Ch.I. south AMERICA. 209 



thefe forefts are alfo terribly infefted with fnakes and 

 monkies, particularly a kind called marimondas, 

 which are fo very large, that, when (landing on their 

 hind legs, they are little lefs than fix feet high. They 

 are black, and, in every refped, very ugly but eafily 

 tamed. None of the forefts are without them but 

 they feem moft common in thofe of Gu:;yaquil. 



Among the vegetable produflions, 1 fhail feleft 

 three, which to me feemed worthy of a particular de- 

 fcription; namely, the cana, vijahua, and the bejuco; 

 as thev are not only the materials of which the houfes 

 in the jurifdiclion of Guayaquil are built, but alfo ap- 

 plied to various other ufes. 



The canas, or canes, are remarkable both for their 

 length and thicknefs, and the water contained in their 

 tubes. Their ufual length is between fix and eight 

 toifes ; and though there is a difference in their fize, 

 the largeft do not exceed fix inches diameter. The 

 wood or fide of the tube is about fix lines in diameter; 

 fo that, when the cana is opened, it forms a board near 

 a foot and a half in breadth; and hence it will not, 

 appear ftrange, that houfes fhould be buik of fuch 

 materials. From the time of their flrft appearance^ 

 till they attain their full perfedionj when they * are 

 either cut down, or of themfelves begin to dry, mcft 

 of their tubes contain a quantity of water *, but with 

 this remarkable difference, that at full mojn they are 

 entirely, or very nearly, full and with the djcrc afe 

 of the moon the water ebbs, till at the conjun6l:ion 

 little or none is to be found. 1 have myfclf cut them 

 it all feafons, fo that I here advance nothing but what 

 I know to be true from frequent experience. I hav€ 

 alfo obferved that the water durinc^ its decreaf; aj - 

 pears turbid, but about the time or the full moon it 

 is as clear as cryftai. The Indians add another par- 

 ticular, that the water is not found in all the joinr^^, 

 one having water, and anothe" not, alternately. -All 

 1 can fay to this fiAngularlty is, that on opening a 



Vol. L ^ F ' joint 



