172' ' A VOYAGE TO Book IV> 



fliips or veflels, is found very durable, being not fub- 

 jedl either to fplit or rot 



The Indians here pay their annual tribute in the 

 wood of the mangrove, which is ufed occafionally in 

 fuch works as its nature is bell adapted to. 



The iicutenancy of Yaguache is at the mouth of 

 the river of the fame name, which falls into that of 

 Guayaquil on the fouth fide ; and has its rife from 

 the fkirts of the Cordillera, fouth of the river Bamba, 

 Its jurifdidion contains three towns •, the principal, 

 that where the cuflom-houfe is eredled, is San Jacin- 

 to de Yaguache ; the two others are Noufa and An- 

 tonche. To thefe belong two priefts, one refiding at 

 Yaguache, and the other at Noufa. Though thefe 

 towns are but thinly inhabited, the farms and coun- 

 try have great numbers, particularly of the poorer 

 fort. 



The chief produ(ftion of Yaguache is wood, and a 

 little cacao: but cattle and cotton are the principal 

 objeds of their attention. 



Babahoyo, a name fufficiently known in all thefe 

 countries, it beino; the feat of the grand cudom-houle 

 for every thing going into the Cordillera, or coming 

 from thence, has a very large jurifdidion, in which, 

 bendes the principal town, are thofe of Ujiba, Cara- 

 col, Quilea, and Mangaches the two laft border on 

 the- Cordillera, and are a confiderable diftance from 

 Ujiba, wliere the prieft refides during the winter, re- 

 moving in the fummer to Babahoyo which, befides 

 its fettled inhabitants, has always a great number of 

 traders from other parts. 



^ The mangrove fhoots out collateial branches, which bend 

 down, take root, and put out others which do the fame, fo that 

 one tree in a few years covers a large fpace of ground. Thofe 

 Hems that are within the reach of high-water mark are generally- 

 covered with a fmali kind of oyiler, culled mangrove oyilers, 

 which are eaten by the natives. 'I'he bark of the tree is ufed to 

 tan leather, in which it fucceeds very v/ell, but gives the leather a 

 much hiffher colour than oak bark. A. 



The 



