i8o A VOYAGE TO Book IV. 



only in fome of the principal pieces, which are of 

 wood. Their method of building is, to fix in earth, 

 eight, ten, or twelve pieces of wood, more or lefs, 

 according to the dimenfions of the houfe, forked at 

 the top, and of a proper length, all the apartments 

 being on the firft ftory, without any ground floor. 

 Beams are then laid acrofs on thefe forks, at the 

 diftance of four or five yards from the ground. On 

 thefe beams canes are laid in fuch a manner as to 

 form a kind of rafters, and over thefe boards of the 

 fame canes a foot and a half in breadth, which form 

 as firm and handfome a fleoring as if of wood. The 

 partitions of the feveral apartments are of the fame 

 materials, but the outer walls are generally laticed, for 

 the free admilTion of the air. The principal beams 

 of the roof of large houfes are of timber, the rafters 

 of cane, with finaller, in a tranfverfe direction, and 

 over thefe vijahua leaves Thus a houfe is built 

 at very little expence, though containing all the necef- 

 fary conveniencies. With regard to the poorer fort, 

 every one's own labour fuffices to procure him a 

 habitation. He goes up a creek in a fmall canoe, and 

 from the firfl: wood cuts down as many canes, vijahua, 

 and bejucos "f, as he wants, and, bringing the whole 

 to the fliore, he makes a balza or float, on which he 

 loads his other materials, and falls down the river to 

 the place where he intends to ere6l his cottage. After 

 which, he begins his work, faftening with bejucos 

 thofe parts which are ufually nailed j and, in a few 

 days, finifnes it in the completed manner. Some of 

 thefe cottages are almofl equal in dimenfions to thofe 

 of timber. 



The lower part, both of thefe houfes, as well as 

 thofe in the greatefl: part of the jurifdidlion of Gua- 

 yaquil (which are of the fame form), are expofed to 



* This leaf is 3 or 4 feet long, and about i broad. A. 

 f A long pliant twig, ufed as a cord by, the natives ; defcribed 

 ■JB.V. Ch. i. A. 



- - all 



