Ch. IX. SOUTH AMERICA. iSj 



each end, which are alfo lafhed with all poffible 

 firength, they reíiíi the rapidity of the currents in 

 their voyages to the coait of Tumbcz and Paita. 

 The Indians are fo Ikilhil in fecnring them, that they 

 never loofen, notv;itlittanding the continual asfitation; 

 though by their negleót in examining the condition of 

 the bejucos, whether thc)'^ are not rotten or worn, {o 

 as to require others, there are fonie melancholy in- 

 ftances of Balzas, which, in bad weather, have lepa- 

 rated, and, by that means, the cargo Ion, and the 

 paflengers drowned With regard to the Indians, 

 they never fail of getting on one of the beams, which 

 is lufficient for them to make their way to the next 

 port. One or two unfortunate accidents of this kind 

 happened even while we were in the jnnldiction of 

 Quito, purely from the favage carelelinels of the 

 Indians. 



The thickefl beam of thofe which compofe the 

 Balza, is placed fo as to projec-^ beyond the other in 

 its after-part ; and to this are lathed the firil: beams on 

 each fíde, and thus, fucreffively, till the whole are fe- 

 cured; that in the middle being the principal piece, 

 and thence the number of beams is alwavs odd. The 

 larger fort of Balzas generally carry between four 

 and five hundred quintals, without being damaged 

 by the proximity of the water; for the waves of the 

 fea never run over the Balza ; neither does the water 

 fplaih up between the beams, the Balza always fol- 

 lowing the motion of the water. 



HifHERTO we have only mentioned the conílrúc- 

 tion and the ufes they are applied to ; but the greatell: 

 lingularity of this floating vehicle is, that it tails, 

 tacks, and works as well in contrary winds, as Ihips 

 with a keel, and makes very little lee-way. f his ad- 

 vantage it derives from another method of iteering 

 than by a rudder; namely, by fome boards, three or 

 four yards in length, and half a yard in brcddth, 

 called Guaras, which are placed vertically, both in the 



N 4 ' ' hea4 



