Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-20

limit. 1t consists chiefly OF cattle. wood
metals, sugar, rice and tobacco; and all of il
| goes to Europe, except the cattle to be eaten
| on the way, and a little fruit for local ports.
| A large quantity oil rice will be taken on
at Callao, it being the great staple of Peru,
where the finest rice in the world is grown.
| a single grain being sometimes half an inch
| long There is also a lot OF chaneacha
| aboard, native preparation from sugar
cane, used in the making of dulces, OF
sweetmeats; and at Pisco, one of the ports OF
Northern Peru, good deal Of the brandy
manufactured there will be loaded. The
average valuation of the cargo is about
e300, 900 per anpum. The exports from
Chilli alone are from S15, 900, 900 to $40, ,0OO.-
GOO a year, and Peru is but little behind
those figures.
OUR INSIGNIFICANT SHARE.
AS to imports, the Argentine Republic re-
ceives over 81, 600 900 worth per annum,
about ~ per cent of which come from the
United States. Brazil imports an average of
S105.000, 900 worth, to which the United
States contributes only about 8 per cent.
Taken together, the imports Of all Central
and South America reach total of at least
S450. 900, 900 every year, toward which vast
sum the United States, the nearest sister re-
Nor is there good reason for this lamentable
state of things, except high tariff, lack OF
transit and a few other obstacles which
might easily be removed were our legislators
less inconceivably stupid, any more than for
the fact that the United States merchants are
compelled to send the few goods they can
now dispose of in Brazil, ETC., away around
to Havre, Hamburg and Liverpool.
We crossed the equatorial line in the
night. soon after leaving the coast of Colom-
bia; and, contrary to all expectations, the
weather grew perceptiDly cooler, instead of
giving us an increase of heat. The steamer
reaches Guayaquil on the evening of the
fourth day out from Panama. During most
of the time we are beyond sight of land, the
blue and placid waters of the Pacific filling
the horizon on all sides; but sometimes to
the eastward, when the mists of morning are
dlspelled and the evening shadows fall, the
lofty Cordilleras that form the northern
most spur of the Andean chain suddenly
stand out full in view, smoke issuing from
the tops of some OF them, proving that we
are fast approaching the region of earth
quakes and volcanic eruptions.
APPROACHING GUAYAQUIL.
On the morning of the third day some
thing that looks like gigantic corpse float
ing on the water is dimly visible through a
yellow haze, which we know to be the Isla
del Muerto, or "Dead Mans Island''-an
unmstakable landmark Tor seamen, mark
ing the entrance to the Gull of Guayaquil.
In order to make for the port of Ecuador,
our course is now sharply changed due east
ward, and, though the mainland is not dis
cernibe through the fog, its proximity is
Enthusiastically announced by complete
change of odors, the salty and fishy smells
of the sea being overpowered by mixture
of maIarial dampness and the fragrance of
tropical fruits and flowers. Presently we
pass the Island OF Gorgona, famous as the
site of Pizarro's desperate deed of devotion,
and the Cape of Emeralds at the mouth of
the Guayaquil, where he first landed, and
whence the towering submits of Cotopa1i
and Chin borazo are for the first time plain
ly seen in all their majesty. To the left lies
Puma Island.
The Gulf of GuayaqulI is very large, but
its channel is narrow and tortuous. At
times we steam close to the low, Shiny
shores, which are lined with mangrove trees,
among whose gnarled roots numbers of alli-
gators and water-spakes find congenial
homes; while farther out, in the safety OF
deep water, huge porpoises show their shin
ing black sides in uncouth gambols.
TREASURES BURIED IN THE SEA.
Our attention was called to tiny island,
green as an emerald set in the ring of the
wave," close by which a Spanish treasure
ship is said to have sunk a century and
half ago with several million doubloous on
board. To this day divers occasionally
bring up golden coin, and were informed
that the chance was open to US, as to every
body, of possessing half that submerged
wealth, the other half of all that is recov.
cred to go to the Ecuadorian Government.
Since "golden opportunities" are rare in
these days, itseems pity to decline this
one, and hasten to mention it for the bene-
fit of my needy countrymen.
They assure us that in many places off the
coasts of Chilli and Peru ships laden with
treasure were purposely sunk during the
war; and all the world is welcome to re-
cover the money, providing only that half
is given to the Government.
1 should have mentioned in its proper
place that Puma Island is now the Saratoga
of Ecuador. An English gentleman, Cap
tain Chambers, owns the finest house 10 the
town, an immense, blue-painted structure,
circular in shape, with verandas all around,
which in the distance looks about as much
like residence as the grand stand of race
course.
The Guayas river empties into the gulf of
and 60 miles up its narrow and
winding course is Ecuador's only ''sea port"
called Santiago de Guayaquil-nearly 100
miles from the ocean! And just as twilight
shades shut off the view we find ourselves
anchored opposite the port, which we will
proceed to explore. FANNIE 3. WARD.