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.
=Minor Ports= are Esmeraldas, Bahia, Manta, Cayo, Machalilla, Manglar
Alto, Ballenita.
RAILWAYS
=Guayaquil-Quito Railway.= The American built railway to Quito, 290
miles long, opened in June, 1908, begins on the opposite side of the
river at a place called Durán, to which passengers are ferried by the
company. Here are the railway offices, repair shops, and warehouses.
The railway traverses a fine country where sugar cane, coffee, cacao,
bananas, and plantains are cultivated, to Bucay, nearly 1000 feet above
the sea, at the foot of the Cordillera, 57 miles from Durán. A steep
climb here begins with at times a 4¹⁄₂ per cent grade. Above Huigra
at 4000 feet, where the upland Indian in poncho appears, is a section
where land-slides and washouts are common. Here is a famous switchback
where the train backs up the face of a precipice on a ledge cut in
the rock. At the Alausi Loop, besides a fine view of a splendid river
gorge, the system of terrace cultivation is well seen, every available
foot being thus employed up to 12,000 feet.
There is a slight descent to Riobamba, altitude 9200, where the night
is spent. On this healthful plateau wheat is cultivated, in increasing
quantity since the coming of the railway. Beyond Riobamba, which is
noted for its market, made picturesque by hundreds of Indians from the
surrounding country, the highest point of the railway is reached, the
Chimborazo Pass, 11,841 feet. A descent follows to Ambato, altitude
8550 feet. The climate is more equable than most of the other basins
enjoy, and the “Fair” held here is the most famous in Ecuador. In the
Latacunga Valley are good pasture lands with cattle, and irrigated
fields where fruits and vegetables of the temperate zone are raised. At
a height almost equal to that of the Chimborazo Pass, the road crosses
the base of Cotopaxi, from whose crest the smoke is ever curling. The
fertile valley of Machachi beyond, with its rows on right and left of
famous volcanoes, often covered with green up to the eternal snows,
presents a picture unique in all the world. The Chillo Valley near,
contains cotton and woolen mills run by water power, manufacturing
cheap cloth for the use of the natives. Quito has for some time been
the terminus of the railway. Owing to engineering difficulties its cost
was so great that it has not been a paying proposition; with settled
conditions good returns are hoped for. Wood has been used as fuel but a
change to oil is expected.
=Additional railways= are planned, and construction work is going on
at several points. The line is being prolonged from Quito to Ibarra,
105 miles, another link in the Pan American chain. Several other roads
are expected to climb to Quito from the coast. The first of these to be
completed is the Esmeraldas Railway from the port San Lorenzo 125 miles
to Ibarra. Construction is well advanced.
Another railroad of 186 miles planned from Bahia de Caráquez is now
operated to Chone, 20 miles only. Its completion may follow that of
Esmeraldas. One more is talked of from Ancon de Sardinas, all to
extend to Quito. To the east connection is planned with the Amazon
Basin by means of a railway from Ambato to San Antonio on the Curaray
River, from which steam navigation would be made by the Curaray and
the Napo to the Amazon. From Ambato 20 miles have been constructed.
From Sibambe, a little below Alausi, a railway is begun to Cuenca, 125
miles. A railway 94 miles long from Guayaquil to Santa Elena is half
finished, 1921. The Government of Ecuador is said to have authorized a
concession for the construction of a railway from Puerto Bolívar on the
Pacific to Borja, just below the Pongo de Manseriche on the Marañón.
OTHER MEANS OF COMMUNICATION
Aside from the few railways, water ways and mule trails are the means
of communication. The rivers, and the estuaries, tide water channels,
are of great importance, even streams practicable only for canoes. On
the Ecuador littoral 600 miles altogether are deemed navigable, these
at present of greater use than the Amazon tributaries, which in the
future will have a development of assured value.
On the water ways of the Pacific system the steamboat, the flat boat or
_chata_, the raft, and the canoe, all have their place. Steamboats of
from 25 to 125 tons serve the Guayas River System above Guayaquil, this
including nearly a dozen streams or estuaries, in winter penetrating to
the foot of the Cordilleras. If the natural water ways were properly
developed and a few artificial canals were opened, a much larger field
of the richest territory would be accessible. The _chatas_, boats
without sails carrying from 4 to 50 tons, are of lighter draught, the
rafts too are important. Made of bamboo and _balsa_ wood they are very
light, a single log 40 feet long being able to support 2 tons. Rafts of
20 or 30 logs, in part roofed over, carry the entire family as well as
heavy freight. Thanks to the strong tide on the rivers they float down
stream very rapidly, returning with a load up stream at turn of tide,
more slowly, but without additional propulsion, far above Guayaquil.
In this way 48 miles a day may be covered. Canoes of course have the
same advantage and steamboats also, these being often delayed at Puná
or Guayaquil to have the benefit of the tide which runs 8 miles an
hour. The canoes, which are able to carry from 500 to 50,000 pounds of
freight, bring from remote places valuable cargoes of cacao or other
stuff and return laden with supplies. Few roads or trails exist in this
section, but there are some, available in the dry season, especially in
the better populated districts of Guayas. A trail through the jungle
called a _trocha_, made with axe and machete, is soon overgrown again.
In the Andine section there is one good cart road leading from
Quito 115 miles south. The trails to the east are five in number;
the most frequented, the one from the Pichincha Province (Quito)
to the _pueblos_ or villages of the Napo (a high road is now being
constructed), one from Tungurahua farther south through Baños to
Canelas; one from Chimborazo to Macas; one from Azuay to Gualaquiza;
one from Loja to Zumba and Chita, and on to Jaen in Peru.
Between the plateau region and the coast, at the north, practically no
communication exists, but farther down there are a number of trails.
Thus there are roads to Latacunga and Ambato from the lower valleys
west, several extend to points above from Babahoya or Bodegas, the
capital of Los Rios and the chief port of the interior on the river
which also enjoys the two names. Bodegas is 36 miles up from Guayaquil
and is reached by a strong tide so that river steamers come up on the
flood in 8 hours and even go higher in winter when the rivers are full.
It is from Bodegas that interior traffic begins to points not easily
accessible from the railway.
From Naranjal and Machala, coastal towns of El Oro at the extreme
south, roads lead to Cuenca and other interior towns; other roads
farther south go to Loja, and to Tumbes in Peru. All of these roads are
merely mule or bridle trails, no wagon roads existing. In the Andine
region there are naturally additional trails from one point to another,
many reaching altitudes of 13,000 or 14,000 feet, crossing chasms or
rivers on swinging bridges three feet wide, with no more guard than a
single wire if any, and passing along slippery dangerous slopes, where
the meeting of a loaded mule train may well excite terror; a rock wall
on one side and a precipice on the other, often leaving small space for
passage. Scenes of beauty may repay some persons for the discomforts
and risks endured, but not the average tourist, nor will sufficient
business reward the commercial traveler.
The Leonard Exploration Company is to make caminos and later cart roads
into the Oriente, where its oil wells may be located.