Cu. IX. SOUTH AMERICA. . 179 



faces the city ; another, termed Lagartos, Is near the 

 cuftom-houfe at Babahoyo. I'hcfe are the largeft, and 

 at the fame time extend to fuch a diflance from the 

 principal river, as to form very coniiderable iilands. 



The tides, as we have before obferved, in fummer- 

 time reach up to the cuflom-houfe, checking the ve- 

 locity of the waters, and conftquently caufing them 

 to fwell ; but, in winter, the current being ftronger 

 and more rapid, this increafe of the water is vifible 

 only in the reaches near Guayaquil ; and in three or 

 four different times of the year the great velocity of 

 the current renders 1 he tides imperceptible : the firft 

 of this feafon happens about Chriümas. 



The principal caufe of the fwellings of this river 

 arifes from the torrents rufhing down from the Cordil- 

 lera into it. For though rau) is frequent here, great 

 part of the water is received by its lakes, or ñagnates 

 on the plains : fo that the increafe of the river is en- 

 tirely owing to the torrents from the mountains. 



One particular inconvenience of thcie floods is, their 

 ihiffing the banks of fand lying between the city and 

 lila V^erde ; fo that no thips of any confiderable burden 

 can go up with tafely, without continually founding 

 with the lead, unlefs care has been taken to mark the 

 banks lince their laft change. 



The borders of this river, like thofe of Yaguache, 

 Baba, and Daule, as well as thofe of the creeks and 

 canals, are decorated with country-feats, and cottages 

 of poor people of all cafls, having here both the con- 

 venience of fiihing and agriculture; and tiie interme- 

 diate Ipaces tilled with fuch a variety of thickets, that 

 art would find it difficult to imitate the delightful land- 

 fcape here exhibited by nature. 



The principal and moft common materials ufed in 

 buildings on thele rivers, are canes, whofe dimenfions 

 and other particulars fhall be taken notice of in their 

 place. Thefe alio form the inward parts, as walls, 

 floors, and rails of the flairs; the larger hou les difi^et 



N 2 only 



