I20 AVOYAGETO Book III. 



vantage to the inhabitants of all the iflands in this 

 bay. 



The harbour of Pericp is the rendezvous of the 

 Peru fleet, during the time of the fair ; and is never 

 V without barks loaded with provifions from the ports 

 of Peru, and a great number of coailing veffels go- 

 ing from thence to Choco and parts on the v/eftern 

 coaft of that kingdom. 



The winds are the fame as along the whole coaft ; 

 the tides or currents are ftronger near the iflands than 

 at a diftance from them-, but no general rule can bq 

 given with regard to their courfe, that depending on 

 the place where the fhip is, with regard to the chan- 

 nels which they form. They alfo vary in the famq 

 place according to the winds. Let it therefore fuflace 

 that we have fhewn there are tides on this coaft, that, 

 on any occafion, this notice may be applied to ufe. 



CHAP. III. 



Of the Climate and Inhabitants of Panama..- 



A N Y countries of America have fuch a re- 



femblance, in refpeft to the inhabitants and 



cuftoQiS, that they appear the fame. This is equally 

 obfervable in the chmate, when no difference is oc- 

 cafloned by the accidental difpofition of the ground, 

 or quality of the foil. But, this fubjecl having been 

 already fuifiiciently handled, a rational curiofity will 

 require us only to mention thofe prrticulars in which 

 they differ. . Thus, after faying that the inhabitants of 

 this city refemble thofe of Carthagena with regard to 

 their conftitution, I muft add, that there is fome dif- 

 ference in their difpofition, thofe of Panama being 

 more parfimonious, more defigning, and infidious, and 

 ftppping at nothing when profit is in view, the pole- 

 ftar both of Europeans and Creoles j and it is dif- 

 ficult 



