The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-04-17
IN THE land or THE NCAS.

American gold I am told that ~ this
price there II rot . great profit 20 Che
Italian bzztsernak~rs. for the tarsE and
the selling charges are hzgh.
Through the Fer<st IN N Eruador-
tan Canoe.
Landing at Esbahoyo. was for q time
a. loss how TO make myself undersSaod
BY the na;sv@s There was no ore about
who spok. English. and my pure Cas-
lillian Spanish did nor seem 20 be uadsr-
stood At last, however. I met . German
ssorekeepsr, a Mr.. Kruger. who told nie
that there was an American living IN the
city. This was Mr.. Klein, carpenter.
contractor and undertaken. / socn found
him among his collins. He left ISIS work
ard devoted himself TO nae for rte dag,
Together we went 10 visit ore Of the big
Sess Plantations IN Ecuador This belongs
70 Mr.. Augustine BarrieS, a man WHO
owns thousands Of cattle and horses. ard
w,ao sells something like $4,000 pounds OF
chocolate beans every year. The pianta-
ton /. now ali under water. ard we had
10 take q canoe 10 visit IL. Our canoe was
abour thirty feet ioag and not over thirty
inches Wide. IL Was augogt ard was
poIed and seullrsi By two iusfy. brown
skinned gondo!fers, one Of whom stood IL
each end OF II. Dir. Klein SAT- "A the bot
tom. and was given place in the GEN.
ter Of the canoe and told 10 hold myself
steady. Leaving the city. we were pushed
along through the wide streets of water,
passing by hu:s which seemed to be feat
ing en- the waves. until at last we moved
Oh into the tropical forest. We rowed for
miles among tne :rsetops. now grazing
great black alligator, and again cnafsered
a. by monkeys. who made faces az us as
they scamprred away. The trees wAe
full OF strange birds. which fiGtfered and
cried as We went by. Now we get a sat,t
at one, a gallareta, beautiful thing as
big as d pigeon. with bill like blood. long
EGGS OF golden yellow and plumage of
ROYAL purple
try shot AZ q crocodile but the canoe
srenihiea as / stand up Ia 1t and the
ugly monster gets away unframed There
are Wild ducks and other birds which /
have newer SEEN before. and Mr. Klein tells
me that he often bags deer on the high
lands or has shot al a wild hog or
leopard. Tie ride Is beyond description.
Under ~ there Is twelve feet OF water.
where few weeks ago 1t was ali dry
land. The trees make a thick arDor-like
shade over US. and We wind in and otit
through them. ROW making our way along
narrow canal Of green and then shooting
out into green-walled chamber OF water.
tho trees about which are loaded down
with orchids, each OF which In New York
would bring a sum equal to the wages OF
Inc average workingman. Insects are
plenty: bugs and ants OF every description
fall upon ns as we float outward. and Mr.
Klein tells me how a great snake once
dropped down into his boat from the
branches above. The trees are all strange
and tropical. There are rubber trees trees
loaded with alligator pears, and here and
mere q great palm has hoisted It's green
head above the others. Outside of the In
sects and birds the silence il Almost OPP
pressive. The soft air is heavy with peace
and rest. and the ripple of the water as our
long canoe works its way onward seems TO
invite Us to sleep. Now a can9 with
family OF Indians passes Us, ara again
great cargo boat loaded with cocoa IL
showed along on its way to the markets
A MtiIionaire's Plantation.
Nearly AL the land abovc which We have
been travelling belongs TO the millionaire
Planter whom ~e are 10 visit. When We
get out OF the forest we come directly into
the grazing lands OF his plantation. The
grass Is now under wase>, and his herds
have been taken 10 the high lands on the
edge OF the Andes. We are ia a wide waste
OF waters, above which here aud there the
tops OF the wire fences are to be seen.
We sail right over these fences, now and
then passing tenant houses OF bamboo
shaiched with palm leaves. The houses
are like those of Babahoyo. buiis high upon
piles. Under each. just over the water.
here Is q platform Oh which the chickens
ana Pigs OF the owner live within six
inches OF drowning. As we near the great
white house OF the planter We see more
md more OF these houses. We pass a
butcher shop resting on the water. where
are killed the animals which furnish the
meat for tho planter, and go by a great
barn which is also on piles surrounded by
water. We sail over the front gate and
land amid a lot Of long steel cocoa boats
on the second floor OF the house. which =
a great thrse-stoTy building rooted with
red tiles. Here We are met by the owner
ard are made 10 feel al home. He orders
breakfast 10 be prepared for us. and
pnts wine and cGgnac before us. His two
pretty daughters are now called In TO en-
terrain us, and together We all drink to
the better relations of cur continents and
our countries. The young ladies drink
brandy. and when l pull cut my TASK We
a.. drink again In that famous huid which
GENES from Kentucky. Later on the old
man sends an Indian servant out to climb
enc OF hls cocoarut trees 10 give nv a
drink OF coeeanut milk. and then directs
his mea 10 guide us I'm canoes 20 the cocoa
orchard and to other parts or his estate.
Labor and Wages In Ecuador.
talk with him as To the profits Of farm
ing. He SAYS he keeps no accounts, but
that re leaves all 10 his foreman and aver
seers. and that All that Is over above the
expenses ia profit. This year he will har-
vest an.eoo pounds Of cocoa. which a; 10
cents profit a pound VIII net him $s0,ooo
from this source alone
He tells me he loses a great deal every
year because he cannot get iaeorers 10
work for him. ard stIl ] am told the men
on his plantation owe him s-sa. oo In silver
This II TO certat7 extent his labor capi-
tai. for the money muse be- worked ant.
and portion or il fs taken every day
from the wages ~ his dehi slaves I, Is
said thar slavery no longer EXITS IN Ecua-
dor. IL NAV not exist as Il did In the DAYS
Of P:zaFre. wher the Indians were branded
whipped and killed az the Will % their
owners, hut Il Is really sn force through
the debt laws and the habits Of The poems
or tailoring CLASSES. which cause then, 20
keep IN debt 20 their masters. THE wages
are so low that once in debt. 4 IS almost
impossible 10 ges oat. Here. near the
ceas.. poems ges ahoss: 81 n meath. bat in
the anterior they Do not rece,ve over half
this sr3 oua-tsnth Of their earnings goes
"a the church. The planters give their
iaboseTs twelve ounces OF yaeat, feurteea
ouf3css or rice or beans. a little lard or sale
e. .. ala eesssa ,.