^H. IV. SOUTH AMERICA. 155 



ing in the old town. Thefe forts are built of large 

 pieces of very hard wood, forming a variety of pal- 

 lifades, and the wood is particularly proper for this 

 country, and the ufe it is here applied to ; retaining 

 its folidity either under the water or in the mud. 

 Before thefe fortifications were ereded, the city was 

 taken by European corfairs, in the years 1686 ariid 

 1 709 ; but the fuccefs of the latter vv^as owing to the 

 villaipy of a Mulatto, v;ho, in order to revenge him- 

 felf on fome particular perfons in the city, conducted 

 the enemy through a bye w^ay, where they were not 

 expelled fo that the inhabitants, being furprized^ were 

 not prepared for defence. 



All the churches and convents are of v/ood, except 

 , that of St. Domingo, ftiil (landing in the old town, 

 which is of (lone ; the great folidity of the ground in 

 that part being fuiiicient for fupporting buildings of 

 this kind. The convents in the new city, befides 

 the parochial church, are an Auguftine and a Fran- 

 cifcan, together v/ith a college of Jefuits ^ but the 

 members of them not very num.erous, on account 

 of the fmallnefs of the revenues. Here is alfo an hof- 

 pital, but without any other endowment than the Ihell 

 of the building. The city and its jurifdidion are 

 under a corregidor, nominated by the king, who 

 holds his office durino; five vears. Notwithftandino; 

 he is fubordinate to the prefident and audience of 

 Quito, he appoints the deputies in the feveral de- 

 partments of his jurifdidion ^ and, for the police and 

 civil government, Guayaquil has ordinary alcaldes 

 and regidores. The revenue is managed here by a 

 treafurer and an accomptanr, who receive the tributes 

 of the Indians, the duties on imports and exports, 

 and the taxes on commodities, which are either con- 

 fumed there, or carried through it. 



The ecclefiaftical government is lodged in the 

 bifhop of Quito's vicar, who is generally alTo the prieft 

 of the town, 



CHAP. 



