194 



PANAMA. 



on which an enemy might plant his cannon and 

 destroy the city. The natives^ if they desire to 

 defend the place on the land-side^ ought to build 

 a strong fort upon the summit of this hill. 



With the exception of Mr. Ferraud, consul of 

 the United States, the English vice-consul, Mr. 

 Russell, and Mr. Lewis, who represents a 

 Jamaica mercantile house, there are no other 

 European residents of any consequence at 

 Panama. All the natives, except some of those 

 employed by the government, are shopkeepers, 

 and I rather think the governor himself is 

 engaged in trade. 



North America, Europe, and the West 

 Indies, supply the Isthmus with foreign goods, 

 some few of which are still re-exported from 

 Panama as formerly, to the various ports in 

 the Pacific. They reach the village of Cruces 

 by boats up the river Chagres, and from 

 thence twenty-one miles of the very worst road 



