of the Ifthmus of America. 315 



by the Name of the Bay of Panama. In this Bay of 

 are feveral as fine Iflands, as are any where to be p ** am ** 

 found, the Kings or Pearl Iflands ^ Pacheque^ Che- 

 pelio, Perica^ &c. with great Variety of good Ri- 

 ding for Ships : Of all which Mr. Dumpier hath gi- 

 ven a particular Account in the 7th Chapter of his 

 Voyage round the World ; fo that I fliall forbear to fay 

 any thing more of them. 5 Tis a very noble de- 

 lightful Bay 9 and as it affords good Anchoring and 

 Shelter, fo the Iflands alfo yield Plenty of Wood, 

 Water, Fruits, Fowls, and Hogs, for the Ac- 

 commodation of Shipping. 



The Soil of the Inland part of the Country is The Soil 

 generally very good, for the moft part of a black 

 fruitful Mould. From the Gulph of St. Michael^ 

 to the Ridge of Hills lying off Caret Bay, it is a 

 Vale Country, well water'd with the Rivers that fall 

 into that Gulph: But near the Gulph 'tis very 

 fwampy and broken, fo as that it is fcarce poffible 

 to travel along the Shore thereabouts. Weftward 

 of the River of Congo, the Country grows more 

 hilly and dry, with pleafanc and rich Vales inter- 

 mix'd, till you are paft the River Cheapo \ and thus 

 far the whole Country is all, as it were, one conti- 

 nued Wood. The Savannah Country commences 

 here, dry and graffy with fmall Hills and Woods 

 intermix'd : And the Hills are every where fertile 

 to the Top (though more fruitful nearer the Bot- 

 tom) and even the Tops of the main Ridge are 

 cover'd with very flourishing Trees, Yet the Hills 

 from which the Gold Rivers fall, near Santa Maria, 

 are barren towards the Top, and bear fhort Shrubs 

 fcatter'd here and there. The Soil feems capable 

 of any Produ&ions proper to the Climate : I be- 

 lieve we have nothing that grows in Jamaica but 

 what would thrive here alfo, and grow very Jux- 

 uriantly* confidering the exceeding Richnefs of the 

 Soil 



The 



