120 A VOYAGE TO Book ITT. 



vantage to the inhabitants of all the iilands in this 

 bay. 



The harbour of Perico is the rendezvous oí the 

 Peru fleet, during the time of the fiiir ; and is never 

 without barks loaded with provilions from the ports 

 of Peru, and a great number of coafling veiTels going 

 froai thence to Choco, and parts on the ueftcrn coaft 

 of that kingdom. 



I'he winds are the fame as along the whole coaft ; 

 the tides or currents are ítronjier near the iflands than 

 at a diftance from them ; but no general rule can be 

 given as to their courfe, that depending on tn.e place 

 where the fliip is, with regard to the channels which 

 they form. They alio vary in the fame place accord- 

 ing to the winds. Let it therefore fufhce that we have 

 ihewn there are tides on this coaft, that, on any oc- 

 caflon, this notice may be applied to ufc. 



CHAP. III. 



Of the Clitnate and Inhabitants of Pana?na. 



ANY countries of America have fuch a refcm- 

 blance, in refpeit to the inhabitants and cuf- 

 toms, that they appear the fame. This is equally ob- 

 fervable in the climate, when no diifcrence is occa- 

 iioned by the accidental difpoñtion of the ground, or 

 quality of the foil. But, this fubjedl having been 

 already liifhcienlly handled, a rational curioiity will 

 require us only to mention thofe particulars in which 

 they differ. Thus, after f.iying that the inhabitants 

 of this city reft-mble thofe of Carthagena with regard 

 to their confliiution, I nuift add, that there is tome 

 difference in their difpofition, thofe o/ Panama being 

 more parfnnonious, more dehgning and iniidious, and 

 ftopping at nothing when proht is in view, the pole- 

 ftar both of Europeans and Creoles ; and it is dif- 

 ficult 



