34 



THE ISTHMUS 



pital, and feveral fine buildings ; but as for v/alls, they had none j all the 

 fortifications for the defence of fo important a place were two forry redoubts, 

 one on the fliore, and the other fronting the road to Fenta Cruz, mounted 

 with 6 pieces of cannon each. In 1669 it was taken by the famous Sir 

 Henry Morgan, who burnt it to the ground, having loaded 175 beafts with 

 the treafures he took. The Spaniards fay it contained about 6000 houfes, mofi: 

 of them built of rofe-wood and many of them more magnificent than any 

 other in the Indies. 



New Panama was built four miles wefl from the ruins of Old Panama, 

 and is a very fair city, feated clofe by the fea-fide. It gives name to a large 

 bay, which is famous for a great many navigable rivers running into it ; 

 fome whereof are very rich in gold. In the bay are feveral fmall iflands, 

 equally pleafant to the eye of a fpedator, and profitable to the proprietors. 

 On the land fide Panama is encompafi^ed by a pleafant country, full of fmall 

 hills, verdant vallies, and fine groves of trees, which appear like iflands in 

 the Savanas. The city is furrounded by a flrong and high fi;one-v/alI, 

 well mounted on all fides with brafs cannon, and defended by a large 

 garrifon of regulars. It has a cathedral, eight parifh churches, and thirty 

 chapels. The prefident's palace is a very grand building j and all the 

 public edifices being built v^ith ftone, may be juftly ftyled fo, confidering 

 where they ftand. The houfes have but one ftory and a tyied roof. With- 

 out the walls is an open fuburb, larger than the city itfelf. The ftreets, 

 both of the city and fuburb, are ftrait, broad, and, for the moft part, 

 paved ; the houfes in general were of a wood which was feldom known 

 to burn, till this city was almoft deftroyed by fire in 1737, the virtue of 

 the timber being unable to fecure it from the ravages of the flames. The 

 fire began in a cellar, where, among other goods, were great quantities of 

 pitch, tar, naptha, and brandy ; fo that the fire being, as it were, faturated 

 with thefe fubftances, foon reached the walls, and even this fingalar kind 

 of wood became a prey to the devouring flames. The fuburbs, being above 

 a mile from the city, received no damage. Since this misfortune it has 

 been rebuilt again, for the greater part of ftone, a material for building 

 here very plenty. In this city is a tribunal, or royal audience, in which 



the 



