Ch. X. SOUTH AMERICA. 191 



CHAP. X. 



Of the Commerce carried on by means of the City 

 and River of Guayaquil^ betwixt the Provinces 

 of Peru and Terra Firrna, and the Coajl of 



New Spain, 



T^HE commerce of Guayaquil may be divided into 

 two parts; one reciprocal, bein^ that of the pro- 

 ducís and manufaélurcs of its juriídi6tion ; tlie other 

 traniitory, its port being the place where the goods 

 from the provinces of Peru, Terra Firma, and Gua- 

 temala, configned to the mountains, are landed ; and 

 on the other hand, thofc from the mountains, de- 

 figned for the above-mentioned provinces, are brought 

 hither and (hipped for their refpective ports. Aivd as 

 thefe two branches are very different, I inall ñrít treat 

 particularly of its reciprocal commerce. 



The caq6a), one of its principal products, is chiefly 

 exported to Panama, the ports of Soníbnaíe, el Rea- 

 lejo, and other ports of New Spain ; and alio to thole 

 of Peru, though the quantity lent to the latter is but 

 fmall. It is Ibmethlng lingular, that in this city and 

 jurildiilion, where caiou grows in lucli plenty, little 

 or no ufe fnould be made of it. 



Timber, which may be efieemed the fecond article 

 of its commerce, is chiefly fent to Callao; though a 

 little is fold to the places between Guayaquil and that 

 port. All the expenfe of it here is the charge of 

 felling, carrying it to the next creek or river, and 

 floating it down to Guayaquil ; where, or at Puna, it 

 is ihipped for the ports it is configned to. 



Though both tliefe branches of trade arc very ad- 

 vantageous to Guayaquil, as may eafily be imagined, 

 from the prodigious quantities exported ; yet the trade 

 of fait is not inferior to either, though the principal 

 markets to which this is fent are only tlie inland, towns 



in 



