[No envelope]
“This has no date. It was started sometime
and closed near that time.”
In a hurry[.] Ha. Ha.
[No salutation]
Today is Sunday, October 15. We have been on the steamer Columbia since noon of Sunday, Oct. 1. We cannot give you an account of all that has taken place, yet to sum it up in a few words, there was nothing out of the ordinary occurred. Two weeks upon this steamer is not the most pleasant thing in the world, but since we are not out on a pleasure trip I shall not complain.
We posted our last letter at Guayaquil last Tuesday. We arrived at that point on Sunday one week ago. We laid in the gulf in quarantine from Friday A.M. till Sun. P.M. before they would allow us to go up the river to the port.
I must tell you how we were impressed by the Ecuadorian 4th of July. Well, this is not what they call it, but it is the anniversary of their independence as a republic.
As we steamed up the Guayaquil river enjoying the beautiful scenery on either side and the sunset such as we do not see at home, the darkness began to gather round us, only to be broken by glaring illuminations displayed throughout the business portion of the city. Remember, this was Sunday evening, and the celebration had already begun. Please bear in mind that we are not in Ohio. Well, the sight was really pleasing to behold. They had designs of different kinds made of lights, and the fronts of the buildings [were] covered with gas jets which made the buildings appear as it [sic] were in a flame. This was the more attractive part, of course by night and the less noisy. Soon the band struck up. The first few measures were quite pleasing indeed, but they soon reached the end and began measuring the same measures again, seemingly making them longer each time. The music was anything but desirable at the end of the jubilee. At about 11 P.M. the grand torchlight parade took place. We were lulled into fairyland by the sweet strains of Ecuadorian sameness ere the parade began, so we have the statements of the few who kept awake as to its grandeur.
Well, after we enjoyed a few hours of sleep we were awakened by the same familiar strains that put us asleep. The city presented itself in an altogether different garb. Now we see every place decorated with the national colors. The people seem to be very enthusiastic and do not stop for expenses in the way of decorations of all kinds on an occasion of this kind. The view from the steamer of the city is very unsatisfactory to those who desire to see everything, so after we relished a good breakfast our company concluded to go ashore with the steamer’s physician, Dr. Anderson, who is also an American but can twist his tongue in the Spanish way quite well. He is quite desirable company for these occasions, besides, he makes the set of four full. Don’t understand me to say that we got full, I am only using a military term to express myself since we see so many Ecuadorian soldiers.
Along this coast there are but a few good harbors, so the steamers must anchor some distance from the harbor and transfer all cargo into launches. Then from these to the piers. We are therefore obliged to go ashore in a small rowboat rowed by nat,s. We again stepped upon solid ground, which created the usual pleasant sensation. The Dr. acts as our guide and interpreter and also pays the bills while on shore, [sic] then we square up accounts when we get back to the steamer. The natives charge 30¢ in their money for each passenger in their little boats, which is less than 15¢ in our money.
We are now plodding along the streets of a strange city [Guayaquil, presumably] with old Sol [sic] beating us with his rays in a disagreeable fashion, [illegible] each of us has una paragua, [an umbrella] so that we do not mind the heat much. I must say here that we have not much use for our ears, but our eyes are employed most of the time. Many of the things and ways of the people are becoming familiar to us and do not attract our attention so much. Everything in general here is an improvement over Panama. This is said to be characteristic of the country as we go farther south on our voyage.
The street railway is not an unknown thing in this city. The cars are rather toy-like as compared with our large electric cars. They are propelled in the old-fashioned way by horses or donkeys. They have quite an extensive system, some five miles in all, thus furnishing rest as well as new sights to the gringos or foreigners. We took the car ride after tiring ourselves walking, which was a pleasant feature of the day. We were much amused at the people in the way they looked at us and if possible get close to us. This is a peculiar habit the people have here: whenever strangers come ashore they must sit in front of you in the cars or as near you as they can? Each car has its conductor and driver. The latter has an odd way of urging his beasts besides the lash, which he uses with his mouth. I am unable to make the sound,so you will have to do without this bit of knowledge and drive your horses in the old[-]fashioned way,which I think is quite as good and more pleasing to the ear.
While on the car we passed the place where the bullfighting takes place. Since this is a feast day and a holiday for all, it would not be spent properly without a bullfight. As we passed the place we saw an excited mob of people all stretching their necks and yelling as though there was something taking place on the inside of the fence, which we concluded was a bullfight. There was one advertised to be fought in the afternoon, but afterward, we learned that was a failure, whether they selected a too-good-natured bull, or the man failed to do his duty, or whether the man and the bull were mutual friends, we did not learn. They associate considerable sacredness with this amusement. The priest has his part in it as well, in invoking divine guidance etc. etc. It is said that the game is an exceedingly cruel one.
The brute, if it is not skillfully killed outright, is tortured slowly till death relieves it. Of course, as I understand it, there are different ways of fighting, some in which horses are employed, and these are gored by the raging bull, only adding more cruelty to the game. In others, a man only takes part who is an expert, usually, whose object is to kill the brute with his dart, which is plunged into a vital spot about the head somewhere. If you read up on the subject of bullfights you will get a much better idea of them than I can give you. Since I am a Methodist missionary I did not feel quite justified in attending one, so I can give you only what others tell us about these seemingly cruel and barbarous sports.
In the afternoon after a short rest and light refreshments we again took the car for the baths, a short distance beyond the city on the opposite side of the island. The city is located on an island formed by tributaries of the Guayaquil river. This is a resorting [sic] place for the people of the place. It is a nice, cool place, being built over the river more in the form of a bridge with a crossing. Comfortable seats are provided for the lounger, and plenty of water is handy for those wishing to bathe. From here we can see many of the surrounding hills and mountain peaks. At the opposite end of this bridge, from where we left the car, there is quite a high peak of solid rock covered with a thin layer of soil and a growth of brambles. This rock is used for paving the streets of the city. These peaks present a dead appearance; the heat being so intense that it is impossible for much vegetation to sustain life. While the rest of the party were resting I climbed nearly to the top of this peak but made my stay very short. I have read about a hot place, being down, but this was a case of our being up, and since I felt no particular guilt of anything I did below, I immediately descended and joined the company.
While we were sitting at the resort we noticed several natives on horseback, from the interior, coming to attend the night celebration. They were, rather, on donkey back, the beasts being quite small indeed to carry these large men over such rough roads. They looked precisely like pictures you see of people of olden times. The men wore the mantle which is much used in this country. The saddle fixtures and spurs were of brass and huge things indeed for so small animals. Following closely these men were the women with the babies. They of course can stand to walk through the heat and carry the babes. Perhaps they are like some of our American parents, just going to the celebration for the sake of the children.
After spending some time at the resort we went back to the city. While on the car we sized up things as we went. We saw how the people lived. During the rainy season this country becomes flooded, it being very low and level. To avoid getting into the water at these times and, in fact, at all times, the natives build their houses upon stilts. This is not only a protection against the flood but also serves in an economic sense. You see, the human part of the family occupies the upper part and the rest of the family take the ground floor. Sometimes those that occupy the ground floor consist of several species; donkeys, goats, razorback hogs, fouls of any description, monkeys, cats and dogs, and all the filth common to these animals. The people surely get the benefit of this in a different form, perhaps to such an extent as to be indescribable. Yet there is no place like home to them after they are once accustomed to this mode of living “up in the world, above common society.”
Well, we have seen quite enough of the city and we wend our way back to the dock and take a boat for the steamer. We feel that the day is well spent and are now ready for the display of fireworks which is soon to begin. After watching numerous skyrockets go up and burst with their display of many colors in midair, and the ascension of many small balloons, the burning of roman candles, etc. etc., we are treated once more with that old familiar tune, the name of which I did not learn, which closes the day.
11/24/99 [surely he meant 10/24/99]
From Guayaquil to this point, Iqueque, Chile, where we intend to post our letters the coast is a barren one, though the interior is very fertile. The voyage has been a delightful one. We both have appetites sufficient to devour the silverware etc. if you don’t care what we say. The food is very good, and we are living on top of the pile while we have a chance. Just think, we have all the oranges and bananas that we can eat. If we had a few of those good apples that you are throwing away we would give you an even trade, but since this is out of the question we will be content with what we have. We are both feeling really well, as a result of our good appetites.
The scenery is more or less the same along the coast. It is one stretch of waste. Mountains and sand hills are becoming like old friends to us.
Our friends at Iqueque have been with us all day, and they will take our letters. They are Mr. Allen, Miss Carpenter, and Mr. Reader, all Delaware [Ohio?] people and several others whose names I have forgotten.
Bye Bye to you all and our combined love to all.
CHWert & Co.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
[Tuesday,] Oct 24, 1899.
Charlie has this space left and says I shall write a little more before we go ashore to visit the mission school at this place, (Iqueque).
There are several Ohio Wesleyan graduates here as teachers and we are told there are students here who have never seen a tree. I’m glad that we will not be in such a barren place, though we may get tired of the rains during the rainy seasons which begin about the first of March. We expect to reach Concepción next week sometime. Our journey has been quite interesting but seven or eight weeks [of] travel is quite enough at one time. It is impossible to write everything. I could tell you much more orally but if you are only all well and happy I will be perfectly content. We have now come for many miles along cliffs that are from twenty feet to several thousand feet high and descend very abruptly into the sea and to our great surprise we saw cable cars going almost straight up from the sea to the plateau above from a port this morning. The track is nearly one-half mile long and the cars carry about six tons of cargo at one time. They looked like bugs climbing up and down the great rocks but through the “sea-glasses” we could see them quite well. We have about forty “heads of cattle” to be unloaded here and the men just drop them into the harbor and make them swim ashore.
We expect to reach Valparaíso next Sunday, October 29. We were due there last Saturday already; so you see we have lost considerable time. From that place we expect to go the rest of the way by rail.
I suppose the people at home are husking corn, making sourkraut and getting ready in general for winter—and likely Grace has gone to school, Mellie is as busy as ever sewing, Allie and some of the rest working as hard as ever, and Ada, I presume, is spending her days in the schoolroom. I sincerely hope her work will be very much more pleasant than it was last year. If you see any of my pupils give them my best wishes and tell them I’ll try to write to some of them as soon as I get settled down. Remember me especially to the Sechrist family. I think I shall write to John first. I also hope John Coss is getting along nicely with his school.
Please send Mary Myers one of our bust [sic] pictures. I promised her one and forgot to send it before I came away. Her address is Lightsville, Dark, Co. O.,[Ohio] Ada, you must not forget to get Judd the “Houseboat on the Styx” and tell him I would like to hear from him when he has time to write. Also, give C. D. [??] our best wishes and tell him we expect him to take Xmas dinner with us.
I presume you have the picture Orlow intended to send you. He paid them all himself and said he would send one to each of the three homes. Now, wasn’t that kind of him. They made our visit very pleasant. For fear [sic; surely she meant “I,” not “For”] our letters will become a nuisance on account of length without much information. I want to hear from you all, grandma included.
With love
Dillie H. W.
Transcribed 2015 by SMK
Posted Dec 29, 2018 at 16:02.
Revised Nov 27, 2022 at 19:57. EDT.
Retrieved Jun 1, 2026 at 22:34.
Go to top of page
