ECUADOR. 



EGYPT. 



233 



his ability, lent us a few dollars when we were hard 

 pressed for money, wrote to the rebels to protect our 

 messengers, invited them to come to our release, 

 promising to the successful one his support, and, I 

 believe, would even have accepted a reconciliation 

 with the man from whom he had received so many 

 injuries, solely for our sake. 

 Disappointed in his ambition, deprived of his 



Rroperty, insulted, degraded, without power, without 

 berty, Abouna Salama did not remember that 

 sobriety in all respects was essential to his health, 

 and that over-indulgence at table was not consistent 

 with his forced seclusion. Constant annoyances, 

 added to intemperate habits, could but bring on sick- 

 ness. During our first winter I attended him through 

 Alaka Zenab, our friend and his, and under my care 

 he recovered. Unfortunately, he only listened to my 

 advice and obeyed my injunctions for a short time, 

 and soon missing the stimulants he had for years 

 been accustomed to, gradually felt the want of their 

 cheering influence, and again resorted to them. Dur- 

 ing the rainy season of 1867 he had a more serious 

 attack. For a while his health improved; but he 

 was even more unreasonable than formerly, and hard- 

 ly was he convalescent than several times a day he 

 sent to inquire if he could drink some arrack, take 

 a little opium, or indulge^in some of his more favorite 

 dishes. It is not astonishing that relapse quickly 

 followed, and, though I showed him the danger of 

 the course he was pursuing, he persisted in it. 



In the beginning of October the bishop's condition 

 became so critical that he applied to the Ras and 

 chiefs to allow me to visit him. They met in consul- 

 tation, and decided on refusing his request, though 

 they consented to the attendance of the cow-doctor. 

 "With the Abouna we lost a stanch ally, a good friend, 

 nay, the only one we had in the country. Had a rebel 

 succeeded in making himself master ot the amba, his 

 protection would have been invaluable. Not that I 

 believe his influence would have been sufficient to 

 insure our release, but still, with him, we should 

 have met at the hands of any of the great rebel chiefs 

 nothing but good treatment and courteous demeanor. 



ECUADOR,* a republic in South America. 

 President for the term from 1869 to 1875, 

 Garcia Moreno. Area, 218,984 square miles ; 

 population, 1,300,000. The value of exports 

 from the port of Guayaquil (exclusive of pre- 

 cious metals) amounted, in 1868, to 3,156,334 

 piastres (that of cacao alone 2,077,550). The 

 foreign debt was, in 1866, 9,390,554 piastres, 

 and the home debt, 3,692,955 piastres. There 

 is neither a standing army nor a fleet. 



At the beginning of 1869, Dr. Xavier Espi- 

 nosa was President. The Government was 

 overthrown by a revolution on the 16th of 

 January, at the capital, Quito, headed by the 

 ex-President, Gabriel Garcia Moreno. Al- 

 though a good deal of excitement existed for a 

 time, there was, fortunately, no loss of blood, 

 and Moreno was allowed to install himself 

 quietly in the presidential chair. It seems 

 that the principal object of Garcia Moreno in 

 overthrowing Espinosa was to prevent his old 

 enemy, Urbina. from getting into power again, 

 and Espinosa appeared to be too inert to op- 

 pose him. 



The following persons were banished from 

 the country : Don Pedro Carbo, chief of the 

 liberal party in Ecuador and president of a 

 political society known as Sociedad Liberal de 



* For latest financial and shipping news, see AMEBICAN 

 ANNUAL CYCLOPAEDIA for 1868. 



Guayas ; D. Miguel Ristrio, President of the 

 Supreme Court ; Sefior Jose Avil6s, President 

 of the Municipal Council ; Colonel Francisco 

 Bolana, Vice-President of the Council ; Senor 

 Marcos Aguirre, Governor of the Canton of 

 Guayaquil ; Sefior J. M. Noboa, editor of La 

 Libertad, and Sefior J. M. Lacey, member of 

 the municipality. 



On the 10th of March President Garcia Mo- 

 reno issued a decree, ordaining that all persons 

 who, directly or indirectly, should aid in any 

 way in getting up revolutions or disturbing the 

 public peace, should be held responsible for the 

 military expenses incurred in preserving or re- 

 storing the peace. 



On the 19th of March a revolt occurred at 

 Guayaquil, but was promptly suppressed by the 

 troops. Soon after, a general amnesty was de- 

 clared to all the military, from private to lieu- 

 tenant inclusive, who were engaged in the revo- 

 lution, and also to all civilians, provided they 

 surrendered their arms and gave evidence of 

 repentance. 



The dictator Moreno followed, true to his 

 antecedents, a reactionary policy. Thus it was 

 reported that he ordered all the public schools 

 to be closed except those under the control of 

 Jesuits. 



On the 13th of May Moreno issued a decree 

 declaring the republic no longer in a state of 

 war, and allowing all political prisoners, or 

 refugees, the liberty to return to their homes, 

 except certain military men engaged in the 

 March revolt ; but the terms were such that 

 few, it was thought, would demean themselves 

 by accepting them. Imprisonment for debt 

 was abolished, except in certain cases. A de- 

 cree was also issued, establishing punishment 

 for the breach of public morality. 



The National Convention was installed on 

 the 16th of May, at the capital, Dr. Rafael 

 Carvajal being elected President of the republic 

 and Dr. Elias Lasso, Vice-president; Rafael 

 Borja and Victor Lasso, Secretaries. On the 

 same day a decree was issued, that Senors Gar- 

 cia Moreno and Aseasubi, President and Vice- 

 President, should continue acting until the 

 constitution of the new government could be 

 organized ; but, Moreno having insisted on re- 

 signing, the convention accepted his resigna- 

 tion, leaving Senor Aseasubi at the head of the 

 administration. Dr. Pablo Herrera was ap- 

 pointed Secretary of State and Foreign Affairs, 

 and Dr. Gabriel Garcia Moreno Secretary of the 

 Treasury. 



At the new presidential election, Moreno 

 was chosen President for the term of six years. 



EGYPT, a dependency of Turkey, in North- 

 ern Africa. The ruler bears the official title 

 of Khedive, the Arabic equivalent for Viceroy. 

 This dignity is now hereditary in the family of 

 Mehemet Ali. In 1866 the Sublime Porte ac- 

 corded to the Viceroy the right of succession in 

 a direct line. Egypt has (since 1866) an As- 

 sembly of Representatives, holding annual ses- 

 sions. The present Pacha of Egypt is Ismail 



