474 
VOYAGE OF THE POTOMAC. 
[October, 
CHAPTER XXVIIL 
Sail from the Galapagos — Visit Guayaquil — Touch at the ports of Payta and Lam- 
bayeque — Arrival at Callao — Meet the Fairfield — Return to Valparaiso — Depart 
' for the United States — Falkland Islands. 
We left Charles's Island on Tuesday, the tenth of September, 
and after a passage of seven days made the Main, and came to 
anchor at Puna Island, Bay of Guayaquil, about forty miles below 
the town. Guayaquil has been a flourishing commercial city, 
and the principal port of entry in that portion of the republic of 
Colombia which, since its dismemberment, forms the republic of 
the Equador. It is situated about seventy-five miles from the sea, 
on the north bank of the river whose name it bears, in latitude 2° 
12' south, and about one hundred and forty miles north of Payta. 
It is built partly on the side and partly at the foot of a hill, which 
gently descends towards the river. Quito is the capital, once a 
place of great wealth and splendour, and acknowledged to be the 
first-born of the independence. 
The commodore, with a party of officers, spent a week in 
Guayaquil, and very agreeably too ; for on no part of the coast is 
there more improved and refined society, or a people who better 
know how to practise the rites of hospitality. Besides, Guaya- 
'quil has long been celebrated for its female beauty. The country, 
however, is growing poor, from the effects of almost constant rev- 
olution with which ithas been afflicted. 
We sailed from Puna on Sunday, the twenty-ninth of Sep- 
tember, and touching at the ports of Payta and Lambayeque, ar- 
rived at Callao on Sunday, the twenty-seventh of October. The 
Falmouth had departed long since for the United States, and in 
her place wa.s found one of our squadron, the sloop-of-war Fair- 
field, Master-commandant Vallette. In her first lieutenant, James 
P. Wilson, we were happy to meet an old acquaintance, a long- 
tried friend, an able officer, and a worthy man. During all the 
month of January, Commodore Wads worth was expected to arrive 
at Valparaiso, when the Potomac, in course, would depart for the 
