295 ulloa's voyage to south America. 



at Panama ; and not only load their ears with brilliant pendants, but add tufts of black 

 filk, about the fize of a filbert, and fo full of jewels, as to make a very fplendid 

 appearance. 



From the commerce of this city, a ftranger would imagine It richer than It adlually 

 is. This Is partly owing to the two dreadful pillages it has fuftered, and partly to fires, 

 by both which it has been totally ruined. And though the houfes here, as already 

 obferved, are only of wood, the whole charge of which is the cutting and bringing it 

 to the city ; yet the expcnce of a houfe of any figure amounts to fifteen or twenty 

 thoufand dollars, workmen's wages being very high, and iron remarkably dear. Eu- 

 ropeans, who have raifed any thing of a fortune here, when they have no immoveable 

 goods to detain them, retire to Lima, or fome other city of Peru, where they may 

 improve their flocks with greater fecurity. 



CHAP. VI. — Of the Temperature of the Air, and the different Seafons at Guayaquil ; 



its Inconveniences and Dijlempers, 



IN Guayaquil, the winter fets In during December, fometlmes at the beginning, 

 fometimes in the middle, and fometlmes not till the end of the month, and lads till 

 April or May. During this feafon, the elements, the infedts, and vermin, feem to have 

 joined in a league to incommode the human fpecies. Its extreme heat appeared from 

 fome thermometrical experiments ; for, on the 3d of April, when its intenfenefs had 

 begun to abate, at fix in the morning the liquor flood at one thoufand and twenty-two ; 

 at noon at one thoufand and twenty-five ; and at three in the afternoon at one thoufand 

 and twenty-feven ; which fhews the heat in the middle of winter to be greater than at 

 Carthagena. The rains alfo continue day and night, accompanied with frequent and 

 dreadful tempefts of thunder and lightning ; fo that every thing feems to confpire to 

 diflrefs the inhabitants. The river, and all thofe which join it, overflow their banks, 

 and lay under water the whole country. The long calm renders the refrefhing winds 

 very defirable ; and the innumerable fwarms of infedts and vermin Infefl both the air 

 and ground in an intolerable manner. 



The fnakes, poifonous vipers, fcorplons, and fcolopendras, in this feafon find methods 

 of getting Into the houfes, to the deftru6lion of many of the inhabitants. And though 

 they are not actually free from them all the refl of the year, yet at this time they are 

 far more numerous, and alfo more aftive ; fo that it is abfolutely neceffary to examine 

 carefully the beds, fome of thefe animals having been known to find their way into 

 them : and both as a fafeguard againfl the danger, and to avoid the tortures of the 

 mofchitos and other infefts, all perfons, even the Negro flaves and Indians, have toldos 

 or canopies over their beds. Thofe ufed by the lower clafs of people are made of 

 tucuyo, or cotton, wove in the mountains : others ufe white linen laced, according to 

 the temper or ability of the owner. 



Though all thefe hot and moifl countries fwarm with an Infinite variety of volatrte 

 infects, yet the inhabitants are no where fo greatly incommoded as at Guayaquil, it being 

 impofTible to keep a candle burning, except in a lantern, above three or four minutes, 

 numberlefs infects flying into its flame and extingulfhing it. Any perfon therefore 

 being obliged to be near a light, is foon driven f om his pofl by the infinite numbers 

 which fill his eyes, ears, and noflrils. Thefe infeds were almofl infupportable to us, 

 during the fhort clear intervals of fome nights, which we fpent in making obfervations 

 oil the heavenly bodies. Their flings were attended with great tortures j and more 



than 



