Part II 



Book I 

 Which Describes the District of the Circuit Court of Panama. 



Chapter I 



Of the City of Panama, and the Circuit Court EstabHshed There. 



886. The city of Panama is at 9° N. It was founded by Pedro 

 Arias Davila when he was Governor of Nueva Castilla del Oro, in the 

 year 15 19, on the Pacific coast, at the water's edge. It is a port and 

 the chief transshipping point for all the kingdoms of Peru, at which 

 they disembark all the gold and silver coming from there for Spain, 

 and load all the merchandise coming from Spain for those kingdoms. 



887. This city has more than 500 Spanish residents, not counting 

 the transients and all the service rabble, free Negroes, and mulattoes. 

 All the streets start at the harbor and run E. and W., so that the 

 winds (which blow ordinarily N. and S.) may cool them from both 

 sides — all except two streets, those of Santo Domingo and of Cala- 

 fates, and they are hotter for that reason. It has a hot, damp climate 

 but although it has had the name of being unhealthy, it is not. It is 

 built, as I have stated, at the water's edge, and along the seashore, 

 so that when one comes by boat from Peru, it looms up very extensive 

 and attractive, although it is built practically altogether of planking ; 

 from the sea it looks like a large city, because the house plots are 

 ample and spacious, on account of the heat, and for that reason they 

 cover much ground and space. It is abundantly supplied with all the 

 varieties of fruit found in the Indies ; of Spanish sorts they raise 

 only grapes, figs, melons, and pomegranates, two crops a year, the 

 climate being hot and moist ; they have some Spanish vegetables ; 

 corn is raised in large quantity, and is shipped in by boat, being 

 indispensable both as food for the inhabitants and for the great num- 

 bers of mules which serve for the transportation from Panama to 

 Puerto Bello, which is one of the busiest routes in the world. Excellent 

 beef and veal are to be had in quantity, and other provisions and 

 luxuries — flour, preserves, etc. — come from the valleys of Peru, Lima, 

 Trujillo, Safia, and other points. 



888. The Circuit Court has its seat in this city; it is the oldest 

 of those established on the Spanish Main. It usually has a Presi- 

 dent, who is the Governor and Captain General, four Justices, who 



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