THE ISTHMUS OF PANAMA. 71 



They retain the Spanish dialect, but speak it, how- 

 ever, imperfectly, it being more or less confounded 

 with provincialisms. In their habits they are peace- 

 able, inoffensive and hospitable, although on all tho- 

 roughfares they soon become distrustful of Ameri- 

 cans, from the manner in which they are often treated ; 

 no distinction being made between them and the 

 class of boatmen and porters one is usually obliged 

 to contend with, who travels between Chagres and 

 Panama ; the last being principally from Jamaica 

 and other places, either negroes or a mixture of ne- 

 gro and Indian blood. These are mostly a set of 

 despicable vagabonds, and deserve neither kindness 

 nor forbearance. The qualification they most esteem 

 is an ability to cheat ; in a contract, they are obedient 

 in promises, but when once they have shoved their 

 boat from shore, they claim the right of exemption 

 from engagements made on land, and treat with 

 dogged insolence any attempt to urge them from 

 their purposes. 



The San Bias Indians, who occupy the country 

 bordering on the bay of that name, w r ere never subject 

 to the Spaniards, and entertain towards them a most 

 inveterate hatred to this day. As might be expected, 

 they are exceedingly jealous of their independence, 

 and will allow no European to cross their country, 

 or settle upon it. This arises from the tradition of 

 former Spanish aggressions ; and, esteeming their 

 country as an especially favored part of the world, 

 they are ready to suspect from any wdio visit their 

 coast, a design for their extermination. The Men- 



