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The National Geographic Magazine 



many intelligent and cultivated people. 

 Their hospitality is proverbial. I have 

 continually received presents of sweet- 

 meats, butter, cakes, venison, and even 

 fish. There are no fish in or near Quito. 

 They must be brought from Guayaquil 

 frozen in blocks of ice — a journey of six 

 days on mule back. I shall always be 

 indebted to my courteous, cultivated 

 friends of Quito for their constant kind- 

 ness to me. 



The population of Quito is computed 

 to be about 70,000. Being the capital of 

 the Republic, the government buildings 

 and offices are here and also the presi- 

 dential palace. The handsome govern- 

 ment and municipal buildings, the bish- 

 op's palace, and the cathedral surrovmd 

 the great plaza. There are many beau- 

 tiful churches and convents in Quito. 

 The church of the Jesuits is superb, with 

 its interior a mass of scarlet and real 

 gold. Singers from Europe are attached 

 to the choir. Here in the capital, above 

 the clouds, is one of the prettiest theaters 

 in South America. 



The Cornmercio and Tieiiipo, the lead- 

 ing newspapers, are progressive, well 

 edited, and influential. 



The mean temperature of the city is 

 about 60 degrees. The thermometer 

 scarcely ever rises above 70 degrees or 

 sinks below 50. The mornings and even- 

 ings are cool, the middle of the day 

 warm. The climate is delightful — never 

 hot, never cold — a perpetual early spring. 

 Consumption and pulmonary diseases are 

 practically unknown. Many marvelous 

 cures have been accomplished in cases of 

 consumption where hope had been given 

 up. There are many people who would 

 pay any price to be delivered from the 

 great white plague. Quito seems to be 

 a cure. The days and nights are of 

 twelve hours' duration the year round. 

 The difference between sun and shade is 

 ID degrees. This difference is felt at 

 once by moving from sun to shade or 

 vice versa. A journey of four hours 

 from the city will place the traveler in the 

 region of eternal frost, or in the space of 

 half a day he can descend to the deep and 



sultry valleys which separate the mighty 

 chains of the Andes. This variation of 

 temperature, depending upon elevation 

 and occurring between narrow limits,, 

 furnishes a daily and diversified supply 

 of vegetable food, from the banana, pine- 

 apple, orange, and plantain, to wheat, 

 corn, potatoes, cabbages, salads, apples,, 

 pears, grapes, and strawberries. Hens 

 lay so persistently that medicine has to 

 be given to them to save their lives. As 

 the climate is cool and the houses un- 

 heated, daily and frequent exercise on 

 foot or on horseback is absolutely neces- 

 sary. On leaving the city it is difficult 

 to avoid the sun, as trees are scarce ; but 

 sunstroke is unknown. Mosquitoes, 

 snakes, scorpions, tarantulas, and rats 

 are unheard of. There are no bugs or 

 beetles. 



The flora of Quito is beautiful and in- 

 exhaustible. Roses bloom all the year 

 round ; wild flowers cover the sides of 

 courtyards and ruins ; tulips, orchids,, 

 pinks, and lilies bloom winter and sum- 

 mer, and geraniums run riot over walls 

 and roofs. 



COMMERCIAL PROSPECTS 



Ecuador is a sound-money country 

 and has never issued paper money. As 

 the Ecuadorians have demonstrated in 

 the past their good sense in this matter, 

 the actual currency, which is on a gold 

 basis, is unlikely to be disturbed in the 

 future. 



Ecuador has no foreign debt. The 

 only foreign debt incurred has been paid, 

 off. This was the money borrowed dur- 

 ing the struggle for independence. The 

 onlv obligation of the government at 

 present is the interest on the bonds issued , 

 for the construction of the Guayaquil 

 and Quito Railroad. Development al- 

 ways follows the railroad. 



Ecuador is the principal producer of ' 

 cocoa and ivory nuts in the world. On . 

 the coast, coffee, rubber, bananas, sugar- 

 cane, rice, cotton, and tobacco grow lux- 

 uriantly. Upon the plateaux of the high . 

 district's are produced wheat, corn, oats, . 

 beans, potatoes, and all the principals 



