Ch. ir. SOUTH AMERICA. 117 



perpendicular height, by a geometrical menfuration, 

 we found to be loi toifes. 



The houfes in general, when we viiited this city, 

 were of wood, having but one flory, and a tiled roof, 

 but large; and from their difpoñtion, and the fym- 

 metry of their windows, made a handioine appearance. 

 A few were of ftone. Without the walls is an open 

 fuburb, larger than the city itlelf, and the houfes of 

 the fame materials and conftrué\ion as thole within, 

 except fdeh as border on the country, moft of which 

 are thatched with ilraw ; and among them fome 

 bujios, or huts. The fircets, both of the city and 

 luburb, are ftraight, broad, and for tiie moft part 

 paved. 



Though the greater part of the houfes were 

 formerly of wood, iires were rarely known at Panama, 

 the nature of the timber being Inch, that if any fire 

 is laid on the floor, or placed againft a wall, it is 

 produdive of no other confequence than that ot 

 making a hole, without kindling into a flame ; and 

 the fire itfelf cxtinguifhed by the aihes. But, not- 

 withfianding this excellent quality in the wood, in 

 the year 1737, the* city was almoft entirely conlumcd, 

 the goodnefs of the timber being unable to fecurc 

 it from the ravages of the flames ; indeed, by the 

 concurrence of another caufe the timber was then 

 rendered more combuftible. The fire began in a 

 cellar, where, among other goods,, there were great 

 quantities of pitch, tar, naphtha, and brandy ; thefc 

 inflammable fubflances rendered this Angular kind ot 

 wood a more caly prey to the devouring flames. In 

 this conflagration the fuburb owed its falety to its 

 diflance from the city, which is 1200 toifes. Smee 

 this misfortune, it has been again rebuilt ; and the 

 greater part of the houfes are now of ftone, all forts 

 of materials for buildings of this kind being here in 

 the grealeit plenty. 



1 3 In 



