394 



ULLOA's voyage to south AMERICA. 



Though the houfes are wholly built of wood, they are generally large and beautiful ; 

 have all one ftory and an entrefole; the back part of the ground floor ferves for 

 warehoufes ; in the front are fhops of all kinds, and generally before them fpacious 

 porticos, which in winter are the only parts where you can walk, the ftreets being 

 utterly impaffable. 



As a further precaution againft fire, which they have fo much reafon to dread, 

 the kitchens ftand twelve or fifteen paces from the houfes, with which they communi- 

 cate by means of a long open gallery, refembling a bridge ; but fo lightly built, 

 that on the leaft appearance of fire in the kitchen, it is demoliihed in an inftant ; by 

 which means the houfe is preferved. Perfons of rank and fortune live in the upper 

 apartments, and the entrefoles are let to ftrangers who come to trade, or pafs through 

 the city with their goods. 



The ground on which the new city is built, and the favannahs in its neighbour- 

 hood, are not to be travelled over either on foot or horfeback during the winter ; for, 

 befides being a fpongy chalk, it is every where fo level, that there is no declivity for 

 carrying off the water ; and therefore on the firft rain, it becomes one general flough. 

 So that, from the time of the rains fetting in till the end of winter, it is neceflary to 

 lay in the parts not covered by the above-mentioned piazzas, very large planks for 

 crolling over them ; but thefe foon become flippery, and occafion frequent falls into 

 the chalky flough. The return of fummer, however, foon exhales the water, and 

 renders the ground fufficiently dry for travelling. In this refpedt the old town has 

 the advantage, being built on a gravelly foil, which is never impaflable. 



This city is defended by three forts, two on the river near the city, and the third 

 behind it, guarding the entrance of a ravine. Thefe are all built after the modern 

 method of fortification ; but before they were erected, it had only a platform, which 

 is ft:ill remaining in the old town. Thefe forts are built of large pieces of very hard 

 wood, forming a variety of pallifades, and the wood is particularly proper for this 

 country, and the ufe it is here applied to ; retaining its folidity either under the water 

 or in the mud. Before thefe fortifications were erefted, the city was taken by Euro- 

 pean corfairs, in the year 1686 and 1709 ; but the fuccefs of the latter was owing 

 to the villainy of a mulatto, who, in order to revenge himfelf on fome particular per- 

 fons in the city, conduced the enemy through a bye-way, where they were not 

 expected ; fo that the inhabitants being furprifed, were not prepared for defence. 



All the churches and convents are of wood, except that of St. Domingo, fl:ill (landing 

 in the old town, which is of fl:one ; the great folidity of the ground in that part being 

 fuflicient for fupporting buildings of this kind. The convents in the new city, befides 

 the parochial church, are an Augufl:ine and a Francifcan, with a college of JefuitSf 

 the members of them not very numerous, on account of the fmallnefs of the revenues. 

 Here is alfo an hofpital, but without any other endowment than the fliell of the build- 

 ing. The city and its jurifdi^lion are under a corregidor, nominated by the King, who 

 holds his ofl[ice during five years. Notwithftanding he is fubordinate to the prefident 

 and audience of Quito, he appoints the deputies in the feveral departments of his 

 jurifdiftion ; and, for the police and civil government, Guayaquil has ordinary 

 alcaldes and regidores. The revenue is managed here by a treafurer and an accomp- 

 tant, who receive the tributes of the Indians, the duties on imports and exports, and 

 the taxes on commodities, which are either confumed there, or carried through it. 



The ecclefiaftical government is lodged in the bifliop of Quito's vicar, who is gene- 

 rally alfo the prieft of the town. 



CHAP. 



