From Puna to Guayaquil is seven leagues, the entrance into the river of that name being two miles across, and it afterwards runs up into the country with a pretty straight course, the ground on both sides being marshy and full of red mangrove trees. About four miles below the town of Guayaquil, the river is divided into two channels by a small low island, that on the west being broadest, though the other is as deep. From the upper end of this island to the town is about a league, and the river about the same in breadth, in which a ship of large burden may ride safely, especially on the side nearest the town. The town of Guayaquil stands close to the river, being partly built on an ascent, and partly at the foot of a small hill, having a steep descent to the river. It is defended by two forts on the low grounds, and a third on the hill, and is one of the best ports belonging to the Spaniards in the South Sea. It is under the command of a governor, and is beautified by several fine churches and other good buildings. From this place they export cocoas, hides, tallow, sarsaparilla, drugs, and a kind of woollen cloth called Quito-cloth. The cocoas grow on both sides of the river above the town, having a smaller nut than those of Campeachy.[165] Sarsaparilla delights in watery places, near the side of the river. [Footnote 165: The _cacao_, or chocolate-nut is probably here meant, not the cocoanut.--E.] Quito is a populous place in the interior of the country, almost under the line, being in lat. 0° 12' S. and long. 78° 22' W. from Greenwich. It is inclosed by a ridge of high mountains, abounding in gold, being inhabited by a few Spaniards, and by many Indians under the Spanish dominion. The rivers or streams which descend from the surrounding mountains carry great abundance of gold dust in their course into the low grounds, especially after violent rains, and this gold is collected out of the sand by washing. Quito is reckoned the richest place for gold in all Peru,[166] but it is unwholesome, the inhabitants being subject to headaches, fevers, diarrhaes, and dysenteries; but Guayaquil is greatly more healthy. At Quito is made a considerable quantity of coarse woollen cloth, worn only by the lower class all over the kingdom of Peru. [Footnote 166: Quito was annexed to the empire of Peru, not long before the Spanish conquest, but is now in the viceroyalty of New Granada.--E.]