32 



THE ISTHMUS 



rocky and narrow, as not to admit of any fort of wheel-carriage for the 

 greateft part of the way. However, methods may be ufed to bring up from 

 Cruzes to the plains near Panama, without the leaft delay, any number of 

 cannon and mortars, provided none of them, when difmounted, exceed the 

 weight of 500 lb. 



The fev/ cannon that were mounted on the walls of Panama, in the year 

 1 740, were brought by fea from the city of Lhna. 



The conveyance of the king's treafure, and the merchandize from Chili 

 and Peru, landed at Panama, thence to Porto Velo, is performed two 

 ways : the firft is in fummer, by land, which is a journey of about 14 

 Spanijh leagues, upon mules, through the towns of Maria Enrique, Venta de 

 CamilUlla, Venta de Chagres, San Juan, Pueblo de Lidios, Pe quern, and Bo- 

 queron; in winter, to Santa Cruz, or Venta de Cruzes, on the de Chagre, 

 near five leagues from Panama, from whence it is conveyed down the river|in 

 flat-bottom boats, in three days, if the water be high, elfe they may be 

 from fix to twelve days, or more, the river being full of fhelves, and 

 very fhallow in fummer : in this cafe the treafure may be carried through a 

 level country to Embarcadero, on the Rio de la 'Trinidad, and there em- 

 barked for Porto Velo. 



Cockburn, in the account of his journey from Panama to Porto Velo, fays 

 that they fet out upon mules about two o'clock in the afternoon, and tra- 

 velled till about four o'clock the next morning, before they reached a houfe; 

 but had a good guard againfl an attack of the Indians at war, or wild beafls. 

 Their guard carried wax tapers in the night, to frighten the beafts : that 

 the fame day they arrived at the Pio de Chagre, and alighted from their 

 mules, to dine under fome trees : after refting there two hours, they croffed 

 the river, and afcended a very fleep mountain, where it was impofiible for 

 them to keep on their mules, without clinging fafl round their necks. Some 

 part of this road is not above two feet broad, having precipices on each fide- 

 four or five hundred feet deep ; fo that -by the leafl flip of a mule's foot, both 

 itfelf and rider muft be daflied in pieces : by fun-fet they got to an inn, or 

 houfe where travellers are entertained, there being feveral fuch on this road : 

 the next morning they fet out by day-break, and came down to the Rio de 



Chagre- 



