Miscellanies. 383 



which overlooks the valley of Hambato. The view of the valley from 

 this elevation, (about seven hundred feet,) is extremely beautiful, 

 and the eye, fatigued and half blinded by the glare and heat thrown 

 from the parched soil, rests with pleasure on the fresh and luxuriant 

 green of this beautiful spot ; the valley is narrow and shut in on all 

 sides by dark, barren hills ; it is not dependent on the clouds for 

 the water that nourishes the eternal verdure in which it is clothed, 

 for it scarcely ever rains here ; a considerable stream runs through 

 it, the water of which is carried in numberless channels to irrigate 

 the fields ; these fields are divided by rows of a very graceful kind 

 of willow, vsrhose feathery branches and light green foliage are strongly 

 contrasted with the rich carpet of " alfalfa,^'' or lucern, with which a 

 large portion of the valley is covered. The climate of Hambato is 

 said to be finer than any other in Ecuador, notwithstanding the al- 

 most endless variety to be found at different elevations from the sea ; 

 it is an eternal spring, no frost nips, and in the hottest season the air 

 is tempered by cool breezes from the mountains. No very severe 

 earthquakes are recorded to have happened ; the same convulsions, 

 which have laid in ruins the towns in the vicinity on every side, have 

 been slightly felt at Hambato, and have passed without doing any 

 serious injury ; possibly this may arise from some peculiar formation 

 of the valley. The variety of the productions of this extraordinary 

 spot is such as might be expected from its climate and situation ; 

 elevated about six thousand feet above the level of the sea, enjoying 

 almost continual sunshine, and supplied with abundance of water, 

 tropical and temperate climes seem to have united in giving it the 

 fruits pecuHar to each ; wheat, barley, pease, potatoes, maize, sugar 

 cane, and coffee growing side by side, while apples, pears, plums, 

 peaches, cherries, grapes, figs, olives, oranges and lemons are pro- 

 duced in the same garden. The climate is so healthy, that invalids 

 from all parts of the country come to profit by its salubrity. I have 

 mentioned that it scarcely ever rains at Hambato ; at Mocha, where - 

 we slept the night before, about five leagues to the southward, it rains 

 more or less almost every day in the year ; and at La Tacunga, 

 somewhat more than that distance to the northward, there is a stated 

 rainy season, as in most parts of the Ecuador ; such a total diversity 

 of climate, in places so near each other, and not differing materially 

 in elevation, is a very curious meteorological phenomenon ; can it 

 have any connection with the fact of the non-occurrence of severe 

 earthquakes at Hambato ? A very intelligent gentleman, a native of 



