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.