Euro
pean costume, but the clothes wero many
sizes too large and the trousers were held on
by q narrow gay colored scarf wound tightly
about the waist. The women wore long,
trailing black silk dresses, with crepe mantas
about their shoulders, their abundant hair
falling in two loose braids down their backs.
They carried black silk parasols, edged with
fringe as protection against tho powerful
sun, and one hand generally held n prayer
book and rosary We stopped TO talk to sew
eral shop keepers, but they did not provo in
terestng. as their horizon was bounded by
the fact that if tho siege was not soon raised
Wondering about we camo to the police bar
racks and found the men strong, sturdy
looking set, dressed in scarlet jackets for uni
form and armed with old, rusty, muzzle load
ing guns
Farther on wc came to q plaza, with n good
bronze statue to tho patriot Rocafucrte stand
ing in the center, and an interesting looking
but tightly closed old church occupied one
side, shops the other We were all the while
making our way toward the fortifcations
and near the outer part of tho town we
found the palace, and went in to see Nente-
mila, man who, when his term rs president
was ended, wished TO become dictator but
the Ecuudorians rebelling had chased him
from point to point until lie was now literally
in tho last ditch, Gulyaquil being the only
place left to him. He however, must be-
lieve that he who fights and runs away
will live to fight another day" for we were
told that he had sent $s,0J0,0O0 ont of the
country, and had gunboat OH the city ia
leave in when the place should yicld to his
opponents.
Wc were very politely received. the presi-
dent coming in on the arm Of his secretary OF
state, and followed by his suite, who passed
on, out upon large balcony leaving Scnor
Vientemilla alone with us. He was tall,
rather fair and looked more like au Amer.
can than IL Spaniard. He spoke French
pretty well, and complained Of ennui, saying
1T was very stupid baing cooped up, and he
would gladly make peace if no could bo guar
anteed the safety of his friends. He said hu
had 5000 mon, and that it was year since
he had been obliged TO leave Quito, Guaya-
quill having been besicgel seventy-lvo days
He showed us the oncmy's works on hill
near by, and said that few men were killed
on each side morning and evening Directly
at the foot Of tho hill was q small lake
and on tho town side were the trenches
where his men were. Behind them was a
marsh that they had to cross on n railway
track to reach tho town. We asked pcrmis-
sion to visit the trenches, but ho said it was
not safe. SO, after saying adiou TO him wC
walked out on to the borders Of the marsh
which was well within tho range, and, sittinp
down on some logs, convursad fora long while
with molly crowd OF natives, Germans, and
Cinnamon, watching tho enemy trying to
pick OIL the occasional soldiers who had Ia
cross the marsh going to or from the trenches
1t did not seem ut all rs if it were earnesl
fighting this occasional sholting-so liltlc
like it, in fact that wo laughed heartily ia
see colonel dodge and run, getting behind
anything that would cover him whenever hc
could.
We wero told that the Presidents terms
were that he was to have his old place hael;
in tho army as commander in chief, and his
friends to also have their old goyornmeta tai
places, which terms AlIaro aud Sarasto re-
fused, they being tho leaders of the other
party.
Vientemilla had broken opon the bank
shortly before our arrival and taken S32O.000
which he must have kept, as ho had not paid