NATURAL AREAS AND REGIONS 



669 



12,000 ft. After a short, rocky descent, 

 the town of Cafiar (10,500 ft.) is reached; 

 the descent continues, and a stream is 

 crossed. Close by is Tambo de Canar 

 (10,000 ft.), a small village with fields 

 of wheat and corn all about. Another 

 ascent to the pdramo begins, and several 

 hours are spent crossing the latter, at 

 elevations between 12,000 and 12,500 

 ft. There is then a long and gradual 

 descent, in part through rain-forest, to 

 the settlement of Huigra. 



Guayaquil to Quito 



The only important railroad in Ecua- 

 dor is that which connects Quito, the 

 capital, with Guayaquil, the chief 

 seaport. This line, 46-3 km. in length, 

 is owned and operated by an American 

 company. Two daj-s are consumed by 

 the journej^ from Guayaquil to Quito, 

 or vice versa, all trains stopping at 

 Riobamba for the night. The route is 

 as follows : 



Leaving the dock at Guayaquil, pas- 

 sengers proceed by steamer to Eloy 

 Alfaro (Duran on old maps), which 

 lies upon the opposite bank of the River 

 Guayas. Here the railroad starts, trains 

 leaving for Quito daily at 7 a.m. The 

 train proceeds across a level, uncul- 

 tivated plain to Yaguachi (22 km.), 

 the first station of importance. From 

 this point to Barraganetal (69 km.), 

 the plain, which remains level and of 

 low elevation, is cultivated. Beyond 

 Barraganetal a gradual ascent is main- 

 tained to Bucay (87 km., elevation 975 

 ft.), through country in small part 

 cultivated, covered elsewhere by brush 

 and scrub forest. 



Bucay lies at the lower edge of the 

 rain-forest region, and vegetation along 

 the slopes above this point is highly 

 interesting. Here the railway enters 

 the canyon of the Rio Chan Chan, which 

 it ascends toward Huigra (117 km., 

 4000 ft.). This station, headquarters 

 of the railroad company, is the starting 

 point for Cuenca, Loja, and other 

 points in southern Ecuador which are 

 reached by trail only. There is a small 

 but very fair hotel here. Above Huigra 



the slopes become dry and covered with 

 a scanty growth of leguminous shrubs 

 and other vegetation typical of an arid 

 region. The ascent is rapid through 

 Alausi (143 km., 8553 ft.), a town of 

 some importance. The grade is 5.5% 

 in one place and a switchback is used. 

 At Palmira (166 km., 10,626 ft.), which 

 lies upon a broad rolling plain, a slight 

 descent commences and continues 

 through the small town of Guamote 

 (181 km., 10,000 ft.), whence the line 

 continues at about the same level 

 through Cajabamba (212 km.), a fairly 

 large and important place, to the station 

 of Luisa (228 km., 10,379 ft.), whence a 

 branch line runs to Riobamba, 15 km. 

 distant. This town, wdiich lies at an 

 elevation of 9020 ft., is one of the im- 

 portant centers of agriculture and com- 

 merce, and supports a good hotel, at 

 which travelers stop over night before 

 resuming the journey to or from Quito. 

 From Riobamba the return is made to 

 Luisa, whence the railroad resumes the 

 journey toward Quito. The station of 

 Urbina (275 km., 11,841 ft.) is the highest 

 point on the line. From here the line 

 descends to the fertile, cultivated 

 country about Mocha and Cevallos, 

 two Indian towns of minor importance. 

 Ambato (317 km., 8435 ft.), the most 

 important agricultural center of Ecua- 

 dor, supports two or three mediocre 

 hotels, and serves as a starting point 

 for the Oriente (eastern Ecuador) via 

 Bafios. The country round about is 

 nearlj' devoid of vegetation, except 

 cultures. 



From Ambato the railway proceeds 

 across rolling or broken country, much 

 of it cultivated, past the town of Salcedo 

 to Latacunga (365 km., 9055 ft.), a 

 somewhat smaller place than Ambato 

 and Riobamba, and later ascends to the 

 paramo at the base of the volcano 

 Cotopaxi. When the weather is fine, 

 excellent views of the volcano are had. 

 The station of Cotopaxi (405 km., 

 11,653 ft.) is the highest point reached 

 in this section of the line, and from here 

 there is a descent into cultivated country 

 once more. There is now a short ascent 



