ts6 A VOYAGE TO Book IV. 



CHAP. V. 



Of the Inhabitants^ Cnjloms^ and Riches of 



Guayaquil. 



GUAYAQUIL contains, in proportion to its 

 dimenfions, as many inhabitants as any city in 

 all America ; the continual refort of ftrangers, drawn 

 thither by commerce, contributing very greatly to in- 

 creafe the number, generally computed at twenty 

 thoufand. A great part of its eminent families are 

 Europeans, who have married there ; befides which, 

 and fubltantial Creoles, the other inhabitants are of 

 different cafts, as in the cities already defcribed. 



The inhabitants, capable of bearing arms, are di- 

 vided into companies of militia, according to their 

 rank and call fo that on occafion they may be ready 

 to defend their country and property. One of thefe, 

 confifting entirely of Europeans, and called the fo- 

 reign company, is the mofb numerous, and makes the 

 mod fplendid appearance among the whole militia. 

 Without confidering their wealth or ftation, they ap- 

 pear in arms, and pay a proper obedience to their of- 

 iicers, v/ho are chofen by themfelves, from their own 

 body, being generally luch as have ferved in Europe, 

 and, confequently, more expert in military affairs. 

 The corregidor is the commander in chief-, having 

 under him a colonel and major, for difciplining the 

 other comuanies. 



Though the heat here is equal to that of Panama 

 or Carthagena, yet the climate diftinguifhes itfelf in 

 the colour of the human fpecies ; and if a certain au- 

 thor has ftyled it the equino61;ial Low Countries, in 

 aliuQon to the refemblance it bears to the Netherlands 

 of Europe, it ma}^, with equal propriety, bear that 

 appellation from this fmgularity, namely, that all the 

 natives, except thofe born from a mixture of blood, 

 5 are 



