tJLLOA's VOYAGE TO SOUTH AMERICA. 409 



the fore-part of the veflel, muft make her lufF up ; and by taking it out, (he will bear 

 away or fall off. Likewife on a guara's being fhoved down at the ftern, flie will bear 

 away j and by taking it out of the water, the balza will luff, or keep nearer to the 

 wind. Such is the method ufed by the Indians in fleering the balzas j and fometimes 

 they ufe five or fix guaras, to prevent the balza from making lee-way ; it being 

 evident, that the more they are under water, the greater refiftance the fide of the 

 veffel meets with ; the guaras performing the office of lee-boards, ufed in fmall veffels. 

 The method of fteering by thefe guaras is fo eafy and fimple, that when once the 

 balza is put in her proper courfe, one only is made ufe of, raifing or lowering it as 

 accidents require ; and thus the balza is always kept in her intended diredion. 



We have before obferved, that this river and its creeks abound in fifh, which for 

 fome time in the year afford employment for the Indians and Mulattos inhabiting its 

 banks, and for which they prepare towards the end of fummer, having then fown and 

 reaped the produce of their little farms. All their preparatives confift in examining 

 their balzas, giving them the neceffary repairs, and putting up a frefli tilt of vijahua 

 leaves. This being finifhed, they take on board the neceffary quantity of fait, har- 

 poons, and darts. With regard to their provifion, it confills only of maize, plantanes, 

 and hung-beef. Every thing being ready, they put on board the balzas, their canoes, 

 their families, and the little furniture they are mafters of. With regard to the cattle 

 and horfes, of which every one has a few, they are driven up to winter in the 

 mountains. 



The Indians now fteer away to the mouth of fome creek, where they exped to take 

 a large quantity of fifh, and flay there during the whole time of the fifhery, unlefs they 

 are difappointed in their expedations ; in which cafe they fleer away to another, till 

 they have taken a fufficient quantity, when they return to their former habitations j 

 but not without taking with them vijahua leaves, bejucos, and canes, for making the 

 neceffary repairs. When the communication is opened with the provinces of the Cor- 

 dilleras, and the cattle begin to return into the plains, they carry their fifh to the 

 cuflom-houfe of Babahoyo, where they fell it ; and with the produce, purchafe baize, 

 tucuyo, and other fluffs, for clothing themfelves and families. 



Their method of fifhing is thus : Having moored their balza near the mouth of a 

 creek, they take their canoes, with fome harpoons and fpears, and on fight of a fifh 

 make towards it, till they arrive at a proper diflance, when they throw their fpear at it 

 with fuch dexterity, that they feldom mifs; and if the place abounds in fifh, they 

 load their canoes in three or four hours, when they return to their balzas to fait and 

 cure them. Sometimes, efpecially in places where the creeks form a kind of lake, they 

 make ufe of a certain herb called Barbafco, which they chew, mix with fome bait, 

 and fcatter about on the water. The juice of this herb is fo flrong, that the €fh on 

 eating a very little of it become inebriated, fo as to float on the furface of the water, 

 when the Indians have no other trouble than to take them up. This juice is adually 

 fatal to the fmaller fifh, and the larger do not recover for fome time ; and even thefe, 

 if they have eaten a confiderable quantity, perifh. It is natural to think, that fifh 

 caught in this manner mull be prejudicial to health : but experience proves the con- 

 trary, and accordingly the mofl timorous make no difficulty of eating them. Their 

 next method of fifhing is with nets ; when they form themfelves into companies, for the 

 better management of them. 



The largefl fort of fifh caught here is called Bagre, fome of which are a yard and a 

 half long; but flabby, and of an ill tafle, fo that they are never eaten frefh.^ The 

 Robalo, a fort of large trout, is the mofl palatable ; but being only taken in the 



VOL. XIV. 'I G creeks 



