Ch.VI. south AMERICA. 133 



Cofta Ric^, by Punta de Mariatos, Morro de Pnercos, 

 to the gulph of Darien ; from whence it continues 

 fouthward along the coaft, by Puerto de Pin as, and 

 Morro Quemado, to the bay of St. Bonaventura. Its 

 length from eaft to weft is 180 leagues, but, if mea- 

 fured along the coaft, it exceeds 230 ; and its breadth, 

 from north to fouth, is the fame as that of the ifthmus, 

 which includes the whole province of Panama, and 

 pare of that of Darien. The narroweft part of this 

 ifthmus is from the rivers Darien and Chagre, on the 

 north fea, to thofe of Pito and Caymito on the fouth 

 fea : and here the diftance, from fea to fea, is about 

 14 leagues. Afterwards it increafes in breadth to- 

 wards Choco and Sitara and the fame weftward in 

 .the province of Veraguas, forming an interval of fortjr 

 leagues from fea to fea. 



Along this ifthmus run thofe famous chains of 

 lofty mountains, called the Andes, which, beginning at 

 fuch a prodigious diftance as the Terra Magellanica, 

 traverfes the kingdom of Chili, the province of Buenos 

 Ayrcs, and thence through the provinces of Peru and 

 Quito; and from the latter, contradl themfelves, as 

 it were, for a paflage through this narrow ifthmus. 

 Afterwards, again widening, they continue their courfe 

 through the provinces and kingdoms of Nicaragua, 

 Guatemala, Cofta Rica, St. Miguel, Mexico, Guajaca, 

 !a Pucbla, and others; with feveral arms or ramifica- 

 tions, for ftrengthening, as it were, the fouthern with 

 the northern parts of America. 



In order to give the reader a comprehenfive idea 

 of this kingdom, I ftiall fpeak particularly of each of 

 its three provinces, beginning with that of Panama 

 as the principal. Moft of its towns and villages are 

 fituated in fmali plains. along the ftiore, the reft of 

 the country being covered with enormous and craggy 

 mountains, uninhabited on account of their fterility. 



In this province are three cities, one town, a few 

 forts, Villages, and country feats ; the names of 



K 3 which, 



