The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-10
LIFE DOWN IN ECUADOR.
The People of the Republic as They
Were Seen by CONSUL De Leon.

We're Seen by Consul De Leon.
Mr. Perry DeIeon, recent consul general
TO Ecuador. while in Savannah last week,
gave a good deaf of interesting informa-
ton to his friends about life in that trop-
ical and extremely remote country
quito, the capital" said MIR. DeLeon,
is a seven days journey on the back of a
burro over the Andes. The American min
lister, residing there. is cut off from direct
communication with his own country or
the world al large, and is several days be-
hind, and IN ignorance of what is occur
ring down on the coast. where the great
trade interests of the country center. The
consul general at GuayaqWi. being in
touch with home, has greater responsible
ties thrown upon him than ordinarily at
tach to the office. In times of revolution
moi infrequent in a South American cOuu-
try, he has to sometimes act promptly and
decisively and on his own responsibility
to protect life ana property. L found life
az GuayaquR quite pleasant
Il Was treated with courtesy by the
people. although fully 60 per cent. sympa-
thize with Spain in this war Especially
IS the sentiment in favor of Spain strong
among the wealthy classes Among the
masses there is more feeling for this coun-
try. This is easily accounted for by the
fact that the people are more in touch
with Europe than they are with the United
States. The rich makes their trips to
Europe and send their children there to be
educated. The buying of the country is
principally done in Europe, aud the result
IS that synpathies are created which are
not favorable to Americans. The freight
rates are almost prohibitive of trade with
the United states, and there is not the
same desire among our manufacturers and
IN .r lr 1f.r -
once we get the Nicaragua canal finished
and the government subsidies a steam
ship line or two, we VIII get the lions
share Of the business of The whole Pacific
coast of South America
"Guayaquib" continued Mr. DeLeon
lis quite an important place, with a popu-
lation Of about 80 900. 1t has a rainy sea
son, from January TO May, when life is
pretty uncomfortable. In the dry season
the climate is said TO be among the mosc
healthful in the world. It is a place where
winter is hotter than summer, where sum
mer ever reigns, and where the weather
is hot hotter or hottest. The peasantry
of the country are picturesque and inter-
esdng. They are of fair stature and with
good muscular development. Their com
plexion is snuff-colored. They are of In
dian descent or pure Indian, the latter
pretty closely resembling our own Indians
Many of the mixed blood have handsome
features and graceful figures. Especially
as this true of many of the women. who,
by the aid of a Turkish bath and proper
grooming might be made ornaments to
quite an advanced stage of society in that
section. They are a gentle, docile cour-
teous race, quick to learn. grateful for
kindness, but saturated with superstition.
Their ideas of virtue are not worth men
tloning. Cock fighting as the great Sport
with the masses, and they are never too
busy to stop 10 witness one noble bird de-
stroy another As a rule, they have an
aversion to cleanliness and luxuriates in
dirt. Nature Is very generous to them,
clothing is not much of a necessity, and
one sees much OF mankind and woman
kind unadorned
"One has TO go to some such country a
Ecuador 10 realize TO the fullest extent
the grand position woman occupies in our
lone, social and public life. Down there
the girls lead a life of great seclusion.
They are seldom seen on the street, seem
10 take no exercise and are. as in most
Spanish countries, treated as if the sole
object of their lives was to become wives
and mothers. Companionship as we know
il is unknown to them. Many of them
are pretty, but they lack the voluptuous-
ness one as said to find in the natives q
the tropics. Our American girls are so
far ahead of them, in beauty, character
and all the attributes of a noble woman
hood that they cannot be mentioned In the
same breath -