The Monmouth inquirer., 1925-08-06
prepared by the National Geographic So
ciety. Washington. d. CT

prepared by the National Geographic So
ciety. Washington. D. CT
IF THE name of every country were
as self-expIanatory as that of Ecua-
dor. geography would be simpiiied.
For "Republica del Ecuador means
Republic of the Equator" which, to-
gether with the fact that the country
is on the Pacific coast. of South Amer
lea, locates Ecuador beyond all ques-
ton. But. though Ecuador lies under
the equator, 1t is not in the main q
land of heat. Over the greater part
of the country rise the peaks, plateaus
and foothills of the Andes. lifting the
land into regions of pleasant tempera-
ture. :
Because Of unsettled boundary dis
putes the exact area of Ecuador is
unknown, but 1t Is safe to say that it
is larger than any state of the United
States except Texas. The population
is about 100000. Although the
country is comprised between one de-
gree north and -four degrees south
latitude. almost every variation of
climate is obtainable. from the torrid
lands of the coast to the chilly plains,
at an elevation of 10000 feet, at the
foot of the snow-clad peaks of the
Andes.
Both the eastern and western ranges
of the Andes traverse the republic.
Between these ranges lie extensive
high valleys yielding the products of
the temperate zone. To the west of
the Cordillera stretch the low trop-
ical lands on the Pacific, and to the
east the country gradually descends
to the low Amazon valley and the from
tiers of Brazil.
The principal cities Of Ecuador are
the capital, Quito, and the seaport,
Gnayaquil. The latter is the first port
of call for many ships sailing south
of Panama, and to reach it the vessel
must enter the Gulf of Gayas, and
then steam up the wide tidal river of
the Guayas.
Guayaquil is a large city, of about
10000 population, and for many years
had the unsavory reputation of being
the worst pesthole on the Pacific
coast. This was due to the virulent
yellow fever which was prevalent
there and to the sporadic outbursts of
the bubonic plague. which kept the
city under "a perpetual quarantine
and travellers Stunned it whenever
possible.
GuayaquIl Well Cleaned.
The Rockefeller Foundation took in
hand the cleaning up of this city,
with the result that now yellow fever
has practically disappeared and the
bubonic plague is kept well In hand.
The quarantine against the port has
been lifted, Guayaquil is once more a
stop on the maritime itineraries, and
the E~euadorean has a reverence. and
a faith in the "gringo medico' almost
as strongly fixed as is his religion.
Coincident with this Improvement
in the hygiene of the city, new streets
have been built and new buildings
erected, so that Guayaquil Is rapidly
forging ahead. 1t is the emporium Of
Ecuador. All imports and exports
pass through Guayaquil. The houses
are built of wood, owing to the lack
OF other material. They are con-
structed in the Southern style. with
balconies p~rotruding over the side
walks and resting upon wooden pill
lars. thus forming piazzas which af-
ford protection against u and rain
AS fires under the circumstances are
particularly dangerous. GuayaquiI has
perhaps a more extensive fire depart
ment than any other city of its size,
and ample reservoirs of water on a
hill behind the town. 1t is improbable
that GuayaquiI VIII ever again be Wis
tied by such disastrous CONGREGATIONS
as in the past.
Across the river from Guayaqnil Is
Duran. the terminus Of the G~uayaquil
& Quito railroad. a company incor-
porated under the laws Of the state of
New Jersey. This railroad. built by
American engineers. extends to Quito,
28O miles from the coast.
Leaving Duran. the train proceeds
over the fiat and gently rising country
to the foothills Of the Andes. In the
level country are the great sugar es-
tates. stretching for miles on either
side of the track and equipped with
lines OF miniature railway for hauling
cane n with large sugar factories.
Leaving the plains, the ascent Is grad
ual through dense tropical forests
pIentifuily watered by streams and
cascades which can supply unlimited
water power. The trains need two
days for the climb up to the capital.
Quito's Public Market.
The most interesting feature Of
Quito is its public market, in an open
square. Scattered over the ground are