Tulcán in Carchi, and Ibarra in Imbabura are mountain towns, which have some commercial intercourse along the plateau with Pasto, Colombia; with this city they will some day have rail connection.
Bolívar, the smallest Province, is off the line, like Los Rios, being between that Province and Chimborazo. It has the mountainous character and resources of the latter.
Territories
The Galápagos Islands, though of little importance at present, may become valuable as a commercial focus or as a coaling station, since the group lies almost in the path of vessels from the Panama Canal to Australia. Thirteen in number, the Islands on or near the equator have an area of nearly 3000 miles. Except Chaves Island they are privately owned. The inhabitants are few: a small colony on Charles or Santa Maria Island, others on Chatham or San Cristóbal, and on Albemarle. On Chatham is a sugar plantation with a factory for refining sugar and distilling alcohol. Three million pounds of sugar are produced, and if there were a market 40,000 gallons of alcohol might be, instead of the 3500 at present. A coffee plantation of 320,000 trees yields about 300,000 pounds of coffee yearly. Water has been piped five miles and a Decauville railway built. Henequen plants have been set out to furnish material for the needed bags and twine. The cattle industry and fishing are of importance; codfish and lobsters are abundant.
The Islands are especially distinguished for the giant tortoises which are said to live 500 years and sometimes weigh 600 pounds. None such are on the main land. They yield excellent oil, have good flesh and eggs, but are diminishing in numbers and should receive protection. A proposition to lease the Islands to the United States Government in 1911 was rejected by Ecuador.
The Oriente embraces a large forest region, which contains the varieties of trees and other conditions such as are found in the forests of Peru and Colombia; but up to this time there has been little exploitation of its resources. Quite recently the possibilities of petroleum development have been investigated. A concession for exploration and for the drilling of wells in an area of nearly 10,000 square miles has been granted to the Leonard Exploration Company, American.
CHAPTER XVII
ECUADOR: PORTS AND INTERIOR TRANSPORTATION
Ports
Guayaquil. The most important and frequently visited place in Ecuador is the coast city of Guayaquil, the chief port of entry through which communication is had with most of the interior districts. The entrance to the port from the Gulf is by way of the Jambeli Channel south of the island, Puná, on which the quarantine station is located, and where a pilot is taken for the 30 mile journey up the river. Guayaquil is accessible by ordinary ocean steamers drawing no more than 22 feet of water. Larger vessels may anchor at Puná and there transfer passengers or cargo to boats or lighters. It is now proposed to dredge the river as far as Guayaquil. Ships do not come to the docks, which for a mile and a half line the water front of Guayaquil. As in general along the entire coast, goods are transferred to lighters and passengers to rowboats or launches in order to reach the city.
Founded in 1535, Santiago de Guayaquil has suffered many calamities: sacked by buccaneers, more or less destroyed by conflagrations, and shaken by earthquakes. From the water the town has a pleasing appearance, which is constantly improving. The buildings of wood and plaster, which appear quite massive, present the usual variety; many contain first class shops where almost everything is purchasable. The water supply, which is to be largely increased, coming from the Cordillera, 53 miles, passes under the river to a reservoir on the northern hills. There are electric lights and tramways, cable communication by telegraph from Santa Elena, also wireless, several manufacturing plants for local needs, such as gas, ice, chocolate, etc., and a shipyard where vessels are built or repaired. The tide here is swift and strong (8 knots an hour), both up and down, so that all boats take advantage of it in going either way; the flat boats manned by natives bring down provisions, vegetables, and fruit, or go below to fish, without exertion on their part, and with little if any returning. The city is on a low plain with a salt estuary at the back. This could easily be made into an excellent quiet harbor, with docks approachable by steamers, an advantage which would doubtless expedite the gradual increase of commerce.