Ch. VI. SOUTH AMERICA. 133 



Cofta Rica, by Punta de Mariatos, Morro de Puercos, 

 to the gulf" oí Darien ; whence it continues fouth- 

 ward along the coaii^, by Puerto de Pinas, and Morro 

 Quemado, to the bay of St. Bonaventura. Its length 

 from eatl to well is 180 leagues, but, if meafured 

 along thecoafl, it exceeds 230 ; and its breadth, from 

 north to Ibuth, is the fame as that of the ifthmus, 

 which includes the whole province of Panama, and 

 part of that of Darien. The narrowefi part of this 

 ifihmus is from the rivers Darien and Chagre, on the 

 north fea, to thofe of Pito and Gamito on the foutli 

 fea : and here the diftance, from fea to fea, is about 

 14 leagues. Afterwards it increafes i.i breadth to- 

 wards Choco and Sitara ; and the fame weftward in 

 the province ofV^eraguas, forming an interval of forty 

 leagues from fea to fea. 



Along this iñhmus run thofe famous chains of 

 lofty mountains, called the Andes, which, beginning at 

 fuch a prodigious diñance as the Terra Magellanica, 

 traverfethe kingdom of Chili, the province of Buenos 

 Ayres, and thence through the provinces of Peru and 

 Quito ; and from the latter, contracl themfelves, as 

 it were, for a paiTage through this narrow iithmus. 

 Afterwards, again widening, they continue their courfe 

 through the provinces and kingdoms of Nicaragua, 

 Guatemala, Cofla Rica, St. Miguel, Mexico, Guajaca, 

 la Puebla, and others ; with feveral arms or ramifica- 

 tions, for ilrengthening, as it were, the ibuthern with 

 the northern parts o( America. 



In order to give the reader a comprehenfive idea 

 of this kingdom, 1 fhall fpeak particularly of each 

 of its three provinces, beginning with that of Panama 

 as the principal. Moil of its towns and villages are 

 fituated in fmall plains along the lliore, the reft of the 

 country being covered with enormous and craggy 

 mountains, uninhabited on account of their ilerility. 



In this province are three cities, one town, a few 

 forts, villages^ and country feats ; the names of 



K 3 which, 



