4 AVOYAGETO Book VIL ' 



'Vfttt here alfo little to be apprehended, which are fre- 

 quently rendered neceffary in the other road by inun- 

 dations, rivers, and precipices. 



On the 30th of Odober we reached the Bodegas, 

 or warehouses, of Babayoho, where taking a canoo 

 we went down the river to Guayaquil ; and embark- 

 ing on board a fmall fhip bound for Puna, we an- 

 chored in that port November the 3d. At this place 

 we hired a large balza, which brought us through 

 the gulph to Machala. For though the ufual rout 

 is by the Salto de Tumbez, we were obliged to alter 

 our courfe, the pilot not being well acquainted with 

 the entrance of a creek, thro' which you pafs to the 

 Salto. 



On the 5th in the morning our balza landed us on 

 the coaft of Machala, from whence we travelled by 

 land to the town, the diftance being about two fhort 

 leagues. The next day we fent away our baggage in 

 a large canoo to the Salto de Tumbez ; going myfelf 

 in the fame canoo, being difabied by a fall the pre- 

 ceding day. Don George Juan, with the fervants, 

 followed on horfeback : the whole country being level, 

 is every where full of fait marfhes, and overflows at 

 high water, fo that the track is not fufHcient for two 

 to go a-breaft. 



The Salto where I arrived on the 7th at night, is a 

 place which ferves as a kind of harbour for boats and 

 fiTiall vefTels. It is fituated at the head of fome creeks, 

 particularly that of Jambeli, between fourteen and 

 fixteen leagues from the coaft, but intirely deftitute 

 of inhabitants, no frefh water being found in any 

 part of the adjacent country fo that it only ferves 

 for landing goods configned to Tumbez, where they 

 are carried on mules, kept there for this purpofe; 

 and in this its whole trade confifts. The Salto is un- 

 inhabited ; nor does it afford the leaft fhelter, all the 

 goods brought thither being depofited in a fmall 

 fquare ^ and, as rain is feldom or never known here, 

 4 there 



