iS6 A VOYAGE TO Book IV. 



i'or making the ncccflary repairs. When the rom- 

 municatioii is opened with the provinces of the Cor- 

 dilleras, and the cattle begin to return into tjie plains, 

 they carry their ññi to the cuflom-houfe of Babahoyo, 

 where they fell it ; and, with the produce, purchaie 

 baize, tucuyo, and other fiuffs, for clothing them- 

 felves and families. 



Their method of iifhing is thus: Having moored 

 their Balza near the mouth of a creek, they take their 

 canoes^ with fome harpoons and fpears, and on ii^ht 

 of a ñíli make towards it, till they arrive at a proper 

 diiiance, when they throw their fpear at it with fuch 

 dexterity, that they ieldom mifs ; and if the place 

 abounds in fííh, they load their canoes in three or 

 four hours, when they return to their Balzas to fait 

 and cure them. Sometimes, efpecially in places where 

 the creeks form a kind of lake, they make ufe of a 

 certain herb called Barbafco, which they chew, mix 

 •with fome bait, and fcatter about on the water. The 

 juice of this herb is fo ftrong, that the iifh on eating a 

 very little of it become inebriated, fo as to float on 

 the furface of the water, when the Indians have no 

 other trouble than to take them up. This juice is 

 aétually fatal to the fmaller íiíli, and the larger do not 

 recover for fome time ; and even thefc, if they have 

 eaten a conñderable quantity, perifh. It is natural to 

 think, that íiíh caught in this manner muil be prcju-» 

 dicial to health ; but experience proves the contrary, 

 and accordingly the moíí timorous make no difficulty 

 of eating them. Their next method of fifhing is with 

 nets; when they fonti themlelves into companies, for 

 the better management of them. 



The largeñ fort of fiih caught here is called Bagre, 

 fome of which arc a yard and a half long ; but flabby, 

 and of ao ill talle, fo that they are never eaten 

 freih. The Robalo, a fort of large trout, is the mofl 

 palatable ; but being only taken in the creeks a great 



vyay 



