Ch.ix; sotJtH America. 179 



the city; another, termed L^gaftos, is near the cuftbm- 

 houfe at Babahoyo. Thefe are the large ft^ and at the 

 fame time extend to fuch a diftance from the principal 

 river, as to form very coilfiderable iflands. 



The tides, as we have before obferved, in fu miner 

 time, reach up to the cuftom-houfe^ checking tha ve* 

 iocity of the waters, and, confequently, caufing them 

 to fwell ; but, in winter, the current being ftronger 

 and more rapid, this increafe df the water is vifibk 

 only in the reaches near Guayaquil; and in three or 

 four different times of the year, the great velocity of 

 the current renders the tides imperceptible; the firft 

 of this feafon happens about Chriflmas. 



The principal calife of the fwellings of this rivef 

 arifes from the torrents rufliino; down from the Cordil- 

 lera into it. For though rain is frequent here^ great 

 part of the water is received by its lakes, or flagnates 

 on the plains. So that the increafe of the river is ert* 

 rirely owing to the torrents from the mountains. 



One particular inconvenience of thefe floods is, their 

 fliifting the banks of fand lying between the city and 

 tfla Verde ; fo that hd fliips of any corifiderabk burden 

 can go up with fafety, without continually founding 

 with the lead, unlefs care has beeii taken to mark the 

 banks finec their lad- chano-e. 



Th£ borders of this river, like thofe of Yaguache* 

 Paba, and Daule, as well as thofe of the creeks and 

 Canals, iare decorated with country feats, and cottag<fs 

 of poor people df all cafts, having here both the con-^ 

 venience of fiihing and agriculture; and the interme- 

 diate fpaces filled with fuch a variety of thickets, that 

 art would find it difficult to imitate the delightful land* 

 fcape here exhibited by nature. 



The principal and moft common materials ufed in 

 buildings on thefe rivers, are canes, whofe dimenfions, 

 and other particulars (hall be taken notice of in their 

 place. Thefe alfo form the iinvard parts, as walls, 

 floors, and rails of the ftairs ; the larger houfes differ 



N 2 Cniy 



