HYDROGRAPHY OF ECUADOR. 



235 



the Eastern Cordillera at the Loja Knot ; the whole Ecuadorean system thus 

 passes in a single ridge into Peruvian territory. 



Since the time of La Condamine and his associates, the altitudes of the heights 

 and cities of Ecuador have frequently been measured, but nearly always with 

 varying results. Even the first observers recorded figures for Chimborazo with 

 discrepancies of over 1,000 feet. Hence it would be premature to base any 

 geological hypotheses on the growth or decrease of the igneous cones of Ecuador 

 during modern times. There are altogether as many as twenty- two summits 

 which at present penetrate above the zone of perpetual snows. Subjoined are 

 the estimates of Reiss and Stiibel and of Whymper for some of the more important 

 altitudes : — 



Chimborazo . 



Cotopaxi 



Cayambe 



Antisaca 



Altar . 



Sangay 



Illiniza 



Carihuairazo 



Timguragua 



Cotocachi 



Corazon 



Pichincha 



Sara-Urcu . 



City of Quito 



III. 



Hydrography of Ecuador. 



Despite an abundant rainfall, springs and running waters are rare in the 

 volcanic region of Ecuador. In the loose scoriae and ashes covering much of 

 the surface the moisture disappears as soon as precipitated, and infiltrates to great 

 depths, reappearing at the crater mouths under the form of vapours. Even 

 thermal springs, usually occurring in hundreds in volcanic regions, are absent in 

 Ecuador. Whymper mentions one only near Machachi, between Cotopaxi and 

 Corazon, although the native geographers speak of several others at the base of 

 the Illiniza, on the Tunguragua slopes and elsewhere. 



Being fed by no springs about their sources, the rivers developed on the 

 plateaux are of slight volume, and are scarcely affected even by copious rains. 

 But beyond the region of ashes and pumice, where the surface waters disappear 

 as in a sieve, the streams flowing in less spongy beds increase rapidly in volume, 

 many assuming the aspect of real rivers before reacliing the coast. Such is the 

 Guallabamba, which, after leaving the plain of Quito, passes into a frightful 

 gorge, 2,000 feet deep, at the foot of the Mojanda volcano. Joined by the 

 Toachi, it forms the Chinto (Perucho or Esmeraldas, "Emerald Hiver"), a 

 navigable stream, but little utilised, owing to the absence of riverine popula- 



