Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1917-01-02
IN ECUADOR
Letter From Robert South Barrett
Now in That. Country. II 4

NOW IN Bdt. SouHuS- - D.
of all the countries in South
America Ecuador is perhaps the
least known by the outside world
vet it is by far one Of the most IN,
teresting lands l have ever visited
and possesses many features when
delight the heart Of the wanderer
after something new. The only port
of the country of any Importance IS
the city of Guayaquil on the Pacific
some 500 miles south of Panama.
Guayauuil is not exactlyssSson the
Pacific as it is located some 30 miles
up the Guayas River but is reached
by the big ocean going steamers.
From the river the city has the ap..
paarance of being the location OF
MANY imposing buildings but .
closer inspection shows that the
buildings are flimsy structures con-
structed of bamboo covered over
with plaster.
The city has many picturesque sec.
tions. The gaily clad Indians crowd
the thoroughfares and up and down
the river float the quaint looking,
narrow gondolas or canoes which
bring the produce from the upper
river points. :,
/ reached Guayaquil on one OF the
steamers of the Peruvian Line, the
>"Vucayali", fine steamer, COM
manded by Captain Davis, an Eng
lishman. There were many interest
ing passengers aboard, among them
number of Americans VINO were
going to South American ports. Inc
landing from the steamer is by shore
boats and as the current in the river
is very strong, it was with some
question that I trusted my baggage
and person in the narrow canoe.
paddlcd by a Withholding indian
bow. A visit to the Governor OF the
Province was necessary to secure
the free entry of my trunks but my
credentials as representative OF
Uncle Sam paved the way for very
courteous treatment. :,
confess that I entered Guayaqull
with some misgiving. / had heard OF
it all nv life as the 'spest hole OF
the w5rld," but it was the only way
that I could reach Quito and besides
it is city of great commercial va
lue.I found by careful investigation
that the place had been greatly
abused. 1t is true that there is DIS
ease there all the year round and
that yellow fever, bubonic plague,
typhus fever and small pox exist cs-
pecially in the rainy season wnen
the mosquitoes are very bad :. But
the bubonic is said not to bottle,
people who battle frequently while
yellow fever is not dangerous if you
keep from being bitten by mosqui-
toes. have to laugh to think of the
precautions / took the first night
after my arrival in Guayaquil. First
I saw that the doors and windows
were well screened. Then fumigat-
ed the room thoroughly with some
material l had bought in the states
Next took bath and covered my
body with oil to keep. off the fees
which are ssid to transmit the bubo'
mic. My bed had thick mosquito
bar but in the inside of this I put
a second mosquito bar which 7 car.
ried with me, Then, in addition,
had sleeping bag made of mos
quito netting. I crawled into this,
pulled down the inside netting, clos
ed the outside one and went to sleep
with some misgivings. In the morn.
ing made careful inspection of
the room but could not find an in
sect. So the, next night omitted
many of the precautions. I was not
bitten once while I was in the city.
My experience was in marked con-
trast with that of Whymper, the An
dine traveller, who says that in his
room in Guayaquil he made a collec-
ton of fifty different specimens Of
vermin, including cock-roaches, mos
quitoes, bed bugs, etc.
l found Guayaquil most interest
ing. There are about 30 Americans
living there among them 3 Shriners.
They are all in business and doing
well. Among the friends | made
there was the Castillo family, the