i62 AVOYAGETO Book IV. 



this diflemper to Guayaquil, I follow the general 

 opinion, as it was before that epocha unknown there. 



The natives are very fubjed to cataracts, and other 

 diftempers of the eye, which often caufe a total blind- 

 nefs. Though thefe diftempers are not general, yet 

 they are much more common than ill other parts 

 and, I am inclined to think, it proceeds from the 

 aqueous exhalations during the winter, when the whole 

 country is overflowed with water, and which, from 

 the chalky texture of the foil, muft be viicid in the 

 higheft degree ; and, penetrating the external tunic, not 

 only foul the cryftalline humour, but alfo cover the 

 pupil, from whence catarafts, and other diforders of 

 the eyes, have their origin. 



CHAP. VII. 



Provijions^ and Manner of Living at Guayaquil. 



HERE, as at Carthagena, nature and necelTity 

 have introduced feveral kinds of bread, made 

 from different grains and roots, to fupply the want of 

 wheat. But the moll ufual here is the criollo, or na- 

 tural bread, being unripe plantancs, cut into dices, 

 roafted, and ferved up as bread. But this is not en- 

 tirely owing to necefiity, as feveral kinds of meal might 

 eafily be brought from the neighbouring mountains 

 in fufiicient quantities to fupply all the inhabitants of 

 the city ; though only a fmall fhare of it would fall 

 to the lot of the poor, on account of the price, which 

 vaftly exceeds that of the plantanes. However this 

 be, the latter are defervedly preferred to wheat bread, 

 which is fo badly made, that even the Europeans re- 

 fufe to eat it, and accuftom themfelves to the criollo, 

 which is far from being unpalatable. 



Most of the other provifions, except beef, fruits, 

 and roots, are imported from the provinces of the 

 2 Cord el- 



