«g8 ULLOA*S VOYAGE TO SOUTH AMERICA. 



degree ; and, penetrating the external tunic, not only foul the cryftalline humour, but 

 alfo cover the pupil, from whence cataracts, and other diforders of the eyes, have their 

 origin. 



CHAP. VII. — Provijions, and Manner of Living at Guayaquil, 



HERE, as at Carthagena, nature and neceffity have introduced feveral kinds of bread, 

 made from different grains and roots, to fupply the want of wheat. The moll ufual 

 here is the crioUo, or natural bread, being unripe plantanes, cut into flices, roafted, and 

 ferved up as bread. But this is not entirely owing to neceffity, as feveral kinds of meal 

 might eafily be brought from the neighbouring mountains in fufficient quantities to fup- 

 ply all the inhabitants of the city ; though only a fmall Ihare'^of it would fall to the 

 lot of the poor, on account of the price, which vaftly exceeds that of the plantanes. 

 However this be, the latter are defervedly preferred to wheat bread, which is fo badly 

 made, that even the Europeans refufe to eat it, and accuftom themfelves to the criollo* 

 which is far from being unpalatable. 



Mod of the other provifions, except beef, fruits, and roots, are imported from the 

 provinces of the Cordilleros and Peru. It would naturally be expeded, that the feve- 

 ral branches of this river, which abounds in fifh, would caufe a great plenty of them in 

 the city \ but it is quite otherwife, and the fmall quantity caught near it is far from 

 being good, and fo bony, that none but the inhabitants can eat them without danger. 

 Their badnefs in the neighbourhood of the city is probably owing to the brackiih water j 

 but fome leagues above the city, the river affords a great fupply of what is very exceU 

 lent. In fuch hot climates, however, they cannot be kept without fait j and it is feldom 

 the fifliermen venture to carry any to the city, left, after all their labour, they fhould be 

 obliged to throw them away. 



The coafts and neighbouring ports abound in very delicious fifh, fome of which are 

 carried to the city, as keeping better than the fpecies in the river ; and thefe, together 

 with feveral of the teftaceous kind, conftitute a confiderable part of the food of the inha- 

 bitants of Guayaquil. In the fait creek are taken very large and fine lobfters, of which 

 they make delicious ragouts : and from Jambeli creek, on the coaft of Tumbez, are 

 brought great quantities of oyflers, which, in every refpeft, furpafs thofe of all the coafts 

 from Panama to Peru, where there is alfo a great demand for them. 



The fame caufe which drives from that part of jhe river near the city the fineft fifh, 

 fome to the fait and others to the frelh waters, according to their refpedive natures, ren- 

 ders good water very fcarce at Guayaquil, efpecially in fummer ; none being to be had 

 at a lefs diftance than four or five leagues up the river, according to the height of its 

 waters. Many balzas are therefore employed in fetching water, and felling it to the 

 inhabitants. During the winter, this trade is partly at a ftand, as, by the increafe of the 

 rivers, the water at Guayaquil is rendered fit for ufe. 



Inftead of lard, as at Carthagena and other places, they commonly ufe, in dreffing 

 their food at Guayaquil, beef fuet. But whether the climate will not permit the beafts 

 to acquire a proper degree of fatnefs, whether the fuet itfelf be not good, or whether they 

 are carelefs in feparating it from the tallow ; the fmell and tafte of both are much the 

 fame, which render their dilhes extremely naufeous to ftrangers ; and what is little bet- 

 ter, they feafon all of them with Guinea pepper, which, though fmall, is fo very ftrong, 

 that the fmell of it, when whole, fufficiently declares its furprifmg adivity ; fo that per- 

 sons, not accuftomed to it, fuffer either way. Jf they eat, their mouths feem in a flame ; 



if 



