100 SPORTING ADVENTURES 



some kind of teal, with red beaks, and bronze 

 green on the wings ; they were excellent eating ; 

 the colonel said that they came in such quanti- 

 ties during the winter that he had killed them 

 with a stick. 



We were glad of a spell after our exertions, 

 and enjoyed our coffee and cigars, both of them 

 the produce of the place, whilst the colonel 

 entertained us with an account of his life on 

 the island. From what he told us we concluded 

 that he was a political refugee from Guayaquil, 

 his native town ; and being compelled to leave 

 his country he accepted the post of governor 

 of these islands, acting in the interest of Seiior 

 Yaldesan, who rented them from the Govern- 

 ment of Ecuador. Mr. Valdesan paid an annual 

 rent of 4000 dollars, a mere nominal sum when 

 the value of the land is considered. The prin- 

 cipal source of profit is the orchilla weed, from 

 which a beautiful dye is made, and which grows 

 abundantly on the shores of all the islands in 

 this group. 



The colonel, who had no remuneration for 



