ULLOA*S VOYAGE TO SOUTH AMERICA. 377 



CHAP. III. — Of the Climate and Inhabitants of Panama. 



MANY countries of America have fuch a refemblance, in refpeft to the inhabitants 

 and cuftoms, that they appear the fame. This is equally obfervable in the climate, 

 when no difference is occafioned by the accidental difpofition of the ground, or quality 

 of the foil. But, this fubject having been already fufficiently handled, a rational 

 curiofity will require us only to mention thofe particulars in which they differ. Thus, 

 after faying that the inhabitants of this city refemble thofe of Carthagena with regard 

 to their conflitution, I mufl add, that there is fome difference in their difpofition, thofe 

 of Panama being more parlimonious, more defigning and infldious, and flopping at 

 nothing when profit is in view, the pole-flar both of Europeans and Creoles ; and it is 

 difficult to determine which fet the firfl example. The fame felfifhnefs and parfimony 

 reigns equally among the women, fome Spanilh ladies excepted, who have accompanied 

 their hufbands, appointed auditors, or to fome other employments ; thefe flill retaining 

 the qualities they imbibed from education. 



The women of Panama begin to imitate the drefs of thofe of Peru, which, when they 

 go abroad, confifls only of a gown and petticoat, nearly refembling thofe worn in Spain ; 

 but at home, on vifits, and fome particular ceremonies, their fhift is their only clothing 

 from the waill upwards. The Heeves are very long and broad, and quite open in the 

 lower part or near the hand ; and thefe, like the bofom, are decorated with very fine 

 lace, the chief pride of the ladies of Panama. They wear girdles, and five or fix chap- 

 lets or rows of beads about their necks, fome fet in gold, fome of coral mixed with fmall 

 pieces of gold, and others lefs coftly ; but all of different fizes, in order to make the 

 greater fhow ; and befides thefe, one, two, or more gold chains, having fome relics 

 dependent from them. Round their arms they wear bracelets of gold and tombac ; 

 alfo firings of pearls, corals, and bugles. Their petticoat reaches only from their waifl 

 to the calf of their legs ; and from thence to a little above their ancle, hangs, from their 

 under petticoat, a broad lace. The Mefliza, or Negro women, or the coloured women 

 as they are called here, are diflinguifhed in their drefs from thofe of Spain, only by the 

 gown and petticoat ; the particular privilege of the latter, and which alfo gives them the 

 title of Signora ; though many of them have little to boafl of, either with regard to rank 

 or wealth *. 



If I omitted in Carthagena the following obfervation, it was in order to referve it for 

 this place ; namely, that in Carthagena, Porto Bello, and Panama, the inhabitants have 

 a very fmgular pronunciation ; and as fome nations have a haughty accent, fome a 

 politenefs in their manner of expreffion, and others fpeak in a very quick manner ; fo 

 here their pronunciation has a faintnefs and languor, which is very difagreeable, till we 

 are reconciled to it by cuflom. And what is flill more particular, each of thefe three 

 cities has a different accent in this languor ; befides particular fyllables peculiar to each, 

 and no lefs different than they are from the manner of fpeaking ufed in Spain. This 

 may, in fome meafure, flow from an ill habit of body, weakened by the exceilive heat of 

 the climate ; but I believe it is principally owing to cuflom. 



The only difference between the climate of Carthagena and this is, that fummer 

 begins later, and ends fooner, as, the longer the brifas delay their return, the fooner 

 they are over. From many thermometrical obfervations made on feveral days without 

 any fenfible difference betwixt them at the fame hours, on the 5th and 6th of January 



* Thefe cuftoms are general throughout all the northern parts of South America. A. 



vol.. XIV. 3 c '73^1 



