Description of Guiaquil.
At 8 last Night we came to an Anchor in 16 Fathom Water. The Island Sancta Clara bore N. E. by N. 5 Leagues. At 2 this Morning we weighed with the Flood, Wind at S. W. at 6 the Island bore N. by E. 4 Leagues distance.
A Description of the Province of
Guiaquil.
THE City or Town of Guiaquil is the Metropolis of a Province of that Name in Peru, govern’d by a President with 5 or 6 Orderes, which makes a Royal Audiencia or chief Court of Judicature, accountable only to the Viceroy in military Affairs. Every Province has a Government of the same Nature.
These Governors are commonly appointed, or, to speak more properly, purchase their Offices in Old Spain, for Life, or good Behaviour; and in case any die, or misbehave themselves, the Vice-roy may name another during his Time, which ought to be but 5 Years; but sometimes he gets these Officers of his own placing confirm’d by an Order from Spain, which is a considerable Part of the Vice-roy’s unknown Profits. The late Vice-roy continued 14 Years, several new ones having died by the Way. The King of Spain himself scarce lives in more Splendor than his Vice-roy in the City of Lima, where the chief Courts of Judicature are kept, and Appeals are brought thither from all Courts and Provinces of this extensive Kingdom. I should not here mention the vast Wealth the late Vice-roy obtain’d during his Government; the Sum being so large that I thought it fabulous, but that I was inform’d of it by so many Hands, who told me, that about 4 Years ago he died at least worth 8000000 Pieces of 8, and left it to his Widow and Children, but the greatest Part to his eldest Son, the Conde de la Monclo, besides vast Sums he gave away in Charity, during his Life-time, and the many Churches, Fryaries, and Nunneries that he built.
He left a better Character behind him than any Vice-roy had done for an Age past. The Conde, his eldest Son, waits here, expecting to succeed the present Vice-roy of Peru or Mexico, if the Government holds in Old Spain; but I and every Englishman ought earnestly to hope, that K. Charles III. will happily recover that Monarchy, and gratefully place a Vice-roy here that will shew himself as good a Friend to the English Trade, as the present Vice-roy does to the French; for he openly espouses their Interest, and encourages them; whereas the Spaniards say, he racks and heavily oppresses their own Countrymen.
The Corregidore that last died at Guiaquil, tho’ he had possess’d the Office but 5 Years, had rak’d together 300000 Pieces of 8, tho’ his Post was not allow’d to exceed above 2000 Pieces of 8 per Annum; but all the Corregidores make vast Advantages by Seizures, and trading privately themselves.
The Trade to and from Mexico is forbid here, under the severest Penalty, especially transporting Quick-silver from Peru thither, because Quantities are brought from Old Spain, which is impos’d on the Refiners at great Rates. Here are many Ships employ’d coasting in this Kingdom; but a Trade is so severely prohibited between ’em and Mexico, that all the Commodities with Silver and Gold in Returns, may have little other Circulation in these vast Countries, but by the Flota and Galeons to and from Old Spain. Yet notwithstanding the Severity us’d against private Traders, by the Vice-roys and Corregidores, there are some that use it, who have no Mercy shew’d ’em if caught, all being seiz’d in the King’s Name, tho’ his Majesty has little or no Share of it; All such Seizures (as I am told) being divided amongst these Officers, and the poor Sufferer banish’d or confin’d to a Goal.
Description of Guiaquil.
All English and Dutch Goods, except what comes by the Galeons, are prohibited here, so that the private Traders, after they have by stealth purchased ’em in the North Seas, must vend ’em in like manner all over Peru, and if the wholesale Merchants have not a good Certificate from the Commerce of Sevilia, that their Commodities came by the Flota or Galeons; whenever the Goods are question’d, they must disown them, for fear of a worse Punishment, unless they have a good Interest in the Vice-roy, which costs dear to purchase, and preserve; so that the Trader makes little Profit, but where the chief Officers have a feeling: yet tho’ these mercenary Vice-roys are so severe on others, they themselves employ the Corregidores to negotiate a Trade for them by a 3d Hand, which cannot be done to the Purpose, without being publickly known; so that Ships are constantly imployed on their Account, and carry Quick-silver and all manner of prohibited Goods to and from Mexico out of By-ports. Thus, being their own Judges, they get vast Estates, and stop all Complaints in Old Spain, by Bribes. The Goods they trade for have a free Passage and Sale through the Continent, whilst others, if they do but offer at it, are punish’d as above.