Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-04-26
SANTIAGO De GHAYsQUIL.
COMMERCIAL METROPOLIS AND ONLY
PORT OF ECUADOR.
Filth, Beauty and shabbiness-The Peo-
pie of One of Our Sister
Republics.

statements OF all travellers who have Wis
tied this place, everybody's mental expert
ences are about the same-ex exaggerated
ideas of Oriental splendor, when the city
is first seen by the uncertain light of gas
or moon, as the steamer arrives after
nightfall and drops her anchor mile out
in the river; OF grieVous disappointment
at a near daylight view; and finally, after
closer acquaintance, of a more correct esti-
mate of Its advantages and oddities, filth,
beauty and shabbiness.
Though this harbor is one of the finest
on the entire western side of the CONT
nent, Guayaquil has no manner of wharf
age, and vessels of whatever tonnage must
remain some distance from shore, and
await the convenience of the Captain of
the port, the health and customs officials,
before being allowed to land anything or
ANYBODY. The principal street Of the city
faces the river, extending two miles or
more along its banks; other streets rising
terrace-like, one behind another, up the
sloping hillsides. Over every door a lamp
is hung; and when thousands of these
lights along the levee and in the town are
doubled by their own reflection in the
water. the effect is dazzling.
AS Guayaquil is the commercial empo-
rum of Ecuador and its one center of
trade, the shops are numerous and well
stocked, and this principal street is its
BROADWAY
As well as the fashionable evening prone
made. In the center of it towers the
three-storied "Palacion of its Government,
uplifting quaint old tower, with a clock,
like warning finger pointing to the flight
of time; and on either hand are hung rows
of massive buildings, whose white walls
CLEAN like purest marble. Every upper
story has balcony, hung with canvas cur
tains, the latter rolled up when the heat
of the day is over; and the balconies, pro-
jecting outward, form long series of arches
over the sidewalks, precisely like the Rue
de Rivoli in Paris. The lower floors are
occupied by the shops, all gorgeous with
lights and colors; and the whole popula-
ton, who remain indoors by day to escape
the heat, turn out en- masse in the even
ing. Strains of martial music from the
barracks, mingled with the clang of yes
per bells, come floating on the breeze; and
the river like the streets, is alive with
gaily dressed people, padding about in
narrow gondolas and broad-bosomed RATS,
to the music of guitars and mandolins,
folk-songs and happy laughter.
But alas! The first peep of dawn dis
pels all visions of Oriental, Partisan or
Venetian magni6cence, even with mile
wide stretch of water between; and when
once on shore the disenchantment is COM
plete. Those stately, marble-like cdSas
with their curtained balconies and beauti-
full arches, prove to be dilapidated, earth
quake-shaken structures Of white-washed
mud and bamboo; the gondolas are mere
dug-outs, or primitive RATS made of logs
lashed together with vines; and the ';gaily
dressed populace" are mostly undressed In
dams and dirty haif-breeds slouching along
in blankets and red flannel petticoats.
Everybody arises with the lark in these
tropical regions, where long siestds at mid
day are the rule. Before sunrise the Off
Gals had made their formal round, counted
noses in order to be sure that no evil-dis-
posed passenger was bringing pestilence or
contraband goods to peaceful Guayaquil,
and then invited themselves to breakfast
with an evident
EYE TO BUSINESS
In the line of sampling the ships good
wines and stores. Long before their
| fgurative blessing had been bestowed,
with gracious permission to remain or de-
part, the vessel was besieged by swarms OF
native boatmen, who climbed up to the
deck from their canoes, RATS and dug-outs,
all jabber.ng and gesticulating like SO
many lunatics, hoping to earn some honest
pennies by conveying freight and passen-
gers to shore.
The aquatic citizens of Ecuador seem
quite as much at home in the winter as
out of it, and the business of boatmen APP
pears to be the most lucrative that can
be engaged in. So far as clothes are con.
cerned, they are about as nearly "in state
Of nature" as any humans we ever came
across-the best dressed among them wear
ing nothing more than a straw hat, a
| greasy string with a blessed medal or
| charm attached, the latter about three
| inches square, resting on the breast like a
small lung protector or porous plaster, and
scanty pair Of bathing trunks, as much
resembling trousers as the breech- clout OF
a cannibal. Among the Spanish and In
! dian rabble we noticed few Cinnamon
and Italians and good many negroes,
who have probably drifted down here
| from the mosquito coast or Jamaica. Most
of them have managed to pick up a few
words of English, which they fling in our
faces regardless of context, evidently con-
sidering that accomplishment the most
powerful of recommendations. Thus
among the jargon of strange tongues could
be plainly distinguished the words GAIL
right" "Me Americana" Chow do?" ETC.,
yelled triumphantly with all the power
of healthy lungs.
But don't be taken in by promises OF
faithfulness and dispatch from any of them
or by the exceedingly small sum for which
they tender their services. With this
class Of Ecuadorians dispatch" means
| their own convenience-eyeryd duty to be
put off as long as the most fertile imagina-
ton can find excuse for delay, particularly
if it has been paid for in advance; ''faith.
| fulness" consists in sticking to one Gus
toner until better can be found, when
the former is incontinently left in the
lurch; and although they may charge not
more than ten cents for the short row tc
shore, are likely to demand as many dol
lars for the return passage. The only way
is TO make solemn bargain in presence o.
the ships officers for the round trip, it be-
ing distinctly understood that not cent
will be forthcoming until you are safely
back again on deck.
Our party selected sable Sambo, who
lowered head and shoulders above his fell
lows and swung a pair of fists like we'll
cured hams, and engaged him for the day
in the dual capacity of Charon and ciceroa,
NOT on account of his beauty (he wa:
about the most unprepossessing specimen
ever beheld), but because he declared
himself
A GENUINE PHILADELPHIA,
a direct importation from the CITY o
Brotherly Love-"