I2S A VOYAGE TO Book IíÍ. 



bung-beef, hogs- lard, plantanes, roots, and other eat- 

 ables ; with all which, this city, by the indufiry of 

 others, is abundantly Tupplied. 



The Peru and Guayaquil vefiels, unlefs at the time 

 when the armada is here, return empty, except when 

 they have an opportunity of taking Negroes on board ; 

 as, while the alliento fubñíls, there is at Panama a fac- 

 tory, or office, which correiponds with that at Porto 

 Bello ; and hither the Negroes are brought, as being, 

 in fome meafure, the itaple for them, with regard to^ 

 the kingdoms of Terra Firma and Peru. 



The prefídent of Panama is inveiled with a power 

 of licenfing every year one or two fhips, which goto 

 Sonfonate, cl Realejo, and other ports in the pro- 

 vince of Guatemala and New Spain, to fetch frorn 

 thence tar, naphtha, and cordage, for the veifels be- 

 longing to the Panama trade ; they carry thither fuch 

 parts of the Peruvian goods as do not find a market 

 at Panama ; but few of the ihips which have ob- 

 tained this permiffion return immediately ; for the 

 moft profitable part of their trade confining of indigo, 

 they make the belt of their way to Guayaquil, or other 

 ports fartlicr to the fouthward. The dearnefs of pro- 

 vifions in this city and its difiric^l, occafioned by the 

 large quantity required, and the great diOance from 

 whence they are brought, is amply compcnfated by 

 the multitude and value of tlic pearls found in the 

 oyfiers of its gulf; and particularly thofe near the 

 ifbinds del Rev, Tabaga, and others, to the number 

 of 43, forming a Imall archipelago. I'he firil to 

 whom the Indians made this valuable difcovery was 

 Baleo Nunez de Balboa, who, in his paflage this way, 

 to make farther difcoveries on the South Sea, was 

 pretenled Vv'ith fome by ,1'uíhaco, an Indian prince. 

 At prefent tlicy'are found in fuch .plenty, that there 

 are few jierfons of fubirance near Panama, who do 

 not employ all, or, at lea fi, part of their llaves in 

 this fiihcry, the manner of which not being ,com- 

 2 monly 



