Beautiful Ecuador 



sights of the world — sunrise on Chim- 

 borazo. The majestic giant stands out 

 in the dawn, his mantle of snow washed 

 with crimson and gold. The road winds 

 over gigantic hills, around precipices, and 

 down steep descents until we reach the 

 great plain of Latacunga, stretching to 

 the foot of dread Cotopaxi. 



The fields as well as the broad roads 

 crossing the wide valleys are inclosed by 

 adobe walls surmounted by the broad- 

 leaved American aloe. The aloe, some- 

 times called the century plant, is one of 

 the most useful and important plants in 

 the country. It is an erroneous idea that 

 it flowers only once in a hundred years. 

 The Indians thatch their huts with its 

 leaves. The leaves when tapped yield 

 syrup ; they can also be used as soap, and 

 the spines as pins. The fiber is woven 

 into sacks and from it are made the 

 coarse sandals worn b}' the common peo- 

 ple. The tall flower stalks are used for 

 beams and ladders. The flowers, boiled 

 and soaked in vinegar, make an agreeable 

 pickle. 



The cochineal is found in abundance 

 upon the leaves of the plentiful cactus. 

 Its name is derived from its supposeil 

 resemblance to a little pig (cochinillo). 

 It is used by the Indians for dyeing 

 ponchos and shawls. 



As we approach the city of Latacunga 

 the country becomes more sterile. The 

 plain is covered with volcanic sand and 

 pumicestone, indicating the neighborhood 

 of Cotopaxi. The houses and churches 

 are built of pumicestone thrown out by 

 the mountain, which in the past has 

 caused much destruction to this part of 

 the country. 



There is a legend that the great earth- 

 quake of 1698 was predicted by a priest 

 seven years before it took place. The 

 Carmelite nuns of Latacunga believed in 

 the prophecy and slept in tents in their 

 garden for seven years. The convent 

 fell, but the nuns were saved. 



Latacunga is the starting point of the 

 most romantic gold legend in Ecuador. 

 The lost treasure of the Incas is supposed 

 "to be hidden in the neighboring hills. 



One Valverde, a Spaniard, was informed 

 of the secret by his sweetheart, an Inca 

 maiden, and he became suddenly very 

 rich. He left a description and guide of 

 the hiding place. This document was 

 preserved in the archives of the city until 

 it was stolen. Many expeditions have 

 been made in search of the lost treasure, 

 but without success. 



From this city we journey over rolling 

 country to the foot of Cotopaxi (18,890 



Water Carrier 



feet ) . The mountain presents a beauti- 

 ful appearance, clad in its robe of snow. 

 Its shape is that of a regular truncated 

 cone with a flat summit. The crater is 

 uninterrupted in activity, and volumes of 

 white and gray smoke continually issue 

 from it. Generally the smoke assumes 

 the form of an enormous tree, with trunk 

 and branches, until a current of air tears 

 it awav from the mountain and it floats 



