GUA 
Guayaquil. corregidor appoints a deputy governor, but whose au- 
—_Y~ thority must be confirmed by the audience of Quito. 
These are Puerto Viejo, a poor and thinly inhabited 
district, abounding in wood, producing a little cotton, 
and formerly noted for a considerable pearl fishery in 
the bay of Manta——Punta de Santa Elena, a low fertile 
couritry, full of salt works, but chiefly remarkable for 
possessing the purple dye so highly esteemed among 
the ancients, and which is simply the blood of a species 
of shell fish growing on the rocks. The threads, after 
being drawn through this liquor, are tinged at first with 
a milky hue, which changes into green, and then into a 
vivid purple, which does not fade by wearing, and is 
rather improved by washing.—Puna, a low flat island 
in the mouth of Guayaquil river, about seven leagues 
square, covered with thickets of mangrove trees.— 
Yaguache, around the mouth of a river of the same 
name, which falls into the Guayaquil, has no towns of 
note, but the country is populous, and | ste soma much 
excellent wood.—Babahoyo, is a large district, subject 
to great inundations during winter, but productive in 
€otton, rice, Guinea pepper, and other fruits, especially 
in plantations of cacao. Large droves of horses, mules, 
po black cattle, which are kept in the mountains during 
the wet season, are brought down when the land is dry, 
and fattened on the plant called gamalotte, which, resem- 
bling barley in its blade, grows in such luxuriance as 
entirely to cover the plains, even to the height of 7 or 8 
feet.—Baba, a very extensive district reaching to the 
skirts of the Cordillera, abounds chiefly in the cacao 
tree, which delights in a watery soil, and which here 
grows frequently to the height of 20 feet. The gather- 
ing of its truit and drying of its seed forms the princi- 
pal trade of the inhabitants. Daule has many large 
orchards, and extensive corn fields, plantations of cacao, 
eotton, and sugar cane, but is chiefly distinguished by 
the excellence of its tobacco, Throughout the whele 
province of Guayaquil numbers ef cattle are reared, 
especially where there are mountainous tracts to afford 
a retreat during the season of the inundations. The 
woody parts are much infested with insects and noxious 
animals. The river of Guayaquil, which is the prin- 
cipal channel of the commerce of the country, is navi- 
gable for the space of 24 leagues, from the isle of Puna 
at its mouth to the town of Babahoyo, where all the 
goods intended for the Cordillera, or proceeding thence, 
must be entered. This river is frequently swelled by 
torrents from the mountains; and, as these floods are 
continually shifting the sand banks, its navigation is 
uncertain, and requires constant sounding. It is na- 
vigated principally by balzas, or rafts, which are made 
of a soft, light wood, and which are of various sizes, 
but frequently carry 400 or 500 quintals. (See Bauza.) 
The principal articles of the cargoes exported from the 
province are cacao, timber, salt, and cattle, tobacco, 
wax, Guinea-pepper, drugs, and ceibo-wool. This last 
is the product of a high and tufted tree, and bears a 
greater resemblance to silk than either to cotton or 
wool. It is chiefly used to fill mattresses, and has this 
remarkable Property, that when compressed by damp- 
ness, yet, if laid in the sun, it swells again, and often 
with such foree as to stretch the,covering of the mat- 
tress. The imports are wine, brandy, oil, and dried 
fruits from Peru; bays, flour, papas, bacon, hams, 
cheese, and similar articles, from Quito; iron and 
cordage from New Spain ; and European goods from 
Panama. But the ences profits of the Guayaquil 
traders arise from the commercial exchanges between 
Eima and Quito, which pass in the course of its river, 
538 
= 
GUE : 
especially in the summer season, when the” goods can 
be conveyed between the mountainous districts and the 
shipping. The banks of the river are covered with 
habitations, as the inhabitants thus enjoy the advan- 
tages both of fishing and of agriculture. These houses, 
like the greater part of what are built in the province, 
are chiefly of timber, and raised upon posts 12 or 15 feet 
from the ground, on account of the general inundations 
during winter. In that season, the inhabitants of the 
level districts pass from house to house by means of 
canoes, which even the children are able to man 
with extraordinary dexterity. The river of Guayaquil 
supplies the numerous inhabitants of its borders with 
abundance of fish ; and the Indians after harvest set 
sail in their balzas with their families, and employ se- 
veral weeks in fishing ; moving from one creek to ano« 
ther, according to their success. Besides using har- 
poons and nets, they employ in the smoother creeks a 
certain herb: called Jarbasco, which they chew, mix 
with bait, and seatter on the water. The juice of 
this herb is so powerful, that it often kills the smaller 
fish when they eat of it ; and so stupifies the larger, that 
they float on the surface, and are taken up without an’ 
trouble. The increase of the fish is greatly hi ; 
by the multitudes of alligators which frequent the 
river and the adjacent plains; and some of which are 
fifteen feet in length. tr 
formly flee at the approach of a man; but they often 
devour the calves, colts, and even the children when 
wandering near the river in the dusk ; and it is said, 
that after once tasting human flesh, they become more 
ravenous, sometimes watching an opportunity to 
the boatmen, while asleep, into the water. The gal« 
linazo, a bird about the size of a pea-hen, and very 
common in the hot climates of South America, fur- 
nishes a useful check to the increase of the alligators by 
its activity in destroying their eggs. Concealed amon, 
the branches of a tree, it silently watches the fe 
alligator till she has laid and covered her eggs in the 
sand. As soon as she is gone, the bird darts upon the 
spot, and, assisted by a multitude of its tribe, who 
readily join the fortunate discoverer, uncovers the nest, 
and devours the eggs. See Ulloa’s Voyage to South 
America, vol. i. (q) 
GUAYRA. See Caraccas, vol. v. p. 424. 
GUERCINO. The original name of this celebrated” 
artist was Giovanni Francisco Barbieri. Malvasia relates, 
that in his infancy he lost the sight of his right eye, 
and that from this accident he acquired the name by 
which he is now generally known. He was born at 
the village of Cento, in the. territory of Ferrara; and 
little doubt remains that he never received any 
instructions in painting but what he derived from two 
very obscure artists in his own country, namely, Gio. 
Batista Cremonini, and Benedetto Gennari. It has been 
affirmed, indeed, that he was taught in the school of 
the.Carracci; but this supposition is rendered impro« 
bable by a variety of circumstances, and by none more 
than the peculiarities of his different styles, all of which 
are at variance with the principles of that school. It is 
more than likely, however, that he derived much ad- 
vantage from studying the magnificent picture of Lo« 
dovico Carracci at the Capuchins at Cento ; but for the 
great proficiency which he attained, he must be con~ 
sidered as chiefly indebted to the strength of his own 
. axe and to the careful study of nature, The ten« 
ency of his mind began to shew itself at an early age ; 
and it is recorded of him, that when only ten years old, 
he painted a picture of the Virgin, in 
e facade of his - 
hey are not ferocious, and uni« 
