857 



ECUADOR. 



ECUADOR. 



It leads from Almaguer in New Granada over the Paramo de Puru- 

 guay (9408 feet above the sea) to Pasto (8578 feet), and hence over 

 the Paramo de Boliche (11,504 feet), and the Alto de Pucara (10,400 

 feet) to Ibarra (7368 feet), and Quito (9536 feet). In the Alto de 

 Chisinche it attains an elevation of about 10,000 feet. Hence it 

 traverses Ambato (8864 feet), Riobamba Nueva (9472 feet), and 

 Alausi (7984 feet), and attains on the Pajamo de Assuay 15,536 feet. 

 In passing this range many lives are annually lost. From Cuenca 

 (8640 feet) it runs over the Alto de Pulla (10,000 feet) to Loja 

 (6768 feet), and hence to Ayavaca (8992 feet) in Peru. From the 

 latter place it proceeds to Truxillo and Lima. Formerly European 

 commodities were imported into Ecuador by this road from New 

 Granada, but nearly the whole country now receives them from 

 Guayaquil. 



Climate, Soil, Productions. The temperature of course differs con- 

 siderably in the elevated valleys which are surrounded by the high peaks 

 of the Andes, and in the low countries on both sides of the range. 

 In the valley of Quito the seasons are scarcely perceptible. The mean 

 temperature of the day, all the year round, is between 60 and 67, 

 and that of the night between 48 and 52 of Fahrenheit. The winds, 

 which are generally either from the north or the south, blow con- 

 tinually, but never with great violence. During the morning, till one 

 or two o'clock, the sky is serene and clear ; but after this hour vapours 

 begin to rise, and the whole sky is gradually covered with black 

 clouds, which often bring on dreadful tempests of thunder and 

 lightning, followed by torrents of rain. At sunset the weather 

 generally clears up, and the nights are as serene as the morn- 

 ings. The rains sometimes continue all night, and occasionally, 

 i rarely, three or four days in succession. At other times a few 

 fine days occur without rain. The interval between September and 

 May is called the winter, and the remainder of the year the summer. 

 The winter is only distinguished by a somewhat greater quantity of 

 rain, and the summer by a greater number of fine days. These valleys 

 are subject to frequent earthquakes, some of which have been very 

 destructive. At Guayaquil and on the other valleys along the coast 

 the mean temperature of the year varies between 78 and 82. From 

 December to April the heat rises to 95 ; during these months rain 

 falls with but short interruptions, and violent tempests frequently 

 occur. The great plain extending along the Rio Amazonaa and its 

 numerous tributaries has a hot climate. The mean temperature 

 probably does not fall short of between 75 and 85, and the heat 

 sometimes rises to 95 and more. But every day at two o'clock a 

 wind begins to blow from the east with great force and continues to 

 sunset. Near the base of the Andes rain falls nearly every day, 

 generally after noon, when the wind commences. 



Agriculture varies with the elevation of the cultivated land above 

 the level of the sea. Near the snow-line, which in this part of the 

 Andes occurs at the height of 15,750 feet, the vegetation of the 

 Paramos (flat tracts on the summit of the range, from 11,000 to 

 14,000 feet above the sea) is extremely scanty, consisting only of two 

 or three species of plant*. Districts like the plains in the mountain- 

 knot of Pastes, situated at an elevation of 10,000 feet, are covered 

 with grass, and afford good sheep-walks. The culture of European 

 cereals and fruits prevails between 10,000 and 4000 feet, especially 

 in the great valley of the Andes, where excellent wheat is raised, with 

 barley and Indian corn. Lucem is also extensively grown as fodder 

 for beasts of burden. In those parts of the country which do not 

 exceed 4000 feet in elevation the vegetables cultivated for food are 

 chiefly sweet potatoes, mandioc, yams, and bananas, with rice, Indian 

 corn, and some leguminous plants. The most common fruit-trees are 

 cherimoyers, pine-apples, papayas, and anonas. In some of the 

 valleys are extensive plantations of sugar-cane, cotton, tobacco, and 

 cocoa. The wide valley of the Guayaquil is especially fertile : the 

 soil consists of alluvium ; and there are few spots even between the 

 tropics which for richness and vigour of vegetation can vie with this 

 wide valley. It is covered with groves of every kind of intertropical 

 fruits; only a comparatively small quantity of sugar is produced, 

 but an immense quantity of cocoa of very fine quality is grown, and 

 is exported to all the countries bordering on the Pacific. Among the 

 forest-trees is that which gives the cinchona bark. This tree is most 

 frequent on the heights of the mountain-knot of Loja, where it grows 

 on the eastern declivities at an elevation of 6000 or 8000 feet above 

 the level of the sea. 



Sheep and cattle are reared in great numbers, tie former especially 

 in the valleys of the Andes, and on the higher declivities of the 

 mountains. Horses, asses, and mules are sufficiently numerous to 

 be articles of export. In some districts, especially in the valleys along 

 the coast, a considerable quantity of wax is collected ; and still higher 

 up are some spots where the cochineal insect is reared. Along the 

 Amazonas turtles are numerous, and their fat, called ' manteca,' 

 furnishes a considerable article of trade. Fishing is carried on to 

 some extent on the coast, and a good deal of salt-fish is prepared. 

 Along the coast a murex is found, which yields a juice used in dyeing 

 purple. 



Ecuador is lees rich in tho precious metals than the other countries 

 of South America which comprehend a portion of the Andes. There 

 are ieveral mines of gold and silver, and a few are still worked ; but 

 the annual produce is not considerable. Lead and quicksilver occur 



in some places, and in others sulphur is prepared iu considerable 

 quantity. Salt is obtained from sea-water along the coast. 



Formerly the manufactures of Ecuador were more considerable than 

 those of any other country in South America. They are chiefly of 

 coarse woollen and cotton goods ; but have diminished greatly in 

 amount of late years in consequence of the preference given to articles 

 of English manufacture. Lace of a good kind is made in Quito. 

 Various articles of home consumption are made, but there is no other 

 important branch of industry. 



The commerce, as already mentioned, is almost wholly carried on 

 at Guayaquil. The goods exported are the raw produce of the country, 

 and vary very greatly in quantity in different years. Of cotton the 

 average annual quantity exported may be about 150,000 Ibs. ; of 

 cocoa about from 10,000,000 to 12,000,000 Ibs. ; sugar and tobacco 

 are also exported to some extent. Of the imports we have no recent 

 reliable accounts. The imports into Ecuador from Great Britain in 

 1851 were valued at 54,0992. 



Inhabitants. The population of Ecuador is composed of the 

 descendants of Spaniards and of the aborigines. The aborigines are 

 believed to constitute about three-fourths of the population. Those 

 Indians who inhabit the elevated valleys belong to the race of the 

 Peruvians, and speak the Quichua language. They are mostly agri- 

 culturists, and cultivate their lands with much care ; they also make 

 coarse stuffs of wool and cptton. The Indians who inhabit the eastern 

 plain are much lower in civilisation. They cultivate only small pieces 

 of ground, and apply themselves almost exclusively to fishing and 

 hunting. The Jesuits and the monks who succeeded them had made 

 some progress in bringing them over to a kind of Christianity and 

 civilisation ; but the political events which have taken place since 

 1812 have driven the monks out of the country, all the ' missiones' are 

 in ruins, and the Indians have returned to their wild life iu the 

 forests. Three-fourths of the population dwell in the elevated valleys 

 of the Andes. 



Political Divisions, Towns, Jec. The republic of Ecuador is divided 

 into three departments, Quito, Guayaquil, and Assuay. The population 

 of the towns in the following notice of these departments is given 

 according to the latest estimates, but these estimates are very vague, 

 and the numbers are probably excessive, except when they are intended 

 to include the surrounding district. 



1. The department of Quito extends along the coast from the 

 mouth of the Rio Mira [to Cape Passado, and comprehends the two 

 valleys of Quito and of Alausi and Ambato ; to which is added a 

 portion of the eastern plains along the upper courses of the rivers 

 Putumayo, Napo, and Pastaza. In the elevated valleys in several 

 places are the ruins of ancient palaces of the Incas, and in many 

 districts there are traces of the great road which in the time of 

 the Incas led from Quito to the southern extremity of the valley of 

 Titicaca (from the equator to 20 S. lat.). Its principal wealth 

 consists in its extensive corn-fields, and its numerous herds of sheep, 

 cattle, asses, and mules ; it has also a few mines of silver and gold. 

 The capital of the republic and of the department, is QUITO. North 

 of this place lies San Migiul de Ibarra, or briefly Ibarra, a well-built 

 town, with about 10,000 inhabitants, situated at the foot of the 

 Volcano of Imbabura. A good deal of grain is grown in the neigh- 

 bourhood ; and there are some manufactures of wool and cotton. 

 Not far from it is Otavalo ; it has more considerable manufactures of 

 wool and cotton, and is said to contain 20,000 inhabitants. On the 

 coast are the harbours of Esmeraldas, Atacames, and Carondelet, 

 but they are not visited by foreign vessels. South of Quito is 

 Tacunga, or Lactacunya, which, between 1698 and 1797, was four 

 times destroyed by earthquakes ; it stands at the foot of the eastern 

 ridge of Andes, 9254 feet above the sea, and contains 5000 inhabitants. 

 Riobamba was entirely destroyed in 1797. The new town which 

 was built 4 or 5 miles farther south, is said to contain 15,000 

 inhabitants, and is the capital of the province of Chimborazo. In its 

 neighbourhood, at Tescan, great quantities of brimstone are made. 

 Ambato, or Hambato, north-east of Mount Chimborazo, with 10,000 

 inhabitants, and Guaranda, south of the same mountain, have some 

 commerce, owing to their situation on the road between Guayaquil 

 and Quito. The missiones in the eastern plain have almost entirely 

 disappeared. 



2. The department of Guayaquil comprehends the coast between 

 Cape Passado and a short distance from the boundary-line of Peru, 

 and extends inland to the upper declivity of the Andes. Its commer- 

 cial wealth consists in its tropical productions, especially in cocoa, of 

 which there are extensive plantations. Guayaquil, the capital of the 

 department and the chief commercial town of the republic, popula- 

 tion about 25,000, is situated in 2 12' S. lat., 79 39' W. long., on 

 the right bank of the river Guayaquil, which is about 2 miles wide 

 opposite the town. Vessels of considerable burden can sail up to 

 the town, as the tide at full and change rises 24 feet. The town 

 itself is divided into the old and new town La Ciudad Vieja and La 

 Ciudad Nueva. The old town, which is higher up the river, is entirely 

 inhabited by the poorer classes. It is intersected by narrow creeks, 

 which are full at high- water, but at half ebb the mud is uncovered 

 and exhales the most noisome and pestilential effluvia, especially in 

 hot weather. The new town though exempt from this nuisance, 

 is scarcely more healthy. It occupies a low perfectly level site, which 



