42 NOTES OF A NATURALIST. 



or roll into the river, and to accomplish this is at least 

 a new experience. Through the courtesy of a native 

 gentleman, the travellers were induced to land at a 

 hacienda on the river, where horses were provided, and 

 they galloped back to the town before one o'clock. 

 Meanwhile the Jamaica story was repeated. It was 

 announced that the agent had decided to keep the 

 steamer till three p.m. ; and finally we learned that 

 we should remain at our moorings till early next 

 morning. 



On her last voyage the Islay had started too late ; 

 night fell before she cleared the mouth of the river, 

 and, in the dark, she had run down a chatta — one 

 of the cumbrous native barges that ply along the 

 stream. Of fifteen natives in the barge thirteen were 

 saved, three of them by the courage and activity of 

 the chief officer, who jumped into the river to their 

 rescue. Our captain very properly objected to the 

 risk of another similar accident, and decided to wait 

 for daylight. The cause of the delay remained a 

 mystery, for all that was shipped of passengers and 

 cargo was of a kind that did not seem likely to be 

 very remunerative. At first sight it appeared merely 

 as a characteristic of a rude state of society that the 

 country people around Guayaquil are used to embark 

 on the southward-bound steamers with tropical fruit 

 raised by themselves, which they carry to Lima, and 

 even as far as Valparaiso, dispose of at a handsome 

 profit, and then return home. As most of the profit 

 must go into the coffers of the Pacific Steam Company, 

 the motive is not very obvious ; but after a little 

 further experience I fully understood it. Even if 



