I 



364 Miscellanies. 



Guayaquil, informed me that a heavy shower, incidentally occurring 

 during the dry season, was almost invariably followed by an earth- 

 quake at that place. 



We were detained in Hambato until noon of the next day, (July 

 13, 1832,) by the rise of the river of the same name which had carried 

 away all the bridges ; the river is a mountain torrent, subject to very 

 rapid swelling from the melting of the snow 7 s of the Cordilleras ; it as 

 rapidly subsides when cold and dry weather diminishes its supplies. 

 At noon we received information that the bridges had been repaired 

 so that we might cross, and we hastily mounted our horses, anxious 

 to arrive at La Tacunga before nightfall. On arriving at the river, 

 we found the only bridge to consist of three or four trunks of trees not 

 squared, elevated about forty feet above the river, on the abutments 

 of the bridge which had been carried away ; these were laid paral- 

 lel to each other, but at sufficient distances, one from another, for a 

 person easily to slip between them into the river which was roaring 

 and foaming below. A number of people, with their horses and mules, 

 were collected on each bank, disappointed, as I supposed, in the ex- 

 pectation of finding a bridge. Where is the new bridge ? said I to our 

 muleteer ; there, sir, said he, pointing to the precarious footing af- 

 forded by the the trunks of trees ; but how are our horses to cross ? 

 they cannot walk over on those round logs ; no, sir, they cross by 

 swimming ; swimming ! exclaimed I, in astonishment, they may 

 swim but it will be down the stream to be dashed to pieces among 

 the rocks ; u vercmos" we shall see, was the only reply. We now 

 dismounted, and our muleteer, with the assistance of some Indians, 

 unloaded our beasts, took the saddles and bridles from our horses 

 and carried all across the bridge ; we next followed and crossed 

 safely, notwithstanding the narrowness of the path, and the slight 

 nervousness occasioned by seeing the deep and rapid stream below. 

 Our horses and mules were next to be got over, which was accom- 

 plished in the following manner; the river is about twenty yards wide 

 very deep, and darts along with inconceivable rapidity; a long rope 

 of twisted hide was tied round the neck of the beast to be conveyed 

 across, and carried to the opposite side by the bridge, two men then pull 

 at it and others drive the animal into the water and by the help of 

 the rope, it is enabled to stem the current and reach the other bank. 

 A number of people were waiting to get across their beasts by this 

 singular ferry ; the horses and mules generally went boldly into the 

 water, and arrived, without much difficulty, at the other side, but the 



