4o6 ' ULLOA's voyage to south AMERICA. 



The mouth of thq river at the Ifla Verde is about a league in breadth, and even 

 foniething broader at Guayaquil, above which it contrads itfelf as it advances nearer 

 the mountains, and forms other creeks, the mouth of one of which, called Eftero de 

 Santay, faces the city ; another, termed Lagartos, is near the cuftom-houfe at Baba- 

 hoyo. Thefe are the largeft, and at the fame time extend to fuch a diftance from the 

 principal river, as to form very confiderable iflands. 



The tides, as we have before obferved, in fummer-time reach up to the cuftom-houfe, 

 checking the velocity of the waters, and confequently caufing them to fwell ; but, in 

 winter, the current being ftronger and more rapid, this increife of the water is vifible 

 only in the reaches near Guayaquil ; and in three or four different times of the year 

 the great velocity of the current renders the tides imperceptible : the firft of this feafon 

 happens about Chriftmas. \ 



The principal caufe of the fwellings of this river arifes from the torrents rufliing 

 down from the Cordillera into it. For though rain is frequent here, great part of the water 

 is received by its lakes, or ftagnates on the plains : fo that the increafe of the river is en- 

 tirely owing to the torrents from the mountains. 



One particular inconvenience of thefe floods is, their fliifting the banks of fand lying 

 between the city and Ifla Verde ; fo that no ftiips of any confiderable burden can go 

 up with fafety, without continually founding with the lead, unlefs care has been taken 

 to mark the banks fince their laft change. 



The borders of this river, like thofe of Yaguache, Baba, and Daule, as well as thofe 

 of the creeks and canals, are decorated with country-feats, and cottages of poor people 

 of all cafts, having here both the convenience of fifliing and agriculture ; and the in- 

 termediate fpaces filled with fuch a variety of thickets, that art would find it difficult to 

 imitate the delightful landfcape here exhibited by nature. 



The principal and moft uncommon materials ufed in buildings on thefe rivers, are 

 canes, whofe dimenfions and other particulars fliall be taken notice of in their place. 

 Thefe alfo form the inward parts, as walls, floors, and rails of the flairs ; the larger 

 houfes differ only in fome of the principal pieces, which are of wood. Their method 

 of building is, to fix in earth, eight, ten, or twelve pieces of wood, more or lefs, 

 according to the dimenfions of the houfe, forked at the top, and of a proper length, all 

 the apartments being on the firft ftory, without any ground floor. Beams are then 

 laid acrofs on thefe forks, at the diftance of four or five yards from the ground. On 

 thefe beams canes are laid in fuch a manner as to form a kind of rafters, and over 

 thefe boards of the fame canes a foot and a half in breadth, which form as firm and 

 handfome a flooring as if of wood. The partitions of the feveral apartments are of the 

 fame materials, but the outer walls are generally latticed, for the free admiflion of 

 the air. The principal beams of the roof of large houfes are of timber, the rafters of 

 cane, with fmaller, in a tranfverfe diredion, and over thefe vijahua leaves.* Thus a 

 houfe is built at very little expenfe, though containing all the neceffary conveniences. 

 With regard to the poorer fort, every one's own labour fuffices to procure him a 

 habitation. He goes up a creek in a fmall canoe, and from the firft wood cuts down as 

 many canes, vijahuas, and bejucos,t as he wants, and, bringing the whole to the 

 ,fliore, he makes a balza or float, on which he loads his other materials, and falls 

 down the river to the place where he intends to ered his cottage. After which, 

 he begins his work, faftening with bejucos thofe parts which are ufually nailed j and, 



* This leaf is three or four feet long, and about one broad. A. • 



f A long pliant twig, ufed as a cord by the natives ; defcribed Book V. Ch. I. A, 



in 



