ii8 A VOYAGE TO Book III, 



In this city is a tribunal or royal audience, in which 

 the governor of Panama prefides-, and to this em- 

 ployment is annexed the captainfhip general of Terra 

 Firma, which is generally conferred on an officer of 

 dillindion, though his common title is that of pre- 

 fident of Panama. It has alfo a cathedral, and a 

 chapter confiding of the bifhop, and a number of 



- prebendaries ; an aujntamiento, or corporation, com- 

 pofed of alcaldes and regidores ; three officers of re- 

 venue, under an accompcant, treafurer, and agent; 

 and a court of inquifition appointed by the tribunal 

 of inquifition at Carthagena. The cathedral, and 

 alfo the convents, are of ftone ; indeed, before the con- 

 flagration, feveral of t'le latter were of wood •, but that 

 terrible misfortune fhewed them the neceffity of ufing 



■ more folid materials. The convents are, thofe of 

 the Dominicans, Francifcans, Auguftines, and Fathers 

 of Mercy-, a college of Jefuits, a nunnery of the or- 

 der of St. Clara, and an hofpital of St. Juan de 

 Dios. The flender revenues will not, admit of their 

 being very numerous ; and accordingly the ornaments 

 of the churches are neither reniarkably rich, nor con- 

 temptible, 



1"he decorations of private houfes are elegant, but 

 not coftly ; and though there are here no perlons of 

 fuch monflrous fortunes as in fome cities of America, 

 yet it is not deiiitute of wealthy inhabitants, and all 

 have a fufficiency fo that, if it cannot be clafled 

 among opulent cities, it is certainly above poverty. 



The harbour of this city is formed in its road, by 

 the Ihelter of feveral iQands, particularly IfladeNaos, 

 de Perico, and Flamencos; and the anchoring-place 

 is before the fecond, and thence called Perico. The 

 fliips here lie very fafe ; and their diftance from the 

 city is about two leagues and a half, or three leagues. 



The tides are regular; and, according to an ob- 

 fervation we made on the day of the conjundlion, it 

 was high-water at three in the evening. The water 



rifes 



